How to grow golden horsetail orchids
Orchid care
Thirteen tools necessary for growing orchids
(1) Orchid pot
In principle, it should be of good texture. The shape is beautiful and harmonious with the plant body. The specific requirements are: one is elegant (the shape is elegant), two is high (the basin should be high, and some have three or four basin feet, whichever has better drainage), the third basin has a slightly wider mouth and is slightly trumpet-shaped (whichever is easier). Planting and repotting), four penetrations (it is best to use pottery pots, which are water- and air-permeable, which is beneficial to the growth of orchid roots). If the orchid pot is well selected, it will be the same object of appreciation together with the orchid planted.
(2) Kettle
Used for watering and applying liquid fertilizer. Use a kettle to water and fertilizer to easily control the water drop point without burning the leaf buds or flower buds. If you can prepare a small lotus mouth, it will be more convenient when fertilizing the leaves.
(3) Sieve
It is used to screen out coarse-grained plant materials. Generally, coarser plant materials are used to bury the roots of orchids, and finer-grained plant materials are covered. on top. (4) Sprayer and shower head
Used to spray orchid leaves.
(5) Scissors and writing brush
Used to trim orchid leaves, cut off spent flowers, dead stems, rotten roots, etc. The brush is used to remove scale insects from the tips of the ears when repotting.
(6) Bamboo sticks, bamboo sticks
It should be made of Moso bamboo or Nanzhu. It can be fifty or sixty centimeters long, about half a centimeter to one centimeter wide, and two or three centimeters thick. mm. Used to loosen soil, change mud, and change pots.
(7) Hammer
Used to smash tiles, mud blocks, plant materials, etc.
(8) Plastic bucket
Used to store plant materials, solid fertilizers, orchids, etc.
(9) Clean old towels or toilet paper.
Used to wipe orchid leaves.
(10) Water tank
Used for retting liquid fertilizer.
(11) Magnifying glass
Used to observe changes in orchids, orchid leaves and orchid heads.
(12) Brushing
Used to wash orchid pots and other orchid tools.
(13) A higher flower stand
Used to hold potted orchids. When appreciating orchids, you should look straight or slightly upward, so that you can see all the flowers and leaves and have a panoramic view of the scenery. If you put it on the ground and look down at it, it will be like seeing grass, and the scenery will be difficult to see.
◇How to choose a container for cultivating orchids
Containers for cultivating orchids are divided into two categories: pots and frames.
Ground orchids should be grown in flower pots, while epiphytic orchids can be grown hanging from frames. However, some epiphytic orchids can also be grown in flower pots, but they require better air permeability.
Flower pots mainly include clay pots, purple sand pots, porcelain pots and plastic pots.
The surface of the tile basin is rough, with fine pores, good air permeability, low price, and very practical, but not very beautiful;
Purple clay basins, porcelain basins, and glaze basins have an elegant appearance. However, they are expensive and have poor air-permeability and water-absorption capabilities, which can easily lead to water retting and lack of ventilation.
Plastic pots are commonly used commercial containers in recent times. Although they are not air-permeable and water-permeable, they are light and cheap and can also be used in multiple applications. Hole remedy.
The specifications of flower pots are various and it is difficult to describe them all, but those with round mouths are better because they are not easy to damage the orchid seedlings. The frame used for planting epiphytic orchids can be of any shape, including square and round ones. It is made of wood, bamboo or rattan, with ventilation on all sides, or with uneven tree branches and stumps, most of which are 20-30cm long, so that the roots of the epiphytic orchid and the substrate are attached to it. There are no certain specifications.
