Do you have an orchid growing, but you don’t know how to replant it at home? Read the article, it contains a lot of useful tips and instructions.
The orchid, just like the rose, can be called the queen of flowers. Graceful flowers, decorative leaves, intertwining roots and stems create a plant of incredible beauty. But this flower, like all the others, needs good care, an important component of which is replanting. It needs to be done correctly and on time - the further development of the plant and the abundance of flowering, as well as the duration of the adaptation process, depend on this.
Read another article on our website that tells how to propagate an orchid at home with children, cuttings, roots, and seeds. All methods are described in detail.
This article describes the timing, as well as the rules for transplanting a home orchid. You will learn how to replant a flower after the store and why to do it at all. Read on.
Why replant an orchid when grown at home: is it replanted at all, is it possible?
Orchid transplantation at home
Various circumstances may arise under which a transplant is performed. Why replant an orchid when growing it at home? Is it possible to replant at all? Yes, this can and should be done. Here are the circumstances under which flower breeding experts advise doing this:
- Replanting is required once every 3-4 years after purchasing or replanting the plant.
- If it is noticed that the roots have begun to appear from the pot, i.e. it has become too small for the plant.
- If the orchid is very sick, all its leaves begin to turn yellow.
- Unsightly appearance and condition of the substrate in which the flower grows. Mold or severe dryness of the upper fragments has appeared on the surface, which indicates a loss of the filler’s ability to pass water and air.
- The plant does not bloom for several years, and then it needs a good shake-up in the form of a transplant.
- If necessary, divide the orchid.
If these signs are not observed, it is better not to touch the orchid - it does not really like to be disturbed. It is also not recommended to do this during the flowering process; it is better to wait until it is over, unless an urgent transplant is needed.
When is replanting from a store pot necessary?
Sometimes sellers, in order to extend the life of a flower before sale and during transportation, resort to some tricks that are detrimental to the plant. It is necessary to replant an orchid after purchase if:
- the plant is in poor quality soil, with the addition of various impurities;
- the pot of a purchased orchid contains sphagnum moss;
- the roots are too crowded and rotten shoots, mold, black spots, excess moisture are visible;
- the plant quickly fades.
In addition, it is necessary to plant an orchid in a new pot if pests are found in the substrate.
Timing: when can an orchid be replanted?
Replanting an orchid at home
This operation should be carried out when the dormant period of the inflorescences and the entire plant has ended. But there are types of orchids in which the dormant period is weakly expressed, for example, phalaenopsis, which blooms almost all year round with short breaks. Therefore, if new shoots of a plant do not develop in the absence of signs of disease, it means that it is entering a dormant period. This is the best time to replant. This time usually occurs in the spring - late February and March. This is the best time to replant an orchid.
When to do it
The amazing beauty of the blooming phalaenopsis orchid brings many positive emotions to gardeners. I always want this beauty to bloom longer and please the eye. But, like other indoor plants, it periodically needs replanting. The first transplant is done 1-1.5 years after purchase in the store. Then they are systematically replanted every two years.
But sometimes situations arise when an urgent transplant is necessary to save the plant from death:
- a low-quality substrate has become unusable ahead of schedule, which is why moisture lingers in it for a long time (more than a week);
- the roots have acquired a brown, putrid appearance or are covered with dark spots;
- the root system has dried out;
- the leaves turn yellow, which is not associated with the natural life cycle of the plant.
Flower growers often use the lunar calendar to grow plants, which reflects generations of experience in plant growing. It is divided into twelve periods that correspond to the months of the year, describing the time of planting, transplanting and rooting plants in accordance with the lunar phases. Any transplant is stressful for the flower and it is advisable to combine it with the lunar cycle. Transplanting orchids according to the lunar calendar favors their further good growth and development.
