Basic conditions for orchid cultivation

The basic conditions of orchid planting are the same as those of general flowers and trees, including temperature, humidity, light and ventilation. If these conditions are suitable for the requirements of planting orchid varieties, there will be a basic guarantee for successful planting.

1. Temperature

Cymbidium is carried out at a suitable temperature from seed germination to flowering and fruiting. In order to promote the normal growth of Cymbidium, the temperature condition is particularly important and is often the key to successful planting. Due to different producing areas, the required temperature is also different, some need higher temperature throughout the year; some need high temperature during the growing period and lower temperature during the dormant period; what is more, some of the orchids from temperate or alpine zones need low or medium temperatures to grow and blossom normally. According to the different temperatures required, the orchids can be roughly divided into three types: high temperature, moderate and low temperature.

(1) High temperature beauty: most of these orchids are tropical or subtropical lowland species, such as Phalaenopsis, foxtail orchid, fairy fingernail orchid and spider orchid. The average temperature for the growth of this kind of orchid is 18 ~ 21 degrees at night and 21 ~ 24 degrees during the day in winter. if the temperature is lower than the above average temperature, or the temperature difference between day and night is too large, it will affect the growth and flowering of this kind of orchids.

(2) medium temperature: most of these orchids are found in subtropical or tropical mountains, such as Cartland, Oncidium. Dendrobium, Fritillaria, Magnolia and Magnolia and so on. The average temperature of this kind of orchid is 15 ~ 18 degrees at night and 21 degrees during the day in winter, 21 ~ 24 degrees at night and 26 ~ 29 degrees during the day in summer. If the winter temperature changes more than 10 degrees, it will affect the growth and flowering of this kind of orchids.

(3) low temperature: most of these orchids are distributed in subtropical alpine or temperate snowfall areas, such as Cymbidium, Cymbidium, Cymbidium and South American dipper orchid. The temperature required for this kind of orchid is 10 ~ 13 degrees at night in winter, 15 ~ 18 degrees during the day and 18 ~ 20 degrees in summer. If the temperature change is more than 5 degrees in a day, it will affect its growth or rot and die.

Although the above three types of orchids with different temperature requirements have a certain temperature adaptability, they all need to grow well under a relatively stable average temperature. In fact, the climate changes a lot throughout the year, and the temperature changes accordingly, so it is necessary to adjust the temperature manually. If the adjustment method is in the front shed or open-air environment, when the temperature decreases, you can cover it with plastic film, or cover the wind with planks and other things. On the contrary, if the temperature is too high, then lift the cover to make it ventilated and sprinkled to absorb heat, so as to lower the local temperature. If the greenhouse weather becomes cold, the doors and windows should be closed tightly, and manual heating should be used to increase the temperature if necessary. If the indoor temperature is too high when it is hot, all the doors and windows in the greenhouse should be opened, and sprinkling water can be used to reduce the temperature. If the family indoor small greenhouse, can use the electric fan to cool down, reduce the indoor temperature.

2. Humidity

The orchid cultivated in the greenhouse likes to keep the environment with high humidity most, but if it is too wet, it is easy to cause rot and make the orchid plant green. Generally, the orchid likes to grow under the humidity of less than 90%. Generally speaking, geophytic orchids need lower humidity, at 45%-65%, but some wettable aerial orchids, such as Phalaenopsis, Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium, need 70%-80% humidity during the growing period when the temperature is high. 80% and 90% at night.

When the humidity in the greenhouse is too high, the doors and windows can be opened and ventilated to evacuate the moisture, thus reducing the humidity. When there is no wind, an electric fan is used to blow or heat to reduce the humidity. You can avoid watering when it is overcast and rainy, so as not to get too wet. If the air is too dry, water can be sprinkled around the ground, walls and flowerpots to increase humidity and reduce water loss of orchid plants to achieve the humidity conditions needed for normal growth.

3. Lighting

Light is as important to orchids as other flowers. The intensity and weakness of light directly affect the normal growth, flowering and fruiting of orchid plants. If the light is not enough, the amount of nutrients produced by photosynthesis is not enough, so that the orchid plant can not blossom; even if it blossoms, the color is not bright. On the contrary, if some shady orchids encounter strong light or hot sunlight, the plants will be burned, seriously affecting their growth. Because the types of orchids are different, the amount of light required is also different. generally, most species are afraid of direct sunlight in summer and prefer scattered light conditions.

Cartland, Dendrobium, Magnolia and Magnolia need strong light, which can grow under all-day sunshine in winter and spring, and about 50% light in summer and autumn. Magnolia, Phalaenopsis, Phalaenopsis, etc., need a lower amount of light, 40% in the morning, 25% in the afternoon and 30% in the afternoon.

4. Ventilation

Ventilation is very important for the health of orchid plants, because ventilation not only promotes the respiration of orchid plants, increases the absorption of nutrients, and makes the orchids grow vigorously. In addition, the indoor air circulation can also be adjusted, thus adjusting the temperature and humidity of the indoor air to adapt to its growth.

Ventilation can also dry the leaf surface and basin surface, reducing the occurrence of diseases and insect pests. The indoor ventilation is poor, and the orchid strain is susceptible to shellfish disease. In a word, orchid cultivation places must be well ventilated in order to have good cultivation results.

Li Shaoqiu, Hu Songhua