What to do immediately after purchase and how to care for an orchid at home

You bought an orchid in the store, now what to do with it, how to care? This is a very attractive flower, and to maintain its beauty, proper care should be taken. Then, these gorgeous flowers will delight their hosts with a long, magnificent flowering.

That it is necessary to do with the just acquired flower, whether it is necessary to transplant it and how to look after it will be discussed in this article. It will also be useful to watch a useful video on this topic.

Store Content

ATTENTION: In flower shops, for planting terrestrial orchid species, a loose substrate of earthen turf with humus is used, to which chopped sphagnum moss, river coarse sand or polystyrene crumbs, charcoal and dry foliage are added. Further, this mixture is poured into a transparent pot or wicker basket.

The most favorable conditions are created for the flower: temperature, humidity, lighting and top dressing. After the purchase, its owner also needs to comply with all content rules.

Adaptation after purchase

In order to reduce stress for the flower after it has moved to a new habitat, and to better adapt to new conditions, certain rules should be followed.

First of all, it is worth providing the plant with quarantine for 2 weeks. To do this, he must be isolated in other colors. If for an orchid there is no separate window sill, then it can be put on a bedside table, or some other place. The main thing is to exclude direct sunlight, and provide him with peace. At this time, also, do not feed.

Do I need to transplant?

Orchid bought in a store, at first it does not need a transplant. But, in some cases, it is still necessary to transplant the plant:

1. A flower should be transplanted if the leaves have grown on one side and the plant does not hold in a pot.
2. If there is sphagnum moss in the transport pot.
3. If there is not enough soil in the pot and the flower sways, you can add the substrate or transplant an orchid.
4. If root problems are visible through the transparent walls of the container, you should immediately remove the orchid from the pot, remove the bad roots, sprinkle the places of cuts with charcoal and transplant.

In more detail about the transplant of this plant, we wrote here.

Watch the video about the correct orchid transplant:

Where to place?

As with any other plant, the best place is the window. Near it, the flower will receive a sufficient amount of sunlight, and fresh air. You can put a flower on the windowsill or hang it near the window. The most comfortable orchid will be on the southeast side, or on the western and southwesternwhere morning and evening light will be soft diffused. It is better not to place an orchid on the windows that face the north and south.

You can read the tips on where to place the orchid in this article.

Pot growing conditions

Humidity

Orchids love 60-80% humidity. But you need to know the measure, and not to plant dampness around them. You should not spray the orchid brought from the store. It is best to periodically wipe the leaves with a damp cotton pad.

Temperature

A comfortable temperature for an orchid in the warm season is 20-27 degrees, in the cold 15-18 degrees. For orchid bloom, an important factor is the observance of the difference between day and night temperatures.

In a stuffy room, the orchid can get sick, so the room should be regularly ventilated. At the same time, avoid finding the flower in a draft. With sudden changes in temperature, this thermophilic plant may begin to drop flowers.

Lighting

If the plant is located on the windowsill, then in the summer, be sure to darken the windows, since the orchid can get a sunburn even through the glass. Avoid direct sunlight. At the same time, the flower loves bright light very much, therefore, in winter, on the contrary, they should not only be darkened, but also artificially provide daylight hours from 12 to 15 hours.

Watering

It is advisable to water the plant with soft water. Ideally, it is settled rainwater in summer and melt in winter. You can also use boiled tap water.

IMPORTANT: Water for irrigation should be 2-3 degrees warmer than air in the room. In summer, the plant is watered 2-3 times a week, when the outer layer of the substrate dries. In winter, watering should be reduced to 1-2 times a week.

About the correct watering of the flower, we suggest reading in this article.

Watch a video about proper orchid watering:

Find out about the conditions of different types of orchids here, and about how to grow it correctly, read in this article.

Top dressing

The orchid needs top dressing only during the growth period, and no more than once every two to three weeks with special fertilizers, which can be purchased at the flower shop. The main thing is to know the measure, and correctly observe the proportions indicated on the package. You can not fertilize a flower in the cold season, and during dormancy.