The first 3-5 days after the new moon are the most favorable for replanting indoor flowers. However, it must be remembered that improper transplantation can lead to the death of the plant. Before starting this event, you need to pay attention to the condition of the flower. You should not replant it during active growth, much less during flowering. It is important to choose the right time of year.
Thus, according to the recommendations of the lunar calendar 2021, it is optimal to replant in the spring: in March - 12, 13, 21, in April - 9, 17, 18, in May - 15. In the fall of 2021, it is better to replant indoor flowers only in September - 6, 7 , 11 and in October - 3, 4, 13. This is the best period for rooting plants. In the summer months of 2021, if there is an urgent need, it is worth replanting, choosing less hot days from those presented in the calendar: June - 11, 16, 17 July - 8, 9, 13, 14, 18, 28. The winter period for orchids is open for flowering , so they are not bothered. But if there is a need for replanting, then it is better to replant the phalaenopsis orchid in January 2021 - 13, 14, 18, in February - 10, 14, 29, December - 2, 6, 11.
Frequency of orchid transplantation at home: how often?
Replanting an orchid at home
Many novice flower lovers ask the question: “How often to replant an orchid?” . What determines the frequency of transplanting inflorescences at home?
- The answer to this question depends on what composition of the substrate is in the container.
- It may consist of moss, and then it needs to be replanted more often - once every two years .
- If the main part of the substrate is bark, which decomposes more slowly, then you can replant it once every three years.
Of course, these dates are indicated for planned replantings, when the inflorescence looks completely healthy and has no signs of damage by insects.
Landing, transplant
This important event is carried out according to the individual characteristics of the variety. More often, mini orchids survive once every 2-3 years. For planting (transplanting) you will need:
- Flower container made of transparent plastic with many holes. They are necessary for good aeration and optimal substrate moisture.
- For mini varieties, the same universal mixtures are used that are intended for most orchids. Most often, the substrate consists of pine bark and sphagnum moss. Other additives are quite widely used:
- fern roots,
- coconut chips or fiber,
- pieces of charcoal
- all kinds of moisture-regulating materials for indoor floriculture. For example, small expanded clay or pebbles, perlite, vermiculite.
Substrate for orchid transplantation at home: what is it made of?
Substrate for transplanting orchids at home
To transplant orchids at home, you need to choose a high-quality substrate. The health and further flowering process of the plant largely depends on this. What is it made of? You can buy a specialized one at retail outlets, but it comes in two types:
- For epiphytic (i.e. with aerial roots). It's called Phalaenopsis Mixture.
- For terrestrials - “Mixture for Cymbidium”.
The first mixture is used for flowers growing on trees with long aerial roots. Therefore, the substrate for them must be breathable, because the roots of these flowers take part in photosynthesis and they do not need soil, only moisture, to grow. The composition of such mixtures usually includes:
- Pine bark
- Ground fern root
- Activated carbon
- Cut cork
- Sphagnum in small quantities
The second type of mixture is denser, because it is intended for orchids living on the ground. It contains more of these ingredients:
- Sphagnum moss
- Lowland peat
- Leaf ground
- Coal
Sometimes various synthetic materials, such as perlite or foam, are used as a substrate. You can also use:
- Expanded clay
- Shell rock
- Pumice
The substrate can be made at home. Pine bark is used for this:
- First disinfect it - hold it over steam for half an hour or boil it in water.
- After this, dry and boil again. This treatment kills all pathogenic organisms.
- Place to dry again and then cut into pieces up to 2 cm .
To the bark prepared in this way, add dry and finely chopped sphagnum moss and just a little peat coal. You can now fill the pots with this mixture.
How to properly transplant an orchid into another pot: step-by-step instructions
When planning to replant orchids, you need to remember that this is a delicate and fragile plant. Its roots are sensitive to damage, and the substrate consists of particles of bark, coal, pebbles, and foam. For work, it is important to prepare a workplace and some tools:
- wide comfortable table and table lamp;
- pots of suitable volume and shape;
- components for the substrate or ready-made soil;
- sharp pruning shears with narrow blades or scissors;
- charcoal powder for sprinkling the cuts on the roots;
- potassium permanganate, Fitosporin;
- a bowl for soaking plants;
- thin wooden sticks or tweezers for distributing pieces of substrate;
- sticks and “crabs” for tying flower stalks.
