What kind of soil should orchids use?

Orchids grow in cool, ventilated and stagnant mountains, so the requirements of cultivation substrates are: ventilation, softness, good water permeability and slight acidity.

Blue mud refers to the soil attached to the rock recess on the mountain, which is made of plant leaves that have been weathered and weathered by the sun and rotted. The soil is soft, well ventilated and slightly acidic. Jiangnan area in China is used to digging mud in Shaoxing Huiji Mountain, Yuyao Yanwoling, Fuyang Niu Shan, Hangzhou Baoshan, Yixing Tongguan Mountain, Nantong Junshan and Changshu Yushan. Before liberation, it was called "a load of flower mud and a load of rice".

Weathered rock gravel soil can also be used as a cultivation base. Farmers in Cangyan Town, Shengzhou take the gravel soil of Cangyan Mountain as the cultivation substrate, and have cultivated Cangyan Crisp with this soil for more than 100 years. Recently, some people use red clay brick gravel and red clay mountain mud as the cultivation basis, while others use overgrown soil as the substrate after being baked by fire. Both of them are characterized by ventilation, water permeability and slight acidity, and are rich in phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, which can be used as orchid cultivation substrates, but nitrogen fertilizer should be supplemented appropriately. In recent years, with the introduction of orchid cultivation in Hongkong, Taiwan Province and abroad, indoor orchid cultivation has been greatly promoted. Therefore, the use of water moss, perlite, volcanic eruption stone, granular brick, granular fairy soil and granular peat has become an ideal substrate. Their greatest advantage is that they are convenient for water management.

Second, the requirements for temperature and humidity

The optimum growth temperature of orchids in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces is 18-30℃, below 5℃ and above 35℃, and the reproductive growth period is 5- 18℃.

Orchids grow well when the air relative humidity is 60-70%. Too dry or too wet can easily cause blue disease. Therefore, outdoor cultivation should create a microclimate suitable for orchid growth, and indoor sprayers and hygrometers should be installed.

Third, the requirements for sunlight exposure.

Orchids love yin and fear yang. Sunlight is very important for photosynthesis of plants, and it is an energy source for making nutrients. Orchids like the morning sunshine. When the sun rises, the angle of sunlight is low, and the light receiving area of orchids is large. Moreover, because the morning sun is blocked by the morning fog, the light is softer, and the direct light will not burn the leaves of orchids. After nutrient accumulation at night, the photosynthesis ability of orchids is the strongest in the morning. Therefore, direct sunlight can be directed to orchid leaves before 7 o'clock in summer, and 50%-90% sunshade net can be used to block sunlight after 7 o'clock. Before and after "Tomb-Sweeping Day", orchids can get more sunshine, which will make them take root and sprout, and grow more leaves. After the "White Dew", the weather turns cold and most new grasses will grow. You can also shine more sunlight to make the buds full and let orchids accumulate more nutrients for the growth in the coming year. The length of sunlight directly affects the growth of orchids. There is more sunshine, the orchid leaves are yellow, the orchid roots are developed and the flowers are healthy. On the contrary, orchids have dark green leaves, underdeveloped roots and are not easy to bloom. Petals with long sunlight exposure are thick, whereas petals are thin. But if the sun is exposed too much, it may burn the leaves of orchids and even lead to dehydration and death.

Fourth, the requirement of moisture.

Water control is the most fundamental condition for raising orchids. Orchid leaves are thick in texture and protected by cuticle, which will not consume a lot of water. The false scales and fleshy roots of Cymbidium hybridum can store certain nutrients and water, so it is more drought-tolerant. In addition to rooting, germination and rapid growth, more water is needed, and less water is consumed at other times. Too much water will cause soil water accumulation, hinder root respiration, and easily rot roots. Too much water will also cause the cell wall of orchid leaves to be full of water, and the stomata on the leaves will open, which will lead to the weakening of nutrients, resulting in delicate tissues, poor growth and diseases. Orchids are "afraid of rain, but they are also afraid of wet". Due to the different air humidity in spring, summer, autumn and winter, the growth rate of orchids is different and the water demand is also different. There is a saying that whether you can plant orchids depends mainly on whether you can water them.

Verb (abbreviation for verb) air requirement

Orchids like circulating and unpolluted air. Orchid cultivation places should be far away from gas, lampblack and dusty places. Oil fume and dust attached to leaves will hinder the breathing of leaves and affect photosynthesis. Poor air circulation will cause bacteria and viruses to attach to leaves and endanger the growth of orchids.

Six, the requirements of fertilizer

Orchids like light, and fertilization is lighter than thickness. Like other plants, nitrogen can promote the growth of stems and leaves. Phosphorus can promote the development of orchid roots, reproductive organs and the extension of stems and leaves. Trace elements such as magnesium, sulfur and iron can make leaves green and flowers strong.

Fertilize more when orchids grow vigorously, but not when they are dormant or weak. Excessive fertilization will burn the roots and leaves, causing irreparable damage.