Can orchids be kept on the balcony? More effort is needed.

Most flower friends want to raise orchids, but now they are all buildings, and the place for growing flowers is only the balcony, so I asked if orchids can be raised on the balcony. In fact, this is possible, and the vast majority of flower friends' orchids are raised on the balcony, and summed up a lot of experience!

First, different balcony environment characteristics

1. The characteristics of open balcony: good ventilation, good light, large temperature difference (high summer temperature), low humidity, dryness and strong transpiration.

2. Characteristics of enclosed balcony: general ventilation, good light, general temperature difference (high summer temperature), low humidity, dryness, strong transpiration.

Temperature, ventilation and humidity

1. From many data, about 28 ℃ is the best growth temperature, while more than 35 ℃ grows slowly or dormant. According to my observation of 37 ℃ in recent years, orchids are still growing. Maybe we are more worried that high temperature can easily lead to two rot. The occurrence of two rot is not only related to high temperature, but also related to light, plant material, watering and ventilation management. reasonable lighting, clean, draining and breathable plant materials, good ventilation environment and management can prevent the occurrence of two rot. This requires the combination of these factors, which can not be clearly expressed in a few words. It just shows that we should not focus only on temperature, temperature is only one of the incentives. However, in summer, a well-ventilated environment can get twice the result with half the effort to prevent the occurrence of two rot, so ventilation is very important, be sure to ventilation, ventilation, open all the windows that can be opened!

2. Having a good humidity is beneficial to germination and growth, but it cannot be understood unilaterally that the higher the humidity, the better. Too low humidity, less than 35% and higher than 65% are not necessarily good humidity (hot and humid grass is good or not). With the increase of humidity, it is more conducive to mold reproduction, when it is higher than 65%, it is more beneficial to mold reproduction. In the case of natural culture on the balcony, it is difficult to solve the problem of low humidity, low humidity during the day and high humidity at night, so during the germination period (when the temperature was just rising (late spring and early summer), we can open windows during the day and close the windows at night to increase humidity. Growth period (summer) can not do this, do not care too much about low humidity, low humidity will dry leaves, not so beautiful, slow growth, but this is no big deal.

Third, lighting and sunshade

"Yang raises grass, yin raises flowers". Some people will say that I have done it backwards. The books all say "Yin raises grass and Yang raises flowers". I did not reverse it. What is said in the book is that flowers are easy to come when the light is good, and when the light is weak, the blue leaves look bright green and look beautiful, but the leaves are thin and soft. I said that when the light is good, the leaves are not so green and look green, but the leaves are thick and hard and the grass is resistant. In the case of weak light, the color and quality of flowers are better.

I like the sun. Full light is used in spring, late autumn and winter. I need sunshade in summer. I use aluminum shutters. After adjusting the angle, the sun can not be shone into the balcony after 9 o'clock in the morning. Shading also ensures maximum ventilation.

IV. Plant materials and pots.

As long as the plant material is "clean, drained and breathable, with a certain amount of nutrients and water retention", hard material and fine material are adjusted according to their own actual situation; balcony culture, if the number is more, I suggest using plastic basins, first, to unify and good management, and second, to be light. Use a black plastic basin to prevent direct sunlight in summer, so the basin temperature will be very high, which is also the cause of rot, you can use white paper to wrap the basin on the bright side.

5. About basin noodles

Some people like to cover the basin with hard materials (planting stone, burning red soil, etc.), while others like to cover the basin with water moss (I belong to this category). As for what to cover, there is no one who is absolutely good or bad, which is produced according to their respective environment and management. some people say that water moss cover will rot, I have not seen a few pots of rot, on this point, do not use personal preferences to affirm or deny, but to think. To find out why others are doing this, then again, in the whole process of raising orchids, which link is not the case? If you don't think about why you want to do this according to your own likes and dislikes, you must be resting on your laurels. It may be very difficult for your orchid to grow well.

VI. Disinfestation and sterilization

I seldom kill germs (once a year at the beginning of summer). I think that while killing harmful bacteria, beneficial bacteria are also killed. Then some people will say that if there is no sterilization, what about the two spoilage? (1) bacteria are only one factor in the occurrence of the two spoilage, not all of them; (2) not only medicine can kill bacteria, can't sunlight and water kill bacteria? Killing insects is very important, especially snails (which can make you work for nothing for a year or even several years). You need to kill insects in late spring, early summer and autumn. I usually kill them once a month.

7. Watering

There are dry cultivation (traditional culture), wet cultivation, and some people have put forward moistening cultivation. Anyway, most novice orchids are dry to death.