Selection of capacity
In nature, tropical orchids (they are the ones that are popular in indoor floriculture) are epiphytes. They grow attached to other plants and their roots are not buried in the soil. The plant feeds through photosynthesis, which occurs not only through the leaves, but also through the roots.
Strictly speaking, an orchid does not need a pot at all. The flower can be grown on a large piece of bark or a pile of sphagnum moss placed in an aquarium (to create high humidity). Potted cultivation of orchids is practiced because of the ease of caring for the plantings.
A pot for growing an orchid, you need to choose a transparent or translucent one. The most common material is plastic or glass.
It is mandatory to have a large number of drainage holes in the bottom and on the lower part of the side walls. Orchid roots are extremely sensitive to waterlogging. In gardening stores you can now find containers for orchids in the form of a transparent “fence” that is placed on a tray. In such a “cage” the roots of the flower are as comfortable as possible.
The size of the container should be slightly larger than the root ball. It is enough that the distance from the roots to the walls of the pot is 1 cm. A large pot and, accordingly, a large volume of substrate leads to the accumulation of excess moisture and the risk of rot.
On a note. A slight protrusion of the orchid’s roots “through the top” of the pot is normal.
Suitable substrate
The orchid makes a simple requirement for the substrate - it must be loose, allow air and light to pass through. Usually they use pine bark crushed into pieces 10-25 mm in size. You can buy it in a store, or collect it from a fallen tree in the forest. The bark collected in the forest must be removed from excess resin by freezing it outside and boiling in water for about half an hour.
When preparing soil for orchids, take 3 parts of pine bark:
- 1 part charcoal in pieces (it is needed as an absorbent);
- 0.5 parts of sphagnum moss;
- 1 part expanded clay (a weighting agent so that the flower pot does not tip over).
Sometimes, to add looseness to the substrate, pieces of foam and pumice are added.
Important! If the old soil in which the flower grew does not contain pathogens or pests, it is added to a new sterile substrate. This helps populate the new soil with microflora beneficial to the orchid.
There are other options for substrates for orchids.
Coconut fiber.
Available in the form of pressed briquettes, which are soaked in water before use. After drying, coconut fiber is used to plant a flower or added to the soil mixture.
Coconut fiber has a neutral reaction and is highly resistant to rotting.
Sphagnum moss (live).
It perfectly maintains the required substrate humidity and allows air to pass through well. To maintain the life of the moss itself, it is important to water (spray) it only with purified (distilled) water.
Expanded clay, pumice, pebbles.
They can act both as drainage and as complete soil for orchids. Particle sizes should not exceed 2.5 cm.
It has no global significance for the plant which particular composition of the substrate the grower chooses. Comfortable temperature, humidity (soil and air), regular fertilizing, and lighting are of greater importance for the successful development of a seedling.
Preparing a flower for transplantation
On the eve of transplantation, 2-3 hours before, place the pot with the orchid in a pan of water. Roots saturated with moisture become elastic and flexible, less brittle.
The flower is carefully removed from the pot. Sometimes, to safely remove an orchid, you have to cut the container because the roots have grown into the drainage holes. The substrate is shaken off the roots. Carefully rinse the root ball in a pale pink solution of potassium permanganate or Fitosporin. You can hold the plant in a disinfectant solution for 10-15 minutes (relevant for store-bought orchids).
Carefully inspect the roots for rot and pests. Dry, broken, brown shoots are cut out with pruners or scissors. The sections are sprinkled with charcoal powder.
Important! If pests are found in the substrate, the orchid is bathed in an insecticide solution.
