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How to water an orchid with mineral water. Here's how to water your orchid at home to ensure it blooms well! Step-by-step instruction. How to water an orchid in certain cases

Preface

Every lover indoor plants dreams of adding a blooming orchid to his home collection, however, as practice shows, few people know how to water an orchid in order to prevent rotting of the root system. After all, overwatering is much more dangerous for this plant than drought. You should be careful and follow individual rules for caring for a capricious flower.

Many people mistakenly believe that other indoor plants are necessary after upper layer the soil will become completely dry. However, this indicator can be deceiving, because the soil inside the pot may still remain moist. It is much more convenient to determine this when growing an orchid in a transparent pot. A signal of excess moisture and sufficient soil moisture will be the accumulation of condensation, small droplets of liquid on the walls of a pot made of transparent glass or plastic. In this case, it is too early to water the plant. Also take a closer look at the appearance of the root system. If the roots are bright green tint, then you shouldn’t water the orchid. When the roots lighten, you can start moisturizing.

Watering orchids

Owners of orchids with opaque containers are better off using other signs. Take a wooden skewer, push it into the soil to the very bottom and leave for 10-20 minutes. If after this time the stick remains completely dry, then it’s time to water the orchid. You can also determine the degree of saturation of the soil with moisture by checking the weight of the pot. Of course, at first it will be difficult to do this, but over time you will learn to grasp this moment.

The main thing to remember is that orchids are epiphytes, that is, plants that grow in their natural environment on trees and other plant crops and do not need a lot of moisture. A constant flow is more important to them fresh air to the root system. Therefore, choose comfortable and spacious pots for such plants. But you shouldn’t “torment” the plant for too long from lack of water. This may result in slower growth and flowering.

Water for irrigation should not be cold. A liquid with a temperature of 18-25 degrees is considered optimal. It is also good to pre-saturate the water with oxygen. To do this, just pour it in a thin stream from one container to another. Water for orchids is a source of nutrition and self-regulation. If we consider the vital activity of this flower in its natural habitat, then it receives its life-giving moisture thanks to heavy tropical rains. To create similar conditions for an orchid at home, many indoor plant lovers use rainwater. However, taking into account harmful emissions in cities and radiation, such a method of care cannot be called high-quality. Such water vaguely resembles tropical water and can cause even more harm to your plant.

Peat for water purification

For successful flower growth, the pH level of the water plays an important role. A pH level of 5 is considered optimal for orchids and can be determined using special indicators. If the water hardness is high, then it must be reduced. We do this by adding a few drops to the water for irrigation. lemon juice or oxalic acid at the rate of 2 g of substance per 5 liters of liquid. The second component can be purchased at any home flower care store. Preliminary settling of the water also helps, due to which excess chlorine is removed. A bag of peat - no less effective remedy. It is enough to immerse it in water overnight, and after a day you can use softened water for irrigation. As for the use of distilled water, it is better to combine it with ordinary settled water, since such a liquid is completely devoid of oxygen and salts.

Irrigation by sprinkling is very similar to natural irrigation of a flower. A shower head is ideal for this. If you have different water spray modes, choose the “tropical rain” function, which is found in most modern watering cans. We irrigate the orchid with warm water, avoiding moisture getting on the flowers. We wait until the substrate is saturated and leave the flower in the bath for 10-15 minutes to drain excess liquid. After an hour (no later), we wipe the remaining moisture on the leaves with a soft napkin, paying special attention to the sinuses and core. Otherwise, the socket may rot and endanger further development orchids. If we find white stains on the leaves, wipe the leaf blades with a health cocktail based on beer and lemon juice mixed in equal proportions.

One of the methods of watering orchids

The second commonly used watering method is to completely immerse the flower pot in water. Prepare a basin or convenient bucket, pour it into required quantity water room temperature and place the potted orchid inside for no more than 20-30 minutes. After this time, take out the pot with the flower and leave it alone for 10-15 minutes to allow the excess liquid to drain.