You will find all the details about feeding orchids here.

Watch the video about the proper feeding of orchids:

Problems

Leaves turn yellow

This is a very common occurrence. If the lowest leaves have turned yellow on a home orchid, then this is a natural process of updating the flower.

Yellowed leaflets should be carefully removed.. But if young, new leaves turn yellow, then these are the consequences of improper watering.

If the leaves turn yellow in winter, then perhaps the orchid is in a draft. In summer, yellow leaves are a consequence of direct sunlight. Therefore, it is so important to monitor the lighting and temperature conditions of the flower.

Watch a video about the causes of yellowing of orchid leaves:

Does not bloom

Another problem that occurs very often when, after several periods of flowering, a dormant period begins, after which the orchid does not release a new peduncle.

First of all, this problem arises due to lack of light. Most often, this happens in the winter. In winter, almost all home orchids go into a dormant phase. In order for the plant to continue to bloom, it is possible to extend the daylight hours for it using artificial lighting. You will learn all the details of orchid care in autumn and winter in this article.

TIP: The yellowed peduncle should be removed only after it has completely dried. Since on the green and light brown peduncles new buds may still appear.

If the orchid does not bloom for a long time, it can be stressful.. Gradually reduce the temperature to 10-12 degrees C, and reduce the amount of watering. The temperature regime should resemble a tropical day. When the daytime temperature is high, it decreases by 10-12 degrees at night. That is, the temperature is high during the day and 10-12 ° C lower at night. such a temperature drop will provoke the laying of the kidneys.

Watch a video about the reasons why the orchid does not bloom and how to fix it:

What to do when the plant brought flowering?

What to do with a potted orchid just bought at the store? If it has good flowering potential and a normal root system, then it should not be transplanted.

You can do preventative flower treatment. For this, treatment with drugs that destroy fungal infections is carried out. After that, follow all the recommendations that are described in this article. Most likely, this orchid will bloom for a long time - first along the main axis of the peduncle, then from the buds on the peduncle. After you notice that the pot has become small - you will see it - there will be a lot of roots on top of the pot, the orchid should be transplanted.

Mistakes

• Orchid loves moisture in the air, but not in a pot. Due to too much watering, the flower stops blooming. You can navigate by the lower leaves, if wrinkles appear on them, then the flower should be watered.
• This plant does not like frequent transplants. It is enough to transplant 2-3 times a year to update the substrate. Since, over time, it wears out, poorly gives moisture, which is why the orchid does not bloom.
• You should not do top dressing often, for normal growth, the orchid is fed only in the spring and summer, adding fertilizer to the water during every third watering.
• Orchid should grow in a transparent pot. This allows you to observe the state of the roots, their greening should not be allowed.
• This plant should be watered only in the morning. Because by evening, when the room temperature decreases, the substrate should already be dry. If condensation appears on the walls of the pot, it means that watering is incorrect.

As a result, this leads to the following consequences:

1. The leaves are covered with dots, wrinkles and fade - these are signs of too high temperature in the room and a negative change in the root system. Lack of moisture is also manifested by very pronounced dots. the leaves may fade due to abundant watering and stagnation of water in the pan.
2. A change in habitat can cause stress in the plant, as a result of which, the leaves may turn yellow. Still, yellow leaves are a sign of a lack of calcium and iron, rotting of the roots, natural aging of shoots.
3. Irrigation in bright sunshine will cause spots and streaks on the leaves. Since, the sun will dry the droplets of water, and burns will remain on the leaves.

Watch a video about orchid care errors and their consequences:

Conclusion

Orchid, a very delicate and moody flower, which requires a rather complex and reverent care. Now you know what to do next after buying it in the store. But if you follow all the recommendations and pay attention to the plant, then it will thank with its magnificent flowers.

Watch the video: How to properly care for Orchids (November 2024).