Plants prepared in this way are left to dry on the table for 3-5 hours.
Planting an orchid in a pot
Due to the lightness of the substrate and the large peduncle of some orchids hanging to the side, it is necessary to take care of the stability of the pot. Drainage from pebbles is poured into the bottom of the container (even if there are many holes in the pot) or a large pebble is placed.
The orchid is placed in a pot with the roots straightened or rolled into a ring. Simultaneously with filling the pot with soil, a support for the future peduncle is installed in the center of the container. To prevent it from slanting, it is firmly fixed in the drainage layer.
Pieces of the substrate must be pushed between the roots with tweezers or a stick and distributed evenly inside the container. The root collar (if the base of the flower can be called that) should be 1.5 cm below the edges of the container. If some roots stick out a little from the pot, this is not a problem.
Which pot is best to replant a home orchid?
It is better to replant the orchid in a transparent pot.
Most orchids have large roots that like to entwine the pot from the inside and even look out. Therefore, when choosing a new container for a flower, you need to focus primarily on the size of the root system. But, given that the base of the flower will grow further, you need to add a few centimeters to the diameter. Which pot is best to replant a home orchid?
Worth knowing: For a large orchid with intensive growth, you can buy a pot, as they say, “for growth,” so as not to replant it often.
Orchid lovers most often grow their “beauties” in plastic transparent pots or containers. What are the advantages of such containers? Here is the answer:
- The roots are clearly visible and you can constantly monitor their condition. With normal soil moisture, the roots are usually green, but as the substrate dries, they gradually turn gray, which indicates the need for watering.
- In plastic containers, unlike clay ones, the roots do not grow to the walls of the container and therefore are not injured during replanting.
Although clay containers have their advantages:
- In them, the base-root does not overheat, which is very important for orchids.
- Do not overwater the plant because the moisture will last longer.
- In addition, a clay pot is much heavier than a plastic one and therefore will not tip over. Orchids are planted in such pots, some of the roots of which completely dry out and die during the dormant period.
Be sure to make drainage holes in the containers. This will provide the roots with faster drying and ventilation, which will protect them from rotting. Flower lovers with no experience often overwater the plant for fear of drying it out. Drainage holes will help in this case too.
Worth knowing: Plastic containers have one drawback - they have a rather simple, not very sophisticated appearance, compared to the flower itself. To correct this shortcoming, you can buy a beautiful flowerpot that will completely hide the plastic.
There is another way out - you can put a plastic pot in a low glass vase. The space between the walls of the vase and the pot is filled with some kind of jewelry or tinsel, balls or floral fillers. This needs to be done carefully so that the multi-colored filler does not distract from the beauty of the orchid flowers.
Remember: Do not buy large containers for orchids. In small ones - up to 15 cm in diameter, it feels much better and blooms longer.
Features of choosing a pot and soil
If the beautiful orchid feels comfortable in the pot in which you bought it, then you should not disturb it; You will still have time to replant the plant. If the orchid begins to grow and it becomes cramped in the old container, then, naturally, it is better to transplant it into a more suitable pot. However, you should remember that it is advisable to replant it in the same substrate in which you bought it , or in a similar one (read about how and in what soil you can replant an orchid here).
If, upon purchase, the orchid was planted in sphagnum moss, then replanting is necessary.
How to transplant children, one child, a shoot of a home orchid: step-by-step instructions
Replanting a baby home orchid
An orchid growing in normal, ideal conditions can produce young shoots, or babies. This is a great opportunity to propagate the plant. What should be done? How to transplant children, one child, a shoot of a home orchid? Here are the instructions step by step:
- The baby should have fairly long roots - more than 5 cm and 3-4 leaves - these are the most suitable parameters for transplantation.
- Children usually appear on the stem or near the root collar. Using a sharp knife, you need to cut off part of the stem with the baby, stepping back to the sides at a distance of about 1 cm . Sprinkle the cut area with coal.