The simplest method of moisturizing is watering from a watering can. We pour water in a thin stream over the entire top layer of soil, avoiding moisture getting on the growing point and axils of the leaves. Required amount We control moisture through the drainage holes in the pot. When liquid begins to flow out of them, stop watering. After about 2-3 minutes, the procedure can be repeated and drained excess water from the pallet. It is best to water the orchid in the morning. For orchids growing on blocks without substrate the best option To maintain optimal moisture levels, the roots will be sprayed. This procedure will have to be carried out more often than watering orchids in pots, since root system These flowers dry out much faster. As with regular watering from a watering can, we spray the roots in the first half of the day so that they have time to dry before evening.

When watering orchids planted in a substrate, remember that in the center of the pot the soil dries out much more slowly than at the edges. Therefore, it is better to navigate by the moisture content of the top layer not along the edges of the soil, but in the center. So the probability of over-moistening this indoor flower decreases many times over. As a rule, watering orchids in pots is carried out no more than once a week; you should focus on temperature conditions, degree of illumination and air humidity in the room. If you want to lightly moisten the substrate, water only around the edges of the pot, without touching the core.

Epiphytic orchids

Orchids in baskets are watered more often, as the moisture evaporates faster. The optimal watering will be submersion. Dip the basket with the flower into a container of water for a few minutes, then take it out and let the excess moisture drain.

Epiphytic orchids planted on blocks require periodic moistening of not only the roots, but also the air, which can be easily achieved by spraying a small amount of liquid over the flower with a spray bottle. In this way, the most natural growing conditions are created, which allow the flower to grow normally. After all, in the tropics these flowers receive water not from soil or wood, but from humid air. Orchids are more demanding of frequent and abundant watering. Phragmipedium. But other representatives of this plant ( Vanda, Phalaenopsis, Miltoniopsis, Cymbidium and Vuilstekeara) less capricious, demanding moderate watering.

More often, an orchid without a substrate can be seen in long glass flowerpots. When watering, pour water to the base of the orchid, immersing only the root system in it, and leave the plant alone for a few minutes. After this, pour out the liquid completely and wipe the vase dry. If particles of moisture or a small amount of liquid remain at the bottom, the roots will begin to rot and gradually die. During the dry summer period, such watering is recommended once every 3 days, and in winter time reduce it to once every 5-7 days.

Like everything grown at home, they need watering and spraying. But for this basic agricultural technique you need to use water of a certain quality. To decide what to water the orchid with, you need to find out the chemical composition, that is, check the acidity and hardness of the water - you may have to take measures to soften it.

Water enters plants through the roots, passes into the shoots, where it participates in metabolism, transport, biochemical processes(including photosynthesis and respiration) and leaves the plant, evaporating through the stomata of the leaves.

In various organs of an orchid, the water content varies widely and varies depending on the species, age and environmental conditions. The hotter the room, the faster the process of evaporation of moisture from the surface of the leaves through the stomata occurs and the slower (until it completely stops) the process of water absorption through the roots.

This page describes in detail how to properly water and spray orchids at home, as well as what water to use for these purposes.

What water to water orchids at home: quality and temperature

Often tap water is saturated with chlorine, calcium, magnesium and iron salts. During the period of active snowmelt in Moscow water, the taste of chlorine becomes especially noticeable, and the acidity index approaches 9 (in parentheses we add that the quality tap water, for example, in St. Petersburg it is almost ideal for watering orchids).

Before deciding whether you need to improve the water for watering your orchids, check its acidity (or pH). The pH value is indicated by the symbol pH. It varies from 1 to 14. The lower the pH value, the more acidic the solution. Neutral solutions have pH = 7, acidic solutions have pH< 7, а щелочные - pH >7. You can measure pH for proper watering of orchids at home using special paper indicators impregnated with special organic dyes (so-called litmus papers) or using a pocket ion meter.

Depending on the pH value for growing, orchids can be classified as follows:

• pH = 4.0-5.0 - very acidic;
• pH = 5.0-6.5 - acidic;
• pH = 6.5-6.8 - slightly acidic;
• pH = 6.8-7.2 - almost neutral;
• pH = 7.2-7.5 - slightly alkaline.

The pH value of the water that most orchids need to be watered should be in the range of pH = 5.5-6.8.

In addition to control over chemical composition You also need to monitor the water temperature: Watering and spraying orchids is done with water whose temperature is 5-10 degrees higher than the ambient temperature. Following this rule will save your plants from the appearance of bacterial rot.

