Orchid Primer

Soil for orchids

Soil composition

Many gardeners are interested in whether ordinary soil is suitable for orchids. The land for orchids is different from all other soil mixtures. Epiphytes cannot be planted in ordinary soil. And You will have to choose a substrate that is ideal for plants with an unusual way of growing.The required soil composition for orchids includes:

• wood ash;
• turf or roots of forest ferns;
• sphagnum;
• bark of trees.

The soil composition for orchids varies depending on the variety and type of plants, but the listed Biocomponents cannot be changed for anything. The land for epiphytes also consists of:

• coconut fibers;
• peat;
• perlite;
• vermiculite;
• crushed expanded clay or other small stones;
• leaflets of spruce and pine cones;
• walnut husks.

The soil mixture for growing epiphytes called Dendrobium nobile also includes soil and humus leaves of garden trees. Soft earth is well suited for germination of phalaenopsis seeds. Peat is often found in such a substrate, so a soil of similar composition is also ideal for planting plants.

Substrate requirements

Peculiar roots

The root system of epiphytes has no analogues, because its ability to absorb moisture from the air or absorb it from a moist filler does not given to other representatives of the plant world. That is why the substrate should be:

• loose
• permeable and moisture-resistant;
• light;
• neutral in acidity (pH 5, 5-6.0).

Choose components of soil mix from among non-toxic and long-term decaying. Such a preparation is suitable for planting and growing epiphytes of most varieties and any other indoor flowers, for example, anthurium.

In the case when you need to plant cymbidium and paphiopedilum, the soil is prepared differently. Caring for these flower plants is different from cultivating other epiphytes. The soil mixture will also differ, in which wood bark and coal will prevail.

Self-prepared homemade soil mixtures may also include:

• pumice;
• cork tree bark;
• gravel .

All these substances are used as drainage. They will need to be treated with dry heat and protected from mold sources and temperature extremes during storage. Before the procedure of frying stones and bark, all components are soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate and kept in it for 24 hours.

Selection of substrate

Ready soil for orchids, bought in specialized stores . Land for orchids has a complex composition. The ideal substrate can be purchased under the trademarks:

• Ecoflora;
• Orkhiat;
• Fiasco;
• Pokon;
• Kekkila;
• Kompo;
• Sana;
• Fasco;
• Gardens of Babylon;
• Queen;
• Florica;
• Effect Bio;
• Seramis $
• Weltorf.

Recently, a premium class coconut substrate called coco has gained great popularity. This type of land loves most varieties of epiphytes. This type of soil is sold in tablets, washer briquettes and in bulk. It needs to be filled in pots in their pure form or made part of a complex soil. It is a hydrogel beads.Such artificial composition does not have nutritional value, but allows you to save a large amount of moisture in yourself, and then help the plant consume it in a measured manner.

It is not difficult to acquire soil, because its cost is low, but many breeders prefer to prepare the soil for orchids do it yourself.

A good nutritious soil for all types of orchids is easy to prepare yourself. You should use blanks, assembled with your own hands or purchased in flower shops. Self-made soil mixture at home, subject to the rules and proportions, will not differ from the purchased options.

Sanitary treatment

We wash the roots of the orchid

Before using any of the substrates, it is necessary to carry out sanitary preparation. The most correct way to treat the substrate is:

• washing;
• heat treatment (calcining in the oven or boiling);
• easy drying;
• chopped.

The bark for the substrate is taken only from non-living trees, and then treated with an antiseptic. The moss is soaked in salt water for a day, after which it is rinsed and dried. The shell of nuts, cones and coconut threads are treated with boiling water.

Exactly such actions will have to be done if the soil:

• turned green;
• became too wet;
• became white plaque from hard water.

Home-made recipe

Preparation of soil for epiphytes at home does not take much time. Step-by-step instructions for obtaining a standard mixture of soil:

1. Initially, the components of the mixture are calcined and dried: pine bark, ash, moss, fern roots.
2. All of the listed components of the mixture are taken in equal proportions and mixed in a deep bowl. Mineral baking powder (vermiculite, perlite) is placed not more than a third of the total mass of the substrate.
3. Fill the prepared container with soil, but before that, in a plastic transparent pot with a hot metal object, make drainage holes and put a thick layer of expanded clay or coconut fiber on the bottom .

The mixture that is better to choose for the preparation of the substrate:

• 5 parts of bark,
• 1 part of charcoal;
• 2 parts of moss.

All other components with nutritional value are taken in equal proportions, n their total weight should be about half of the available basic composition.

Storage of the soil mix

The finished substrate is finally dried, then it is packed in paper bags or rag bags and tightly packed .Each component must be prepared in a different container. Keep all the components of the soil mixtures separately from each other in a well-ventilated area. Soil should be prepared immediately before planting.

The substrate should be reliably protected from exposure to heat and cold, as well as direct sunlight. The most unpretentious to all changes is a coconut product, because its fibers do not absorb moisture, are not afraid of heat and have a long rotting period.

The soil for orchids should be:

• dry;
• odorless;
• crumbly.

If the substrate does not meet these criteria, then an ambulance in such cases consists in treating the components with antibacterial chemical compounds origin. Inadequate quality substrate must be disposed of. An exception may be expanded clay, which can be heated and dried.

The use of a poor-quality substrate threatens the development of pathogenic flora and death of the plant. Also, the soil mixture, which does not fit the flower in composition, is often the reason for the absence of flowering of epiphytes.

Conclusion

In many stores specializing in in floriculture, they sell ready-made soil for orchids, which is also suitable for spathiphyllum (another name is “female happiness.”) But even the best substrate is not suitable for some epiphytes due to the way they live and developmental features. Seeds and plants that have suffered diseases need a loose soil mixture.

It is not difficult to prepare the soil for an orchid with your own hands. To do this, it is necessary to strictly observe the proportions and be sure to verify the quality and safety of all components used.