- Prepare a small glass in advance, preferably a plastic one, and add a small layer of drainage.
- Place the baby in a glass and carefully cover it with substrate. for the first 3-4 days .
- Place the glass with the baby in a place where the air humidity is high. You can simply spray the surface of the window sill where the glass is located more often. Try not to get it on the leaves.
The baby will grow in such a container for about a year, after which it can be transplanted into a larger container. An orchid grown from a child will bloom in three years .
Further proper care of the phalaenopsis orchid plant after transplantation, growing conditions
After replanting, you need to provide proper and timely further care for the orchid. Here are the conditions for growing a phalaenopsis orchid plant:
Proper care of an orchid is to shade the window so that the sun does not burn the leaves of the flower.
- As mentioned above, immediately after the transplantation is made, the container is placed on a sunny windowsill for a week, but shaded from direct sunlight. Otherwise, if this is not done, the orchid leaves will lose their decorative appearance, wrinkle and become wilted.
You can water the flower after transplanting only after a couple of weeks.
- water the plant after replanting only after 2 weeks . The fact is that orchid roots are susceptible to various fungal diseases. Therefore, the root system needs to be slightly dried to avoid this. Find out how to properly water an orchid here .
Spraying the plant so as not to dry it out
- But, in order not to dry out the plant, spray the leaves, or, even better, wipe them with a wet sponge. In this case, under no circumstances should water get into the depths of the rosette of leaves. This can lead to their rotting.
Orchid grows at optimal temperature
- It is important to maintain optimal temperature. The orchid does not like heat, it needs a temperature no higher than +21-22°C , but it should not fall below 18°C . Otherwise, the inflorescences get stressed, which is very undesirable for these sissies.
Feed the orchid
- A blooming orchid needs feeding. Use only mineral mixtures. Organic ones are not suitable for feeding flowers, since they can introduce diseases into the soil.
Excessive nitrogen nutrition can cause leaf growth to the detriment of flowering. Nowadays you can find special fertilizer compounds for orchids in stores. In any case, it will be good to use an all-purpose fertilizer for flowering plants. They must be diluted strictly according to the instructions so as not to harm the flower. They need to be added along with water for irrigation.
Step-by-step instructions on how to properly transplant
First of all, you need to prepare the tools for transplantation:
- new plastic pot;
- the substrate in which it is planned to grow the flower;
- sharp scissors or professional pruning shears (the latter is preferred);
- activated or charcoal, cinnamon;
- fungicide (used if dark spots or signs of rotting have been noticed).
- The next stage is watering. Watering the orchid is necessary in order to separate the old soil from the roots.
- Next, you need to remove the flower from the pot; to do this, it is recommended to slightly squeeze the pot on both sides.
- If roots grow through the holes, you should carefully cut the pot so as not to damage the flower.
- After removing the flower, you need to carefully remove pieces of old soil from the roots.
- Next, you should cut off all dry, rotten, black roots. Healthy roots should be green in color and feel firm to the touch.
- If, after removing dead roots, a large number of healthy roots are observed and they do not fit into the pot, then you need to take a pot 2 cm larger in diameter.
Important! In any case, the pot should be a little cramped; this is the key to successful growth of orchids, since in a cramped pot the soil dries out faster and does not cake. - Next, you need to cut off all the dry parts at the root collar of the flower (leaf scales, parts of dried soil).
- Then you need to carefully examine the stem of the orchid and if there are black spots, you need to cut this place down to undamaged green tissue.
- After trimming, all cut areas should be treated with crushed coal or cinnamon (either one or the other). However, if there are many cut areas, this indicates that there were a lot of rotten marks and roots. In this case, charcoal and cinnamon won't help much. In this case, fungicides (chemicals to combat plant diseases) should be used.
- After treatment, the orchid should be left to dry for several hours.
- After drying, you can begin direct replanting. To do this, take a transparent pot and make drainage holes in it.