Ways to soften water for watering orchids

Before watering orchids at home, determine another important indicator of the quality of irrigation water - its hardness, which depends on the salt content. If there is little of these salts in the water, it is soft, if there is a lot, it is hard.

There are temporary and permanent water hardness. Temporary hardness is determined by calcium bicarbonate Ca(HCO3) and magnesium bicarbonate Mg(HCO3) dissolved in water. Temporary hardness can be reduced by simple boiling, during which bicarbonates precipitate and form scale on the walls of the vessel. Constant hardness of water is determined by the content of calcium and magnesium sulfates and chlorides in it; it can only be eliminated by distillation, fine purification through filters or chemical means.

There is a certain relationship between acidity and water hardness. Soft water lacks calcium and magnesium carbonates, so it has a slightly acidic reaction. Hard water is usually alkaline. In order for hard water from a tap to become closer in quality to tropical rainforest water, it can be artificially softened.

There are several ways to soften irrigation water. In order to get rid of temporary hardness, the water can be boiled and allowed to stand. Knowing what kind of water to water an orchid at home, you can reduce its hardness, for example, by mixing it with distilled water, or passing it through a membrane filter, or by immersing a bag filled with red high-moor peat in a container of water for several hours. Water can be freed from foreign impurities by freezing and draining the sediment after thawing.

One of the common methods of softening water for proper watering of orchids is chemical. Organic or inorganic acids are added to irrigation water, which bind calcium salts, and they precipitate into an insoluble precipitate.

As organic you can use oxalic or citric acid. They are sold in the form of a white crystalline powder, which should be added to water gradually, starting with a quarter of a gram (or 250 mg) per 1 liter, gradually bringing the solution to needed by plants acidity indicator (pH = 5.5-6.8). At the same time, a sediment consisting of insoluble salts falls at the bottom of the container, which must be drained through a siphon.

The remaining solution no longer contains calcium salts and can be used to water orchids. Of the inorganic acids to reduce the acidity of hard water, it is better to choose phosphoric acid.

How to soften water for proper watering of orchids is shown in this video:

Proper watering and spraying of orchids (with video)

You can briefly summarize the information on how to properly water orchids at home as follows:

• Orchids do not tolerate waterlogging of the substrate; Stagnation of water in the pot causes the death of the root system. The exception is some species from the genus Phragmipedium, and other species from the subfamily Orchidoideae, which are best watered from below through drainage holes, placing the pot in a container of water;
• During active growth, orchids contained in a potted culture should be watered as the substrate dries;
• Shade-tolerant tropical rainforest canopy species, as well as high-elevation cloud forest species that do not have thickened pseudobulbs, require regular moisture in moderate light conditions;
• Orchids growing in high temperature and strong light require more frequent watering than orchids growing in shade and cool conditions.
• All epiphytic species with thickened pseudobulbs are able to tolerate short dry periods;
• Orchids with a good root system during the growth period need

  The quality of spraying is especially important for plants attached to pieces of bark and having bare, uncovered aerial roots. These plants will receive sufficient moisture only when the velamen of the roots is completely saturated with water.

  It is advisable not to spray orchids in direct sunlight, otherwise burns may occur. It is best to spray the plants in the morning and evening, but you need to make sure that after evening spraying, water does not accumulate in the leaf rosettes and axils of the scaly leaves, since a nighttime drop in temperature can provoke the development of dangerous bacterial rots.

  To stimulate growth and flowering, experienced plant growers recommend giving orchids hot shower(water temperature approximately 50-60 °C).

  Here you can watch a video on how to properly water and spray orchids:

Nowadays a large number of phalaenopsis orchids are sold, these unpretentious beautiful flowers Many people buy it as a gift or to decorate their home. In order to phalaenopsis orchid many years of color at home you need to know the features of caring for this flower, and the main factor in the development and flowering of any plant is proper watering.

Water is the basis of life for all plants, proper watering indoor flowers at home it should be individual for each type of plant, according to need. Phalaenopsis orchid is tropical plant and many people think that this flower requires a lot of moisture, this main mistake beginner flower growers. Phalaenopsis tolerates short-term drying out better than a constantly moist substrate that does not dry out, in which the thick cord-like roots of the orchid quickly rot and die.

