How to transplant an orchid?
The enchanting aroma and variety of floral shades of the representatives of the Orchid family evoke the most pleasant emotions in us. It's amazing how the usual tools of nature, designed to attract insects, could become the benchmark for our concepts of beauty.
Orchid transplant
Most orchids are epiphytes (that is, plants that grow on other living organisms). Orchids are highly sensitive to changes in environmental conditions. Therefore, frequent transplants (more than once every 2 years) can lead to the death of plants. The exception is terrestrial species that need to change the substrate after loss of roots during the dormant period. For example, phalaenopsis is transplanted every six months. It is also worth noting that the need for a transplant decreases with age. The best time to transplant orchids is late May or early June.
The best option is when the transplanting time for a plant is selected individually. This can be done by setting rest periods. They largely depend on the type of branching of the orchids. When the lateral branches leave the common axis (monopodial branching), the period of active root growth begins with the appearance of a new leaf. When the main axis stops growing but continues to branch further (sympodial branching), the activity of the roots is evidenced by the beginning of a new growth from the lateral bud. During active growth, transplantation can lead to inhibition of growth and even to its death.
The color of the roots of plants can tell a lot about the time of transplantation. If the color of the tips is much brighter than the roots themselves, this means that they begin their active growth. The absence of bright tips indicates that the orchid is dormant. It is not recommended to transplant orchids during the beginning of a new root growth. In extreme cases, you can wait until the roots become 5 cm longer.
Orchid transplant
The fragility of orchid roots is a major problem for novice florists. By observing the following rules, you can avoid a number of mistakes that can cost the plant life:
Orchid transplant1) Before removing the orchid from the pot, it should be moistened. It will be much easier to extract plants without damaging the roots. Although there are cases when the roots can stick to the walls of the pot. In order to separate them, use a special wooden stick. Orchids are easiest to extract from plastic pots, more difficult from clay pots.
2) Before removing, you can rinse the plant in warm water. Only in this case, the roots are evenly moistened, completely freed from the old soil.
3) Next, you need to remove the old substrate from rot, as well as from dead roots and bulbs. After removing the remaining substrate, it is necessary to inspect the roots for rot. An ordinary knife is used to trim live roots. Do not pull them out with your hands. All the roots obtained are dried and processed with charcoal.
4) After all the actions done, it remains only to fill the pot with a new substrate. The plant is placed in a container immediately after filling the drainage. Then the substrate is added. To create the most durable and favorable environment for the life of an orchid, it is necessary to cover the soil in even layers. Some florists cover the substrate with moss.
Since orchids have a hard time getting used to changing environments, it is important that the pots are approximately the same size. If the new container is still larger than the old one, then the excess areas, as a rule, are filled with homogeneous soil.
Due to the presence of aerial roots, orchids perfectly absorb the necessary substances from the environment. Therefore, you should not water them after transplanting for 2 weeks. An orchid bloom is the most important indicator that the care and transplantation was carried out correctly.
Caring for flowers, including transplanting, is a simple sequence of actions that everyone can perform. As the saying goes: "Practice may perfect", that is, with training we are approaching perfection. The main thing is to remember that nature feels our love and care and always reciprocates it.
