Orchid: care and reproduction of exotic beauty

Orchid - a fairy flower, almost magical. Looking at his large fleshy leaves and stunningly beautiful inflorescences on fragile tender peduncles, it's hard to believe that he is real. Nevertheless, with some effort, you can decorate your mini-garden on the windowsill with the presence of such a beauty. Orchid, the care and reproduction of which is carried out properly, competently and carefully, will certainly please its owner with regular luxurious flowering. What is the secret? How to ensure this exotic miracle comfortable living conditions?

Orchid: care, reproduction, transplantation

So, on your windowsill there was a new tenant - an orchid. We note at once that if you are a busy person and are not ready to surround the plant with constant attention and care, you are unlikely to get "friends" with an orchid. Like many other people from the tropical jungle, the orchid is a whimsical plant and reacts very quickly and extremely painfully to any changes in the environment, especially if the changes are for the worse. A flower such as an orchid, nursing and reproduction, all the more require a certain skill, because inept handling of this fragile and capricious plant can lead not only to his trauma, but also to death.

The most important factors affecting the comfortable growth and development of orchids: light, air temperature and humidity, watering.

Illumination

In the wild, the orchid feels great in the shade of trees on the trunks of which it lives and grows; therefore, in an indoor setting, the orchid, the care and reproduction of which passes under diffuse light, will feel quite comfortable. Nevertheless, there should be enough light, in winter it is even possible to arrange fluorescent lamp illumination . Lack of light immediately affects the appearance of the plant: the leaves grow smaller and grow underdeveloped, and even bloom does not have to wait.

Temperature and humidity

Orchids grow normally at temperatures from 16 to 32 ° C, but they tolerate higher temperatures more easily than cold. The orchid is more afraid of drafts. Humidity must be high enough to recreate the tropical microclimate, but the main thing here is not to overdo it, the flower does not like spraying, as they can cause stagnation of moisture in the sinuses and fungal diseases. To maintain the necessary moisture level, you can install a pot of orchid in a tray with wet pebbles.

Watering

Orchid, the care and reproduction of which occurs under the conditions of regular and regular watering, will necessarily respond with a beautiful appearance and regular abundant flowering. As a rule, watering of these plants is done by immersing the pot in a container of water for a while, so that the substrate has time to be saturated with moisture. Then the pot is taken out of the water, excess moisture is allowed to drain. The green color of air roots speaks of the good watering quality. When they again become silvery-gray, and the ground is groped - dry, watering is repeated. As a rule, in summer there are enough two such procedures a week. In winter, watering is reduced to once a week.

Reproduction and transplantation

Propagation of orchids by longitudinal or transverse division of the mother plant and "babies", formed from "sleeping" buds on peduncles. The description of these processes is a separate topic.

The transplant is carried out as needed, when it becomes apparent that the plant has become cramped in the pot, and too many randomly located air roots of the orchid appear above the surface of the substrate. Care, reproduction - a photo with a step-by-step description of these processes can be found, of course, in virtually any directory of the gardener devoted to indoor plants - still quite a laborious process. Before taking on such a responsible business as transplanting or replicating orchids, I advise you to study the most thorough information as much as possible, and perhaps even seek the help of professional flower growers.