- After this, place the flower in the middle of the pot, but so that the roots are around the walls of the pot.
- Next, holding the orchid by the root collar, fill the pot with soil.
- After this, you need to knock on the walls so that the soil settles and evenly fills the entire container with the flower.
You can find out advice from experienced gardeners on how to transplant an orchid into another pot here.
If there is no flowering after transplantation: what to do?
Lack of flowering after transplantation
After transplantation, the orchid should increase its green mass and bloom after a certain time. This usually happens after 3-4 months . But what if the inflorescences do not appear for much longer? What to do if there is no flowering after transplantation? This problem can occur for several reasons:
- The plant is overfed with nitrogen fertilizers , active leaf growth is observed, they become larger than they should be during normal development. In this case, feeding should be stopped for a month.
- The transplant was not carried out in a timely manner . For example, if for some reason an orchid was transplanted at the time when it bloomed last year, then it most likely will not bloom this year. The plant will direct all its energy to restoring its root system, and not to flowering.
- Perhaps you made mistakes during transplantation . If the plant is not firmly fixed in the substrate, then when you move the pot, it begins to dangle in it, and the roots and stems will receive microtrauma. The plant does not have the opportunity to direct its energy to flowering, experiencing constant stress.
- Insufficient lighting and low humidity . You need to move the pot to a lighter windowsill and spray its surface to increase the humidity of the surrounding air.
Follow these tips, and your flower will soon delight you with its unique blooms. It's worse when the plant begins to wilt. What to do? Read on.
Reasons for emergency transplant
The purchased orchid is first carefully examined to identify hidden flaws. Further actions depend on the severity of the detected defects.
Important! It is contraindicated to disturb an orchid that is in the resting or flowering stage. However, the problem plant should be replanted immediately, regardless of the growing season.
A problematic orchid should be urgently revived with a complete replacement of the substrate.
An orchid needs an urgent transplant if:
- the plant was sold at a discount, on promotion, on sale, etc.;
- there are signs of substrate contamination by pests;
- there are symptoms of a fungal or bacterial disease (withering, yellowing, the appearance of black spots on the leaves, foci of rotting on the stems and rhizome);
- there are complaints about the quality of the soil (the substrate emits a putrid odor, is caked, salted, crumbled, turned into dust);
- the inner walls of the pot are covered with mold, green deposits, and mucus;
- the plant clearly does not have enough space in the previous container;
- There are obvious errors in the initial planting (unsuitable soil for this type of orchid was used, the base of the stem is too deep, the size of the pot does not correspond to the volume of the rhizome).
Tip #1 . To identify pests hidden in the soil mixture, dip the pot in a bowl of warm water for 30 minutes. The parasites that rise to the surface are collected and destroyed.
Green mucus and non-drying condensation on the inner wall of the pot are a good reason to immediately replant an apparently healthy plant.
What to do if your home orchid withers after transplantation?
A home orchid withers after transplantation.
Most likely the plant is sick. If planting rules are violated, when mechanical damage to the roots occurs, the leaves do not receive full nutrition. What to do if your home orchid withers after transplantation? Here are the tips:
If you watered a lot, replant the plant:
- With good watering and stagnation of liquid at the bottom of the container, especially if there is no drainage, the roots may begin to rot.
- Then the wilting will soon be replaced by yellowing of the leaves and the plant may die.
- Here an emergency orchid transplant will be needed to save it.
Control pests:
- Another reason could be a pest attack.
- Spider mites, the worst pests of indoor plants, thrive in dry air.
- It can be difficult to notice them right away - they are very small and the bad effects begin to appear when there are a lot of them.
- Whiteflies and scale insects also harm orchids. Providing optimal air humidity will help to significantly reduce the number of these insects.
Protect from the sun:
- If the orchid is not protected from direct sunlight, its leaves will begin to wilt.
- This indoor flower feels best on windows that face east, where the sun appears only in the morning and for a short time.