Substrate
National orchid multi-purpose culture soil is used as the cultivation substrate, and it contains a large amount of humus, is loose and breathable, has good drainage, has appropriate fertilizer content, is neutral or slightly acidic, and is free of pathogens and pests. Or soil containing insect eggs is ideal. Soil that meets the above requirements can be used no matter where it comes from, but it is not easy to fully meet these conditions, and it is often necessary to make it yourself according to local conditions. It can be based on peat soil, leaf rot soil, etc., mixed with a small amount of river sand and base fertilizer. It can also be dried and crushed in mud ponds, or cinders or fire soil that have been left for more than a year can be used. For wide-leaf and vertical-leaf varieties, you can also use 3 parts of pond mud, 3 parts of humus soil and 4 parts of fire soil, or a mixture of 2 parts of humus soil and 5 parts of cinder; for weeping-leaved and fine-leaf varieties, use humus soil. Or mix 5 parts of humus soil with 1 part of sand, and the effect is also better. Japanese orchids often use weathered rocks broken into different diameters as potting substrates. The particles at the bottom of the basin are larger, and the particles get smaller as you go up, with the finest particles at the top of the basin. Because weathered rocks themselves have more pores and can absorb some water, and have better drainage and air permeability between particles, potted orchids are also very successful.
Before planting orchids, the soil must be disinfected and sterilized. Generally, one of the following methods can be used: the soil is exposed to sunlight for several days; or the soil is placed in a place where it can freeze and sterilized at low temperature for about a week; or it is steamed and sterilized in a steamer or pot; or it is sterilized with a steam boiler ( Special soil sterilizer) for disinfection; formalin (containing 40% formaldehyde) and 50 times of water can also be sprayed on the culture soil. 400 ml of disinfectant is required for each cubic meter of soil. After spraying, seal it for 1 day and night for disinfection, and then open it. , it can be used after 10 days; fungicides such as Sailisan or thiophanate can also be sprayed into the soil in layers, then sealed and opened 15 days before use.
Before using the soil, measure and adjust its pH. For soil that is too acidic, lime can be added to adjust; for soil that is too alkaline, sulfur powder, superphosphate, ferrous sulfate, etc. need to be mixed into the soil to make the soil pH neutral and slightly acidic, with a pH between 5.5 and 5.5. Between 7.0. You can also use organic fertilizers, such as fertilizers made from grass, leaves, etc., and add them to the soil to change the pH of the soil.
In addition, before planting orchids, the culture soil should be sieved and graded to separate large, medium and small particles. When planting, place large seeds at the bottom of the pot to facilitate drainage. At the same time, the dryness and humidity of the soil must also be adjusted so that it cannot be too wet or too dry. When you squeeze the soil ball hard in your hands, the soil can form into a ball, and when you loosen your hands, the soil can break into particles. This shows that the dryness and humidity of the culture soil are suitable. As for some places, various culture soils are stored indoors or in wooden frames according to grades, and mixed according to the proportion when used, depending on the type. This method is very convenient to use and can keep the soil clean, so it is worth promoting.
◇Overview of organic fertilizer
①Human and animal fertilizer. Commonly used ones include decomposed human urine, rabbit urine, silkworms, cow dung, chicken dung, etc. Human urine and rabbit urine are often diluted 5O times and poured; silkworm dung, cow dung, and chicken dung are often mixed with 2% of the substrate as base fertilizer.
② Retting to make fertilizer. Often equal amounts of rapeseed cake, soybean cake, and bone meal are soaked in 4 times the amount of human urine or rabbit urine. After drying in the sun, sealing and retting, for more than 1 month, dilute 50 to 100 times liquid and pour.
Human and animal manure and retting fertilizer have no fertilizer hazards, high fertilizer efficiency, do not affect the soil structure, do not cause physiological diseases, can enhance plant stress resistance, and can be regarded as one of the good fertilizers for soil cultivation. Its disadvantages are that it carries germs, can induce diseases, and has a strong odor. The way to overcome it is: when mixing the substrate, mix in the soil disinfectant - half and half of pentachloronitrobenzene and carbendazim, mix in 2% of the base fertilizer, and then mix in 2% to 5%. Culture soil; to remove the odor of fertilizer, you can add 5% orange peel to the retting fertilizer, or pour 20 times of orange peel leaching solution after pouring fertilizer to deodorize.
③Commercial organic liquid fertilizer.