Phalaenopsis orchid- an epiphyte plant, in tropical forests grows on trees, in the forks of branches, on snags and stumps, so the plant’s thick, cord-like roots are found in moss, plant debris, or hang freely in the air; they are constantly blown, and receive moisture and nutrients after periodic rains and from a constantly humid atmosphere. IN ordinary land The roots of the orchid are not adapted to develop; they quickly rot, not receiving enough air, since they do not dry out for a long time after watering. Phalaenopsis orchids require a special substrate for planting, consisting of pieces pine bark 1-2 cm in size, pieces of charcoal and sphagnum moss.

Healthy Phalaenopsis orchid roots light green in color, covered with a silvery coating, in them, as in the leaves, the process of photosynthesis occurs in the light; those roots that do not receive light are colored white or light yellow. When overmoistened, the roots of the orchid are affected by putrefactive bacteria, and brown spots, which grow into large brown areas, resulting in the death and drying out of an entire branch of roots. Orchid roots affected by rot cannot provide the plant with moisture and nutrients, the orchid stops developing and may die. Prevention of rotting of orchid roots is to dry the substrate between waterings.

Prolonged overdrying of the substrate leads to weakening of the plant. If there is a lack of moisture, orchid buds may turn yellow and fall off without ever opening into flowers; signs of drying out appear on the lower leaves, and veins begin to appear sharply.

When should you water an orchid?

will tell you about this appearance roots and substrate. It is recommended to grow phalaenopsis orchids in transparent plastic pots so that the roots participate in the process of photosynthesis; through such pots it is easy to monitor the condition of the plant’s root system, substrate and determine when it is time to water the orchid. Having dried, the orchid’s roots acquire a silvery coating, droplets of water disappear on the walls of the pot, pieces of bark turn light brown, which means it’s time to water the orchid. If the roots of the phalaenopsis are bright green, there are droplets of water on the walls of the pot, and the pieces of bark are dark, then it is too early to water the orchid.

The period between waterings largely depends on the temperature of the plant and air humidity. The phalaenopsis orchid is thermophilic and develops well at temperatures from +20 to +25 degrees. A natural stimulation of orchid flowering will be a temperature difference between day and night. Usually at the end of summer, when the temperature rises during the day and drops to +18 degrees at night, at this time watering the flower should be moderate, only after the substrate has completely dried. A month after this maintenance regime, the orchid will definitely produce flower stalks. In winter, in cool conditions, the risk of root rot increases; during this period, the orchid is watered less often than when kept warm. Usually, phalaenopsis have to be watered every 3-4 days in summer, and once a week in winter.

Water for watering orchids.

In addition to following the rule of watering the phalaenopsis orchid as needed, it is important to use high-quality water for irrigation. Since in nature, phalaenopsis orchids moisturize tropical rains, plants are accustomed to receiving soft clean water low in salt, so tap water from a tap is not suitable for watering orchids. If you water an orchid with tap water, then it will soon appear on the walls of the pot, on the roots and on the substrate. white coating from salts. In a saline substrate, orchid roots easily become sick and develop poorly. In order to soften the water for irrigation, it is first boiled or allowed to settle for two days.

To water orchids, the water should be 2-4 degrees above room temperature. Warm water gives impetus to the growth and development of leaves, peduncles, buds, and the opening of flowers. When watering cold water On the contrary, the orchid experiences stress, which will result in yellowing and falling off of the formed buds, premature wilting of flowers, and stopping the growth of peduncles and leaves. Watering with cold water increases the risk of orchid root rot.

Feeding orchids carried out simultaneously with watering. Flowers need additional nutrition during the period of growth of leaves, peduncles and formation of buds, but as soon as the first flower on the peduncle opens, stop feeding the orchids, since there is too much nutrients leads to rapid withering of the opened orchid flowers.

Phalaenopsis is fed with special fertilizers for orchids; they contain an optimal balance and all the necessary nutrients. Conventional fertilizers for indoor flowers contain more nutrients, but since orchids unique flowers, which grow on trees and are accustomed to minimal doses minerals, their excess when grown at home will only harm the plants. Fertilizer for orchids is diluted in water for irrigation according to the instructions and flowers are watered with this solution no more than once or twice a week, during the above periods of plant development. During the dormant period after flowering, orchids should not be watered with fertilizer.

How to water phalaenopsis?