Containers must be provided with drainage holes, and they need to be made not only at the very bottom of the container, but also on the sides to ensure good air exchange for the roots.
What not to do
Those who bought an orchid for the first time often make a number of mistakes when caring for it immediately after purchase. Therefore, we should immediately say what not to do:
- Do not place the flower in direct sunlight. Phalaenopsis are epiphytic plants that live naturally in tropical forests. The orchid needs bright but diffused light.
- There is no need to replant a flower whose root system is in good condition (this can be seen through the walls of the pot), even if some of the aerial roots come out. Replanting is carried out only if the container is obviously too small for the plant, the roots of the flower are rotten, and the orchid dangles freely in the pot.
- Fertilizers should not be applied. Before sale, phalaenopsis is heavily fertilized and treated with hormones to stimulate abundant flowering. The first fertilizing should be carried out no earlier than 1-2 months after purchase with a special fertilizer for orchids.
- You should not cut off the peduncle, even if the orchid has dried out all the flowers and buds due to stress during transportation. Often, re-blooming occurs on the flower arrow at a later date. The peduncle is removed only if it begins to turn yellow and dry.
After the flower has passed quarantine and you are convinced that everything is fine with it, they begin to care for the orchid in the usual way. If pests are identified during isolation, the phalaenopsis is treated with appropriate preparations, depending on what insects are bothering it.
How to properly water a home orchid flower?
Well-groomed orchid flowers
Watering a home orchid flower is carried out by immersion in water, the temperature of which is not lower than +20°C , so as not to cause stress to the plant. How to do this correctly? Here is the answer:
- To do this, take a cup with warm liquid and place the container with the plant in it for 20 minutes .
- Then take it out and place it on a wire rack to drain off excess water.
- Then place the flower in its usual place.
In winter, the number of waterings should be reduced, but in summer, on the contrary, this should be done more often, at least twice a week. It is necessary to monitor the pseudobulb - if it has lost turgor, then watering is necessary.
Important: It is forbidden to take long breaks between waterings. The orchid is a tropical plant that naturally lives in times of frequent rain and high humidity. Therefore, drought is detrimental to it.
How to care after transplant?
The transplant procedure is stressful for the flower, so it will have to pay a little more attention than usual. But excessive care can be harmful, and it is better not to disturb the beauty again.
When to water?
The first watering of the orchid after transplantation is carried out after 1–2 weeks. During this time, it will adapt to new conditions, recover from stress and absorb all the water received during transplantation. If during this period the soil dries out excessively, you can lightly spray it with a spray bottle.
For your information! If 90% of the roots have acquired a grayish tint, it means the plant is ready to absorb moisture and can be watered.
Subsequently, the soil is moistened depending on the season:
- from April to September - 2 times a week;
- in autumn - once a week;
- in winter - once every 14 days.
Water the orchid exclusively in the morning. Moistening in the evening will limit the breathing of the roots at night and will negatively affect the condition of the flower.
Temperature and light conditions
After transplanting, the pot is placed in a window with diffused light, preferably facing the east. The upper part of the orchid needs to be shaded during this period. You cannot move or rotate the pot for 10 days.
The optimal temperature for the period after transplantation is +20…+22 degrees. Temperature fluctuations during this period are undesirable, so you should not ventilate the room.
Leaf care: disease prevention
An indicator of the plant adaptation process after transplantation is the condition of the leaves:
- Drooping leaves are evidence of damage or rotting roots. The reason for this phenomenon is excessive moisture of the roots and low temperature. The plant is moved to a warmer room and watering is reduced.
- Black dots, light spots, growths on the leaves - sunburn. The plant should be placed in a cool pantry for a while. You can’t water an orchid after it’s overheated!
- Cracks on the leaves - alternating overdrying and waterlogging of the soil.
- Yellowing of leaves is a lack of moisture in the soil and air.