It produces many trees every day, has comprehensive nutrition, can promote roots and sprouts, neutralize soil, reduce diseases, and promote wound healing. Its usage is to spray 1500 times liquid.
Xisuo, produced in Australia, is a natural algae fertilizer and soil conditioner. It contains various elements, natural sugars, amino acids, enzymes, natural plant hormones, and live mycocins. It can resist cold, drought, and humidity. , inhibit insect pests and virus infections. Its usage is to irrigate with 600O times liquid.
my country's Taiwan-produced liquid fertilizer for orchids contains high amounts of phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, amino acids, vitamins, auxins, trace elements, biological bacteria, etc. Its usage is to spray or pour 1000 times liquid.
American-made Shida organic liquid fertilizer contains succulent plant juice, three elements, trace elements, vitamins, etc., which can promote roots, accelerate germination, break dormancy, increase photosynthesis intensity, and enhance adaptability; Its usage is to spray 500 times liquid.
The effect of temperature
Temperature is also an important item in orchid cultivation techniques. Generally speaking, most orchids grow in forests or coastal areas with high air humidity. Therefore, they do not have strong adaptability to dry air. Because the humidity is too low, the water inside the orchid plant will be lost, but it cannot be replenished by the orchid roots, which will cause the epidermis of the stems and leaves to shrink. However, as long as you spray the plants and sprinkle water around them, it is enough to increase the humidity in the air and achieve a cooling effect.
If the air humidity is low, the orchid leaves will be rough and dull; if the air humidity is suitable, the orchid leaves will be broad and shiny. This is the best basis for identifying whether the air humidity is suitable for the growth of orchid plants.
Comprehensive tips for water management
Growing orchids and managing water requires a lot of knowledge, and it is difficult to learn it in one go. It requires an understanding of the physiology of flowering and many practical experiences. Only then can you understand the key.
People often ask me how many times a day to boil water for growing orchids. This is difficult to answer.
The following factors should be considered when piping water: season, sunlight, temperature, humidity, orchid pot, substrate, orchid plants and environment. These comprehensive factors determine how long the orchid pot can be watered at a time. Because these factors and their changes vary at any time and at any time, they are very complicated. Appropriate water supply can only be made based on practical experience and understanding of orchid physiology. There is a saying in the Quran: "There is no certain law regarding irrigation." This makes sense. Only through long-term observation can correct water management be carried out. Despite this, after long-term practice by predecessors, the following points are fundamental issues and relatively mature experience.
1． Rain or snow water is the best water for orchids, followed by river water. Well water comes next, water with minerals. Alkaline water is not suitable. If tap water must be used, it must be left for one or two days until the chlorine contained in the water evaporates before use.
2. Watering in the hot season should be done in the evening after the sun goes down to prevent moisture on the leaves from being burned by the sun, and to prevent high-temperature water from damaging the tender lower ends of new shoots.
3． Watering in the cold season should be done during the day to avoid frost damage to the orchid roots due to moisture in the pot at night. Water accumulation in the center of the orchid is particularly avoidable, which can easily cause the young plants to rot.
4. When there are lesions on the leaves of orchid plants, keep the leaves dry to prevent the spread of the disease.
5. If using traditional cultivation substrate, it is best to use the "one dry, one wet" water management method, that is, water only when the topsoil is completely dry, and water it thoroughly as soon as it is watered until water comes out of the bottom of the pot. Do not Half dry and half wet. This alternating flow of dry and wet water is very beneficial to the growth of orchid roots. If there is no insulation equipment in winter, it is better to water less.
Photometer
There are many photometers on the market, all of which have very high sensitivity. The general camera light meter can also be used. When testing with a shutter speed of 1/60 seconds and ISO (ASA) 100 degrees, the aperture of direct sunlight at noon is about 22.7, the aperture under the shade is about 11, the aperture is about 5.6-8 on a cloudy day, and about 5.6-8 on a rainy day. 2.8-4, and orchids need 5.6-8 ideally, up to 11 in winter, and 4 at noon in summer is okay.