Having answered the important questions of when to water phalaenopsis and with what water, all that remains is to study how to properly water this orchid. Watering method is very important for this exotic houseplant with beautiful flowers.

Phalaenopsis orchids at home grown in a well-breathable substrate consisting of pieces of pine bark. During normal watering, water quickly passes through pieces of bark and flows through the drainage holes without saturating the roots of the plant with water, so phalaenopsis should be watered by immersing the pot in water for 15-20 minutes. To do this, take a small container, slightly larger than the diameter of the pot, place the orchid pot in it and pour the prepared water for irrigation using a watering can until the water reaches top level substrate. After standing in the water, the pieces of bark will become saturated with moisture, after which they will gradually release it to the roots. After the time has passed, the pot is removed from the container with water and left in the sink or bathtub until all the water has poured out of the pot through the drainage holes, after which the flower is returned to its original place. The procedure for watering a phalaenopsis orchid takes 15-20 minutes, but since watering the flower is carried out once or twice a week, it does not cause trouble for the owners.

It is useful for orchids to give a warm shower, pouring over the leaves from above; they are cleansed of dust, dirt and acquire a healthy glow. After showering, it is important to remove accumulated water from the center of the leaves and in the axils by blotting the moisture with a napkin. Remaining water on the plant can cause the stem or growing point to rot.

Video of watering phalaenopsis orchids:

Preface

The question of how often to water an orchid is perhaps the most worrying for all owners of this plant, because this stage of caring for it is very different from caring for conventional plants. What's so special about it?

How to water an orchid?

An orchid is an extremely delicate and sensitive flower. To care for this plant, proper watering is very important, in the absence of which it will first cease to please you with its lush flowering, and then it will completely wither. This process consists of many specific subtleties, because methods of moisturizing that are quite suitable for other types of indoor plants are simply contraindicated for orchids. There are several basic methods for properly watering this flower. Let's look at them in more detail.

Immersion method. To water in this way, take a bucket or deep basin and fill it with warm water. Now lower the pot with the indoor plant into the container so that it is completely immersed in the liquid. This bath procedure for an orchid can last about half an hour. After this time, remove the plant and let the water drain from the leaves. This watering method is extremely convenient and saves both time and water. However, it can only be used if the flower does not have any damage or disease.

The watering can method is the simplest and most common method of watering orchids. It is recommended to do it in the afternoon. Use thin streams of water to moisten the entire area on which the plant is located. It is important that the liquid does not end up on its leaves. Water the soil until excess water begins to come out. special holes at the bottom of the pot.

Root spraying is suitable for orchids growing on blocks. Fill a spray bottle with water at room temperature and thoroughly spray the roots of the plants. This procedure is recommended to be carried out before lunch.

Methodology warm shower was invented in order to maximally display the effect of tropical showers, usual for the growth of orchids. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of the plant, promotes its growth and frequent flowering. And it is done extremely simply. Place the pot in the bottom of your bathtub and direct a gentle shower stream of warm water at the plant. It is recommended to carry out procedures several times during the month, and their duration can be up to fifteen minutes. At the end of the process, to remove excess liquid, the leaves of the plant must be wiped with a piece of dry soft cloth.

What kind of water and how often should you water your home orchid?

If you water an orchid with ordinary tap water, this tropical and rather pampered plant will quickly fade away and, of course, will not please you with colorful blooms. That's why caring owners you need to take care of the quality of water to moisturize the orchid. In doing so, pay attention to the following parameters:

• temperature for watering should be about thirty-five degrees, it can be higher, but not lower, since the plant is extremely heat-loving;
• acidity level (pH) – should not exceed 5, it can be reduced by adding lemon juice to the water;
• softness - tap water is quite hard, which is detrimental to orchids; it can be softened with oxalic acid (0.5 tsp per 5 liters of water) or using a cleaning filter.

It is almost impossible to give a definite answer how many times a week or month you need to water an orchid. The mode and frequency are selected individually. This is primarily due to the rate of drying of the soil, substrate, and the root system of the flower. And this depends on a number of other related factors. These include:

• degree of illumination;
• pot sizes;
• air temperature;
• substrate size – it is believed that a large substrate dries faster, and a small one retains moisture longer;
• degree of exposure to sunlight;
• general humidity level;
• Atmosphere pressure;
• the composition of the substrate - for example, sphagnum moss or coconut chips retain moisture much better than, say, pine bark.