- Fluffy gray coating on the leaves is gray rot. A consequence of high air humidity combined with low temperature. At the first signs, the plant is treated with fungicides.
- Brown spots on leaves are anthracnose. The reason is stagnation of water in the axils of the leaves. The flower is treated with a copper-containing preparation.
How to replant an orchid flower if the root is rotten: tips
Replanting an orchid flower if the root has rotted
Infrequently, but there are cases when novice gardeners, as a result of improper care, have the roots of an orchid rot. This can happen to all the roots or to a large part of them at once. Is it possible to save the plant then? How to replant an orchid flower if the root is rotten? Here are the tips:
- To revive orchids whose roots have completely died, you need a small window greenhouse.
- In the container where the leaf rosette will be located, you need to pour a small layer of drainage - this can be expanded clay or pebbles.
- Place sphagnum moss on top, which is previously kept over steam and dried.
- Now moisten the substrate and place the leaf rosette in it.
- Transfer to a greenhouse, where a constant temperature should be maintained within +21 - +27°C and high humidity of about 100% . The light should be bright, but diffused - direct sunlight is detrimental to leaves during this period.
After 3-4 weeks of this regime, root rudiments will begin to appear at the base of the leaf rosette and then they will begin to grow. Epin , to the water for irrigation .
If a diseased orchid has several living roots left, or even just one, the chances of saving it increase:
- After trimming the rotten roots, you need to rinse the remaining living roots under warm water and sprinkle the cut areas with charcoal.
- A pre-prepared pot up to 8 cm in diameter is filled with ordinary substrate and a leaf rosette with roots is planted in it.
- Next, the plant is treated as in the first case, placing it in a greenhouse.
If everything went well, new roots will begin to grow in 2-4 weeks .
Care after purchase
If the orchid is healthy, there is no need to rush into replanting after purchase, so as not to aggravate the stress of moving. It is much more important to provide appropriate care during the period of plant adaptation to home conditions .
- Place the new specimen in quarantine, isolating it from other orchids for 3-4 weeks.
- Leave the plant in transparent packaging for at least a day for initial adaptation to room conditions.
- Create a microclimate appropriate for this species. You can use a mini greenhouse or orchidarium.
- If necessary (in winter), organize artificial lighting.
- Avoid fertilizing during the first month, taking into account increased doses of fertilizers when preparing orchids for sale. If there are stains and stains on the back of the leaf blades from foliar fertilizing, remove the remaining fertilizer with a damp sponge.
- Correctly determine the moment of the next watering, waiting until the substrate is completely dry. As a rule, after purchase, watering is resumed in the summer - after a week, in the winter - after 10 days, since orchids are usually waterlogged when sold.
Is it possible to replant a flowering orchid while it is blooming?
You can replant orchids during flowering, but in the most urgent cases.
There is only one situation in which you can replant a blooming orchid - if it is in danger of dying for any reason and you need to choose one of two:
- The orchid will fade, but then die, having spent its last energy on flowering.
- The peduncle is cut short, but later with good care, the plant is completely restored and after a while it will bloom again.
What to do in the second case? Adviсe:
- Prepare fresh substrate and pot. How to do this has already been said above in the text.
- Cut the flower stalks of the orchid to about 2/3 of the length. By the way, the flowers can be placed in water - they will last for almost a week.
- Carefully remove the plant from the pot and inspect the roots, cutting out any rotten ones.
- If the substrate is in normal condition, i.e. there is no mold or its smell, it is not overdried or, on the contrary, very waterlogged, then in this case you need to try to preserve it as much as possible without shaking off the roots. Otherwise, proceed as with a regular transplant, the procedure of which has already been described.
- Now you need to place the plant in the pot and secure it well there.
All that remains is to put the orchid, transplanted during flowering, into the greenhouse and observe how it will feel further. Do not forget to follow all the rules for caring for this flower, which are no more complicated than the rules for caring for other indoor flowers.