The Role of "Soilless" and "Soilless" in Orchid Cultivation and Misunderstandings

As soon as you meet, after a few polite words, you have to ask each other about the growth of orchids and the introduction of varieties. When we talk about it, we will soon talk about the problems on the cultivation substrate. Many Lanyou exports are popular "soilless cultivation". In fact, most of them use mechanical particles such as "hard plant" mixed with "fairy soil". Do not know that the "immortal soil" and other mechanisms of granular soil is "peat soil" after high-temperature sterilization and then through the mechanism into particles, of course, which is also the role of binder. Strictly speaking, this kind of "plant material" is "granular plant material" and cannot be called "soilless cultivation" or "soilless cultivation".

Several versions of the popular foreign "soilless cultivation" have appeared since it spread to China (in fact, soilless granular cultivation was advocated and used in the Song Dynasty, and later spread abroad with orchid seedlings. Now, like resale grass, the technology has been sold back):

1. Cultivation of "hard plant"

This is a variety of "hard plants" such as: "plant gold stone, imperial stone, sea pumice, red jade, volcanic stone, wind fossils, perlite, hydrophilic stone", etc., coupled with "bark, snake wood (there is also a single cultivation) mixed planting", this kind of "plant material" is sterilized at high temperature in the production process, so it is very clean. In addition, there are quality and cheap materials of "ceramsite, tile grains, broken bricks" and so on. The advantages of these "inorganic plants" are easy to control diseases and insect pests and good "permeability and hydrophobicity". The disadvantage is that they do not contain any fertilizer ingredients and trace elements, and should be artificially supplemented with all-element fertilizers to promote the growth of orchids. "bark" and "snake wood" are organic matter that can slowly decompose into a small amount of nutrient elements in cultivation.

2. "nutrient solution" cultivation

This "nutrient solution" is specially prepared according to the different uptake of nutrient elements by orchids at different growth stages, and then cultivated in greenhouse. The advantage is that the plant growth rate is "high" and the product image is good (refers to many leaves and sealing tips), but the disadvantage is that the plant is too delicate and commonly known as "water culture seedling" mature plant pseudo-bulb is small (is the reason for growing too fast), and the root is a typical bean sprout root. showing a snow-white, fat, round, smooth and vertical appearance, such as changing "hard plant" or other "plant material", the "basin" rate is low. Therefore, when choosing seedlings, Lanyou usually will not choose them unless they can't see them.

3. Cultivation of "soft plant"

This kind is mainly "water moss, coconut bran", supplemented by foamed plastic fragments, and this "plant material" is mostly used in tropical "foreign orchid" or "ink orchid". This category should be summarized as a mixture of "organic" and "inorganic". The advantage is easy to hair, root and fast growth, the disadvantage is too strong water holding capacity, containing less fertilizer, to artificially supplement all-element fertilizer to promote the growth of orchids. The growth of the plant is too delicate, but it is better than "water-cultured seedlings".

4. Mixed cultivation of "inorganic" and "organic" particles

This point should be divided into "neutral plant". The so-called "inorganic particles" are the above-mentioned "hard plants", "organic particles" such as "fairy soil" and the latest promotion of "imperial soil" and other mechanism soil. If articles 1, 2 and 3 above belong to real "soilless cultivation", this fourth article should be summarized as "granular plant" rather than "soilless cultivation" and should be clearly distinguished. The advantage is: can synthesize the advantages of the above "hard plant" and "soft plant", complement each other's disadvantages, this combination of strong points to make up for weaknesses will make the orchid grow better.

For example, the above four categories of "plant materials" are sterilized at high temperature in the production process (the advantage of foam is that it is not easy to parasitize bacteria, so it is not necessary to use high temperature sterilization), so there is no need to carry pathogens. For different purposes of the grower, the choice is also different: for those who engage in "tissue culture", he must choose "nutrient solution" or "soft plant" for cultivation and rejuvenation. "hard inorganic plant" mixed with organic "bark, snake wood" is also widely used in the process of magnolia, such as mastering the method of commercial seedlings will be shortened. In fact, at present, the "hard grain plant" mixed with "neutral particle plant" (which is also practiced by the majority of Lanyou in cultivation) is the most commonly used in Yilan at present, and the nutrient elements of this kind of "plant material" are fully "water-holding" for a long time. Good permeability. With the lengthening of the use time, the good soil particles will gradually soften, but will never break down into powder and then solidify. With the exception of inferior soil particles, such particles exceed the standard by using a large number of adhesives, which makes it difficult for water to penetrate, thus losing the advantage that the soil holds nutrients, and making Lanyou uncertain in terms of water management.

The "plant material" prepared in point 4 above should be very scientific. In addition to the above advantages, the false bulbs are enlarged, the commercial seedlings are of high quality, and the most significant is that the fragrance of flowers is faint and lasting (according to Lanyou, it is generally reflected that the fragrance is more faint and more lasting than soilless cultivation). The commercial seedlings cultivated by such "plant materials" are easy to take, which is also one of the preferred goals of orchid friends.

The shortcomings of permeability, solidification and pathogen of "orchid mud and peat soil" were solved. It inherits the advantage of trace element content of "orchid mud and peat soil". In this complementary advantage, the "deficiency" of trace elements in "hard plant" has also been completely solved and the moisturizing property has been increased.

In short, in the process of the preparation and use of "plant material", it is necessary to practice more, record more and sum up more, so as to take the first step of "hope for success".

Note: the machine-made granular soil contains the right amount of binder in it, and it must be used until it is soaked. Remember! Remember!

Objective: to provide reference for beginners Lan you.

Wan Yunkun