Tips for choosing soil for orchids: how and in which substrate can a plant be transplanted?

When growing exotic plants at home, flower growers are faced with the need to maintain optimal parameters. These are lighting, temperature, watering and transplanting.

Yes, transplanting is also an important condition for the life of an orchid. The procedure has its own nuances and stages of execution. You will learn about choosing the right substrate for a flower in our article. It will also be interesting to see a useful video on this topic.

Is a complete soil replacement necessary?

As you know, replacing the soil for a flower is a kind of stress. For this reason orchid transplantation is done every 3 years with soil replacement (about when it is best to transplant an orchid at home, read here, and from this article you will find out if this procedure can be performed in the autumn). So during this period, the soil is greatly depleted, loses valuable properties:

• The balance of mineral salts is disturbed.
• The substrate ages and decomposes.
• The stock of micronutrients is running out.
• Breathability decreases.
• The level of acidity rises.

ATTENTION: Soil compaction leads to disruption of the drainage process, and stagnation of moisture can adversely affect the root system. For the full development of exotics, carry out a complete replacement of the substrate.

Substrate requirements

The general criteria for choosing a soil mixture for indoor orchids are the same. The soil should have the following qualities:

1. breathability;
2. friability;
3. ease;
4. lack of toxic properties;
5. have good drainage properties;
6. optimal acidity.

Representatives of orchids, which are grown at home, are divided into two groups: epiphytic and terrestrial. They differ not only in name, appearance, but also in the growth environment. Accordingly, the substrate for plants has a number of differences.

Epiphytic orchids include varieties:

• dendrobium;
• Cattleya;
• lycasts;
• phalaenopsis;
• Cumbria
• zygopetalum;
• masdevallia.

For such plants, the soil is important mainly for maintaining an upright position, and then for nutrition and obtaining life-giving moisture. Hence, epiphytes do not need land, enough without a soil substrate. Mixtures have variations: 1 part of charcoal and 5 parts of bark. Or moss-sphagnum, ash and slivers of bark in a ratio of 2: 1: 5.

Ground orchids: cymbidium and paphiopedilum, which require enhanced nutrition. The following soil composition is suitable for them:

• pine bark;
• wood ash;
• moss;
• peat.

TIP: You can also prepare a substrate from the prepared soil for orchids, adding moss and part of the deciduous land.

Experienced growers unequivocally answer this question - no. The habitual habitat of orchids is loose, light soil. The root system should be free to blow air, to participate in the process of photosynthesis. And in the earth it will be compressed, as if under the weight of a stone. In such conditions, it is rather difficult to grow an exotic flower and most likely it will die.

What land is needed?

Can ordinary land be used? Soil for exotic plants you can buy ready-made, cook it yourself or purchase individual components, and choose the proportions yourself. In garden shops, there is a considerable selection of various soil mixtures for orchids. When buying a substrate, you should pay attention to:

• purpose of the soil, for which varieties of orchids suitable;
• nutrient composition and soil pH;
• mixture components;
• application tips.

Unfortunately, even in trusted stores you can buy a low-quality product. To avoid this, the substrate for orchids is prepared independently. It is not necessary to collect all the ingredients of the substrate yourself, which are sold separately in specialized stores. Thus, the substrate is easy to assemble by yourself, mixing the components in the right quantities. Good production of natural material from the manufacturer "Auriki Gardens".

How to make a mixture yourself?

In order to save money, as well as for full confidence in quality, the soil is prepared individually. The basic composition of the substrate contains:

1. Pine bark. This is the main component that is easy to find in a pine forest, on fallen trees. The bark should be crushed to 2-3 cm.
2. Moss sphagnum. Gather in the forests, in the lowlands, after a complete melting of snow. Moss has bactericidal properties. Use fresh and dry.
3. Fern rootsthat contain many useful substances. Add to the mixture dry.
4. charcoal easy to find in the ashes. Ash is needed the same size as other components.
5. Expanded clay, inexpensive and lightweight material. Granules are great as drainage.

Use the options for preparing the substrate with the addition of sand of large fractions, granular clay, cork material, perlite, polystyrene, sheet soil, peat, humus.

Watch a video about collecting materials for an orchid substrate:

Plant transplant instructions

How to transplant a plant with soil replacement? A detailed description of the transplant process eliminates fuss and unnecessary errors. It is important to observe the sequence:

1. Gently, slowly, remove the plant from the old pot. To facilitate the process, we crush the walls and press a little. If the flower sits tightly, you need to cut the pot without damaging the orchid.

   You can not pull the plant strongly, otherwise the roots may break.

2. Free the root system from unnecessary soil. Next, put the flower in a container so that the roots get a little wet. Then rinse with warm water.

   Pay attention to the condition of the roots. If they are green and there are many of them, then there is no reason to worry.

3. If the plant has dry, rotten, unhealthy root processes - remove. The tool must be selected sharp and sanitized. The places of cuts should be treated with ash or crushed activated carbon. Read more about how to save orchid roots during transplantation and what to do to prevent damage, read here.IMPORTANT: Do not use alcohol-containing antiseptics. Roots can get burned.
4. Remove yellow, dry leaves with the same tool.. We also remove green foliage if it interferes with the transplant process. Sections are sanitized.

   You can not trim aerial roots and green peduncle.

5. We proceed directly to the landing process. You should take a transparent plastic pot with holes for drainage. At the bottom we lay expanded clay granules, on top of a pine bark. Then lower the orchid, placing in the middle, but not deep.

   Sprinkle with the selected substrate. Tight roots do not need to be pushed. If you look out of the pot, it is better to cover them with pine bark.

6. After 1-2 days, we water the orchid. To do this, place the pot under a warm shower. After drying, put in a place with low light for several days.

Watch the video about the correct orchid transplant:

Conclusion

As it turns out in practice, transplanting an orchid is a simple task, but it is important on which further development depends. And care and proper care will facilitate the period of plant adaptation.

Watch the video: How to prepare the best potting media for Phalaenopsis orchids (May 2024).