How to care for orchids during the vigorous growth period? These methods must be mastered
Let orchids bathe in sunlight
More sunlight is greatly beneficial for promoting orchid growth, enhancing the resistance of the orchid plants, and helping them overwinter safely. If the leaves are yellow and lack luster, with no obvious change in the old leaves, and the leaves are yellow-green with new shoots shrinking and not growing, at this point remove the plant from the pot and place it in a ventilated, shaded area until the soil ball dries, then put it back in the pot. When water is lacking, the leaf tips or edges become withered and dry, and the old leaves turn yellow and fall off from the bottom upward, while new leaf growth is relatively normal; at this point, water thoroughly and generously.
Increase the humidity of the orchid growing room
Remove the plant from the pot and place it in a ventilated, shaded area until the soil ball dries, then put it back in the pot. When water is lacking, the leaf tips or edges become withered and dry, and the old leaves turn yellow and fall off from the bottom upward, while new leaf growth is relatively normal; at this point, water thoroughly and generously.
(2) Improper lighting. If light is too intense, yellow spots appear on the sun-facing parts of the leaves; moving the plant to a shaded area for care can restore its growth, and new leaves will no longer develop yellow spots. If the plant is placed in a shaded environment for a long time, the leaves cannot receive enough light, which easily causes the leaves to turn yellow or even fall off; at this point, supplementing light can prevent this condition.
(3) Improper fertilizing. Applying too much fertilizer or fertilizer that is too concentrated can easily cause the plant to turn yellow, shown by brown tips on new leaves, generally with thick but lusterless leaf surfaces that are uneven and not smooth, while old leaves turn scorched yellow and fall off. At this point, stop fertilizing immediately, and in severe cases, flush the soil with water. Insufficient fertilizer can also cause the plant to turn yellow, but depending on which nutrient the plant lacks, the symptoms differ.
① Nitrogen deficiency: simply yellow leaves, with new leaves small and brittle.
② Potassium deficiency: old leaves change from green to brown.
The potting medium dries out very easily, so pay attention to increasing the air humidity of the orchid growing room to prevent orchid leaves from developing withered tips and scorched ends. In areas with good air quality, orchids can be left to receive autumn rain, but during continuous rainfall they still need to be sheltered; never let orchid plants remain in the rain for long periods, to prevent waterlogging that causes root rot and the development of black spot disease on orchid leaves. Comprehensive fertilizing to promote growth
In autumn, temperatures in most parts of China are suitable and the temperature difference between day and night is large, making it another golden season of the year for orchid growth; comprehensive fertilizing according to the actual condition of the orchid seedlings is very necessary. For robust orchid seedlings, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to enhance their cold resistance and lay a solid foundation for early and strong budding the following year; for orchids sprouting autumn shoots, increase the application of organic fertilizer with complete nutrients to meet the various nutritional needs of orchid growth and promote their growth to strength before winter arrives. In principle, however, fertilizing should stop by the end of the month. 6.1 Weeding and loosening the soil
About one month after sowing, the seedlings have basically all emerged. To prevent weed growth and soil compaction, the weeding and soil-loosening period is from April to October, generally carried out 2-3 times per month; the specific weeding measure is pulling weeds between the plants. 6.2 Fertilizer and water management
Pay attention to extreme weather and prevent frost
If extreme weather occurs in the latter part of this month, early frost may arrive in Jiangnan, and temperatures in the northern temperate zone and high-cold zone may sometimes fall below 0°C; those growing orchids outdoors should pay attention to weather forecasts and be ready at all times to prevent frost and freezing damage.
Thin the buds to promote vigor
This month, most full pots of vigorous mature plants will have produced buds; following the principle of removing the weak and keeping the strong, buds should be appropriately thinned. All buds sent out by old plants should be removed; among the excessive buds sent out by the front shoots, keep only the strongest and remove the rest, so as to favor proper blooming the following year. Combined with repotting and division, conduct orchid trading
Most orchid plants have matured, making this the best time of the year to introduce varieties and to repot, divide, and change the medium. If a full pot of mature orchid seedlings needs repotting, this work is best completed before the end of the month; if the new growth has not fully matured into plants, it is best to postpone repotting and division to favor their continued growth, and wait until next spring to divide the pots. Introducing stock is the first step in orchid growing, and getting off to a good start and a solid first step is very crucial, but the following issues must be noted. First, strictly control quality and do not introduce diseased seedlings. When introducing stock, orchid enthusiasts need to keep their eyes sharp and, following the principle of quality first, shut out diseased orchids. Orchid seedlings are divided into vigorous plants, medium plants, and weak plants, with prices differing considerably; orchid enthusiasts with solid skills may appropriately introduce small and medium plants to grow, saving money while also improving their own growing skills; beginners in orchid growing are best off introducing highly adaptable, vigorous seedlings that have started from native species; although the price is higher, they are relatively easier to grow. Second, strictly control the environmental factor to raise the success rate. When introducing orchids, the growing environment must be considered, as this has a considerable impact on improving the success rate after introduction. Orchid enthusiasts with modern orchid-growing facilities and superior conditions can boldly introduce greenhouse seedlings; those with simple facilities are best off introducing from orchid enthusiasts with a similar growing environment, as the chance of success will be somewhat greater. Generally speaking, introducing orchids grown on a home balcony is the safest, most adaptable, and most successful. Third, strictly control the orchid-enthusiast connection to ensure genuine goods at a fair price.