You can create an individual watering schedule by carefully observing the orchid. Make sure that the soil base does not dry out and that the soil always remains slightly moist. However experienced flower growers They say that overwatering is more dangerous for an orchid than underwatering. With excessive moisture, the roots of the plant begin to rot, which leads to its rapid death. You can determine that a flower needs watering using a simple test. Touch the soil in which your indoor orchid grows with your finger. If the soil remains dry at a depth of three centimeters, this means that it is dried out and the plant needs to be moistened.

General rules and features of watering

Experienced plant growers have identified a number of general rules For . For example, in a warm room with dry air, the plant should be watered more often than in low temperatures and high humidity. And on particularly hot days, it is also recommended to spray the orchid leaves with a spray bottle and humidify the air in the room. In general, moisturizing in the summer months should be more intense and frequent than in winter.

I would like to determine after how many days it is better to water the orchid, but even experts give a very vague answer. On average, it should be watered once every 5–13 days, focusing primarily on the degree of soil moisture. Irrigation should be quite rare, but plentiful. Orchids that grow in big pot, it is recommended to water less frequently than others. This is due to the fact that moisture stays longer in a large container. And since excess moisture is detrimental to the root system of plants, you should definitely make small holes in the bottom of the pot through which excess liquid will come out.

To regulate humidity, you can put a couple of centimeters of expanded clay on the bottom of the container - a special substance that has the ability to absorb large amounts of water and then release it.

Orchid in clay pot should be watered less frequently than the plant in plastic container. This is due to the fact that in plastic pot the soil dries out unevenly, as if from top to bottom. In this case, the top layer of the substrate may seem dry, but below there is still enough moisture. When watering, water should never fall on the flowers. And during intensive stem growth, the plant requires more frequent and abundant moisture.

The vagaries of different varieties of orchids and at the flowering stage

The frequency of watering an indoor orchid is largely dependent on the variety and variety of this plant.. Large orchids in large tubs are recommended to be watered approximately once every 10 days. Miniature plant varieties should be moistened after 2-3 days. Epiphytes grow on blocks, practically without soil - they should be moistened by daily spraying of the roots. In addition, once a week you should moisten the block itself with water and spray water from a spray bottle into the air.

The Phragmipedium variety requires permanently waterlogged soil. Therefore, it is recommended to water this type of orchid every day. Varieties such as miltoniopsis, paphiopedilum, vanda, and wulstekear thrive well with a sufficiently moist substrate. Watering these types of orchids should be done every 5–7 days. Caring for epidendrum and ludizia depends on the time of year. The presented varieties need intensive moisture during spring and summer period, but in autumn and winter months you should switch to a moderate watering regime.

Orchids of such varieties as Encyclia, Celogina, Brassia, Cattleya need abundant weekly irrigation, regardless of external circumstances. However, such plants need to dry thoroughly between waterings. Phalaenopsis is an ideal variety for beginner orchid lovers. You can determine its need for moisture by the color of the roots. As long as they are green, the flower does not need irrigation. Dendrobium orchids are watered only when the soil is extremely dry.

Watering this type of plant, such as calantha, has a pronounced seasonal character. So, in the spring and summer months there is a period of rapid flowering of orchids. At this time, the flower needs daily irrigation. In autumn, when the plant sheds its leaves, its watering stops for about a month and a half and resumes with the appearance of the first green shoots.

During the flowering period, orchids in most cases require more frequent and intense moisture. The frequency of watering increases almost 2 times, and on average they are desirable after 3–4 days. It is very important for the well-being of the orchid that water does not get on its leaves and flowers. To prevent this from happening, pour water from a watering can, directing the stream directly to the roots of the plant. The best time to water a blooming orchid is in the morning.

One of the most important factors affecting the development of the plant is proper watering. All flower growers should know about this. This is especially true for orchids, since each variety has its own characteristics in terms of watering. Remembering the features of watering all types of orchids is not so difficult, because their differences are insignificant. For example, Dendrobium and Oncidium do not like wet soil, while Cymbidium, Odontoglossum, Paphiopedilum and Phalaenopsis, on the contrary, prefer to bloom in a wet substrate. For the full development of plants, you need to have information about proper watering. More about this and we'll talk in this article.

