Until recently, it was believed that only very experienced gardeners can keep orchids at home. Simple flower lovers cannot care for this exotic plant. However, today, bright beauties-orchids adorn many window sills. The fact is that varieties have appeared that are quite easy to care for. For example, such as Phalaenopsis.
Unpretentious moth
Phalaenopsis orchid is native to Australia. This unusual flower was first discovered by botanist Karl Blume. He walked through the jungle and suddenly saw the amazing beauty of butterflies sitting on the vines. But when I came closer, it turned out that these were not butterflies at all, but flowers. This is how this type of orchid got its name - in honor of the moths. After all, "phalaenopsis" means "like a moth." By the way, the plant is found in the wild not only in Australia, but also in the Philippines.
For its beauty and relative ease of care, Phalaenopsis is very fond of as an indoor flower. There are different varieties and colors on sale - white, yellow or lemon, lilac, blue or blue, pink, purple. There are orchids, the petals of which are decorated with multi-colored blotches, the color of which can contrast with the main shade. If properly cared for, the plant blooms almost all year round.
After the purchase
Phalaenopsis care should be started immediately after you brought the flower into your home. The fact is that this home variety, although unpretentious, does not tolerate a change of scenery well. The main condition is to choose the right place for the plant. Do not put the orchid on the windowsill if other flowers are already there. Do not rush to water Falinopsis right away. Moreover, to feed with fertilizers. Give the flower at least two weeks of rest. At this time, even lighting is not so important for an orchid, the flower at first at home will do without natural light.
Transplant - when and how
Proper cultivation of orchids requires the plant to be planted in a transparent pot. The fact is that not only every leaf of an orchid needs sunlight, but also its roots. So you should not use beautiful ceramic pots, the flower will be more comfortable in glass or plastic, with a good drainage system. Usually Phalaenopsis are sold in such. But from time to time, the plant still needs to be transplanted.
How do you know when it's time for a transplant? The bad appearance of Phalaenopsis will tell you: the leaves are too soft, sometimes even sagging, the soil is caked. It should be borne in mind that the optimal time of the year for transplanting orchids is early spring, that is, either March or early April. But in the fall and winter, it is impossible to disturb the flower in any case!
The transplant process should go something like this:
- First you need to slightly crush the pot (if it is made of plastic) or moisten the soil with water (if the pot is glass). Only then can the orchid be removed, now it will be easier to do.
- Next, you should carefully rinse the roots, carefully removing the earth and particles of bark. You can soak the Phalaenopsis in water for a short time to help the dirt move away better.
- After carefully examining the cleaned root system, you need to cut off the bad areas.
- Then - cut the peduncles. An incision is made about a centimeter above the kidney, using a pruner or very sharp scissors.
- For the slices to tighten, the orchid must be left overnight.
- Then place Phalaenopsis in a pot and carefully pour in new soil, filling the voids.
Phalaenopsis soil
One of the main ingredients for success when growing Phalaenopsis is choosing the right substrate. Indoor orchids do not grow in ordinary soil, which is used for other indoor flowers. They need a special soil: porous, containing a lot of bark. It is sold in specialty stores. If for some reason you couldn't buy orchid substrate, make it yourself from moss, bark and small pieces of charcoal.
Watering
Phalaenopsis should not be watered too often, otherwise the roots may rot and the flower will die. Make sure the substrate is dry. Look at the roots: if they are light green, water early. But when the roots are just light, the time for watering has come. If the pot is not transparent, everything is more difficult: you have to immerse your finger in the soil and feel by touch whether the soil is dry or not.
True, these rules do not work when it comes to watering after transplanting. It is strictly forbidden to water orchids at this time. The fact is that the incisions on the roots should tighten. In addition, the new soil will dry faster than the old one, so you will have to adjust to watering again.
Flowering and care
For Phalaenopsis to bloom, it must be placed in the right place, and this place may need to be changed periodically. So, in late autumn and winter, orchids grow better on the windowsill on the south side. In summer, the eastern or western side is more favorable. Also, to stimulate flowering, they usually reduce watering or generally only start to spray the soil. Phalaenopsis in good conditions bloom for quite a long time - more than six months, and if you spray the peduncle with warm water, then even longer.
When the flowering ends, and the buds become dry, the arrow usually dries up, then it must be cut off. But it happens that the peduncle is still green, but the flowers are gone. In this case, you can act according to one of the following options:
- leave the stem alone, waiting for new buds to appear
- cut the peduncle up to the first bud
- cut off completely, then put in water and wait for the appearance of the bud
Phalaenopsis usually blooms again after three months. But if new buds did not appear, this means that you did something wrong. As a rule, the plant does not bloom due to the fact that:
- He lacks the sun. However, the pot should not stand in direct light, ideally in a very light shade. The air temperature is no higher than 25 ° C, the humidity is up to 40% and, in addition, excellent ventilation.
- A lot of feeding. Useful substances must be completely absorbed, only then you can feed the plant again.
- There is no right balance between rest and growth stimulation. First, you need to give the orchid a couple of months to rest, then, with the help of special preparations, stimulate flowering.
Reproduction of orchids
You can try to propagate Phalaenopsis. There are three different ways to do this:
- Cuttings. It is necessary to cut off the stem of the faded orchid, cut the cuttings by 10-15 cm and sprinkle the places of the cuts with crushed activated carbon. Then put on wet moss or sand, cover with transparent film and put in the sun. At least two dormant buds should remain on each cuttings, they look like nodules. If you're lucky, shoots will appear from them.
- Children. Children are called shoots that grow on the side, either at the beginning of the root, or on peduncles after flowering. It is possible to stimulate the growth of side shoots by providing high humidity. When the flowering is over, place the plant in the light and spray it. When the roots appear, separate the shoots and transplant into a new pot.
- By dividing the socket. The method is suitable only if the plant is strong, with large rosettes. Use a sterile sharp instrument to cut off the top of the orchid with several leaves and aerial roots. Places of cuts must be disinfected, and the shoot must be transplanted.
Pests and diseases
It happens that, despite proper care, Phalaenopsis still die. The reason for this can be diseases or pests. This type of orchid, like other flowers, is susceptible to many misfortunes - these are both parasites and various infections. Here are the most common ones:
- Fusarium. This is a fungal disease that affects the roots of the orchid. The fungus usually appears due to an excessive amount of moisture in the substrate. Unfortunately, if this happens, it will not be possible to cure the plant.
- Hives. This is an infection of a viral nature, it damages the leaves. The leaf affected by this disease is easy to identify, it is spotty. Usually the reason is the lack of fresh air.
- Botrytis. This is also an infection, but it affects the flowers themselves. They quickly fade, fall off. The cause of the disease lies in the too humid air in the room where the orchid grows.
- Mealybug. It is a parasite that causes Phalaenopsis leaves to fall off.
- Spider mite. It is also called thrips. He covers the plant with cobwebs, eventually destroying both leaves and flowers.
- Shield. A dangerous parasite that is difficult to destroy due to its hard shell. Gradually sucks out all the juices from the plants, leading to death.
In order not to lose the beautiful Phalaenopsis flower due to diseases or pests, it is important to be careful. If you notice the first signs of a flower's poor health, you should not expect that everything will work out by itself, but urgently diagnose the problem and start treatment. As a rule, it is enough to spray the plant with special preparations, in each case they are different.
