Orchid Planting Methods and Techniques
The website introduces orchid planting methods and techniques, as well as topics about orchid cultivation techniques and soil requirements for flowers and plants. Let's learn about them together below.
Whether to shallowly or deeply plant orchids depends on the specific situation. In addition to considering environmental factors, the type of planting material should also be considered. Large-particle planting materials or soft materials have good breathability and poor moisture retention, are less likely to cause diseases, and are suitable for deep planting. Fine-particle planting materials or soft materials have good moisture retention but slightly poorer breathability and are prone to diseases, so it's better to plant them shallowly. There are three specific planting methods.
1. False Deep Planting
When planting orchids, first fill the planting material normally to 2-3 cm below the pseudobulb, then use clean and hygienic fine-particle (about 0.5 cm) material to fill the area where the pseudobulb and roots meet. If there are buds, expose the bottom of the buds. For orchid cultivation venues with high environmental humidity, this step can be considered complete.
For orchid cultivation venues with low environmental humidity, especially in the north, use large-particle (0.5-2 cm) material to cover the surface, until it exceeds the entire pseudobulb, or slightly more for better results. This is not true deep planting but creates a "false" deep planting effect, which balances both breathability and moisture retention, beneficial for orchids to produce more sprouts.
2. High Planting with Deep Burial
When planting, let the pseudobulb of the orchid protrude above the pot surface, which is what orchid enthusiasts often call a mound-like pot surface. I've seen some enthusiasts pile it up more than 10 cm high. This method also balances breathability and moisture retention, allowing orchids to produce more sprouts with fewer diseases. However, it is important to note that increasing the height of the pot surface means raising the placement height of the pseudobulb, not just adding more planting material. The covering height of the planting material should not exceed 2-3 cm above the pseudobulb to prevent water from entering the leaf heart and causing rot in the orchid seedlings.
3. First Shallow Then Deep
In early spring when the temperature rises to 20°C or in autumn when the temperature is below 30°C, orchids can be planted shallowly, with the planting material filling up to the connection between the pseudobulb and the roots, allowing the pseudobulb to be completely exposed to stimulate bud differentiation. After the buds have successfully differentiated, add clean and hygienic planting material on top for moisture retention, thus protecting the orchid buds from environmental damage and allowing them to grow healthy and fast.
Orchid Planting Methods and Techniques
There are no fixed rules for planting orchids; they can be deeply planted or shallowly planted. For beginners in orchid cultivation, it is best to start with shallow planting to ensure the survival rate of orchids and reduce diseases. Once familiar with the nature of orchids and able to keep them alive and healthy, consider combining shallow and deep planting methods to encourage more and stronger sprouts.
For regions with dry air and very low environmental humidity, deep planting is necessary to ensure the survival of orchids, and then optimization can be carried out on the basis of survival. In summary, the planting method should be determined based on the environment and one's cultivation techniques and should not deviate from reality or simply copy someone else's methods. Orchid Bar-Mei Fei, focusing on the dissemination of orchid knowledge since 2012, written on June 17, 2020, in Jingshan City, Hubei Province!
The above orchid planting methods and techniques, as well as the experience and knowledge about orchid cultivation techniques and soil requirements brought by the Green Enthusiast Network, hope this article can provide you with some help!