The plant can bloom several times a year. The process begins with the “sleeping” buds gradually awakening, and then a peduncle is formed. Soon the buds that have formed on the peduncle open and sunlight a young flower begins to stretch. As a rule, the latter blooms within 24 hours, after which it can develop for several days. First, those buds that are located near the very edge of the peduncle bloom. The peculiarity of orchids is that they bloom in inflorescences consisting of a large number of flowers, which can be up to 80 pieces (depending on the type of plant).

There are varieties of orchids various colors, starting from bright white and ending with dark purple tint, decorated with various veins and specks. The flowers have a very pleasant and delicate aroma. The orchid will decorate the house, but at the same time it will not annoy its inhabitants with a pungent odor.

Important! Orchids can bloom for 3 months, although sometimes the flowering period lasts up to 5. In rare cases, the flowering period can be as long as 8 months.

Prices for orchid seeds

orchid seeds

What determines the duration of flowering

Proper maintenance and care of your orchid can affect how long you can enjoy the sight of lush inflorescences.

Table. Factors on which the duration of flowering will depend.

There is one rule that every orchid owner must adhere to - it is better to underwater the plant than to overwater it. Most of them can withstand minor droughts quite well. When flowering, the frequency of watering is slightly different from the usual regime. During this period, you need to water every 3 days. IN usual time The plant is watered 4 times a month, taking into account soil moisture. This is done like this: a pot with a plant is immersed in a small container filled with water for 6-8 minutes.

You need to use soft water, so it is advisable to take care of this in advance. For example, rain or melt water may be useful. If you couldn’t get one, then you can take boiled one. At the same time, it must be cooled down: water with a temperature of no higher than 37 degrees is used for irrigation. You can also use a spray bottle to additionally spray the plant.

Watering patterns can be affected by air humidity or the season of the year, so perform this procedure more often if the air is too dry. Therefore, there is no need to focus on the exact amount of time between watering procedures, since all recommendations are approximate.

Important! The whitened roots of a plant are a kind of signal for watering. This can only be determined when it “grows” in a transparent container. In other cases, you need to stick a thin wooden stick into the soil to determine the soil moisture. If the stick is dry, then the plant needs to be watered.

Regular chlorinated tap water is not suitable. You need clean and soft water without salts, chlorine and impurities. Rain water is perfect, but it needs to be further processed before use. Otherwise, you risk introducing various infections into the soil in addition to the water itself.

About improper watering

First of all, if watering is improper, the root system will suffer, as a result of which the leaves will fall and wither. Let's look at the main reasons.

Watering too infrequently

The main factor that you should consider in your watering regime is the dryness of the soil. This is what you need to build on, because there is no strict time interval between waterings. The size of the pot can also affect the frequency. The substrate will dry out more slowly in a large pot, so when growing orchids it is advisable to use only small and narrow containers to prevent root rotting. Rare watering can cause the root system to dry out.

Watering too often

For optimal growth of an orchid, care must be taken to create the necessary conditions for this. They should be similar to a tropical climate, since the homeland of orchid plants is located there. Water the orchid so often that the earthen ball has time to dry thoroughly before each procedure. Otherwise, if you water uncontrolledly, the root of the plant may simply rot.

If there is no flowering

An orchid is a very whimsical plant, so sometimes it may not bloom. What should be done in such cases to awaken the “basic instincts” of the orchid?

1. Check the room temperature. If it is too dry and hot, the plant will not bloom, as it has gone into a “dormant” state. Adjust the temperature in the house, as mentioned earlier.

No less an important stage in the life of a plant is proper care after the end of the flowering period. The orchid peduncle will turn black and dry out a little after flowering, so it should be carefully trimmed and removed. It is pruned to the very base of the plant. The frequency of fertilizing gradually decreases, as does watering. For example, in winter period You need to water the orchid no more than once a month, but you also need to regularly spray it with a spray bottle.

Important! The flower may stop blooming when it needs replanting. In order for the plant to bloom again, it needs to be moved to another windowsill. The same must be done if the leaves have wrinkled and turned yellow, or if the peduncle does not emerge.

Now you know how to water an orchid during and after flowering. If you follow our recommendations, you will soon be able to enjoy beautiful view blooming orchids.