Detailed Explanation of How to Prepare Nutrient Soil for Orchids

An ideal orchid growing medium can make orchid roots strong, leaves lush, and fragrance rich, so the preparation and selection of the growing medium is very important.

(1) Prepare the growing medium with 50% pine wood sawdust, 20% decomposed organic fertilizer crumbs, and 30% burned fine coal cinder particles. It has good ventilation and air permeability and strong drainage. Sawdust can make the orchid fungi symbiotic with orchid roots grow well, and because the sawdust gradually ferments and decomposes, it can continuously supply the nutrients needed for orchid plant growth.

(2) Mix evenly 30% pine needle humus soil, 20% composted sawdust, 20% burned fine coal cinder particles, 25% coarse sand, and 5% moss before use. This can make the soil loose, fertile, not easily compacted, and slightly acidic. Pine needles have a special odor and can prevent underground pests. In the first year, no further fertilization is needed; simply spray some potassium dihydrogen phosphate, VBm rice vinegar, etc. about every 10 days.

(3) Crush decayed old tree residue into fine particles, and mix it with processed leaf mold at a 1:1 ratio to make the growing medium. It has good ventilation and air permeability, and the woody fibers transform into humus, providing abundant nutrients for orchid roots to absorb, which is beneficial to orchid growth.

(4) Use 40% composted ordinary sawdust, 30% leaf mold, and 30% burned fine coal cinder particles alternately in layers, with each layer 2-3 cm thick, and lay 3 cm of crushed stone at the bottom of the pot. Ventilation and air permeability are good, roots are thick and strong, and leaves are lush and flowers abundant.

Precautions when preparing nutrient soil for orchids:

(1) Because the regional environment, water and soil conditions where orchids are grown differ, and the physiological characteristics of Cymbidium varieties vary, preparation and selection should be based on actual conditions, combined with careful management and meticulous observation, and constantly improved.

(2) When the orchid pot growing medium is uneven in particle size, it should be coarse at the bottom and fine on top, with clear layering, and must not be mixed together, so as to avoid uneven water supply, which may cause some rotten roots to rot or shrink due to receiving different amounts of water.

(3) Before use, all sawdust, tree residue, coal cinder, sand and soil, leaf mold, etc. should first be disinfected, such as by steaming, stir-frying, sun exposure, soaking in medicinal solution, etc., to eliminate disease sources from all directions; after 3 years of use, because the nutrients are exhausted, the growing medium often suffers from frequent diseases, and it should be completely discarded and replaced to benefit plant growth.

(4) When collecting pine needle leaf mold, choose dense pine forests with many fallen leaves, few weeds, and little ground exposure to light. After collection, first pick out branches, stones, weeds, etc., then expose to the sun for 10 days, sieve the soil, and store the coarse and fine parts separately for later use. Do not let it be exposed to rain, and do not let it touch the ground and become damp. The above is an introduction to the topic.