I believe many orchid friends have encountered orchid seedling cultivation. Usually we put them together with conventional orchids. Although the maintenance environment and management are not bad, we find a problem that the seedlings cultivated are difficult to grow and strengthen. What is the difficulty in cultivating orchid seedlings?
Although the growth patterns of orchids are mostly the same, according to our own needs, there will definitely be differences during maintenance according to our goals. This is also what Lanyou often does not do well and is difficult when cultivating seedlings.
This article focuses on several taboo issues that need to be avoided in the cultivation of orchid seedlings. In addition to the details of orchid seedling planting materials mentioned in the previous article, there are 4 maintenance details.
1. Pests and diseases
In fact, this also needs attention for other orchids. But if the big clumps of orchids accidentally infect diseases and pests, it may only damage some orchid seedlings. But once these seedlings suffer from pests and diseases, they may be wiped out. Therefore, when cultivating seedlings, if conditions permit, it is best to separate from other orchid seedlings and not crowd together, as the chances of infection with pests will be greater.
In addition, spray sterilization drugs and insecticides regularly. When spraying sterilization, focus on the pot surface, old seedlings, and flower pots. For new seedlings, just spray the back of them. Don’t let too much drug residue on the leaves, as it will affect the respiration of orchid leaves.
2. Stimulating fertilizer
Orchid growth cannot be separated from nutrients. Most of these nutrients are artificially fertilized when growing orchids at home. Seedling cultivation also requires nutrients. Reasonable use of artificial fertilization can promote the rapid growth of orchid seedlings into strong grass. However, the resistance of the seedlings is not as good as that of the middle-aged orchid seedlings. Once they encounter strong irritating fertilizer, there will be a risk of burning out.
seedling cultivation I started with planting materials. A large pot of nutrient-rich planting materials can basically meet the needs of such seedlings to grow in one year. If the seedlings are indeed very strong (the fertilizer consumption is greater), you can consider using some fertilizers. The principle is to stay away from orchid seedlings and orchid roots and only apply a small amount and even fertilizer at the edge of the flower pot.
3. The light is too strong
Orchids must need light. Sunlight can allow orchids to create and accumulate more photosynthetic substances, and improve the various resistances of orchids. However, the seedlings cultivated have not a large overall light-receiving area of leaves, and their main source of nutrients must be obtained from the soil by the root system.
On the contrary, if the light is too strong, it will also cause the orchid seedlings to age prematurely. Orchid friends often find that the growth of the seedlings has slowed down or even stopped, which may be because the light is too strong. My seedlings are placed under the wisteria rack, and the sunlight can only shine in through the gaps of the wisteria leaves.
4. Premature puberty and early blooming
Too strong sunlight will not only affect the growth of leaves, but may also lead to premature puberty. As the saying goes: the yin grows seedlings and the yang is prone to flowers. Of course, in addition to light, moisture has a lot to do with fertilizer. For example, when it is managed in the same way as other conventional orchids, the proportion of water control and phosphorus fertilizer is relatively high, which may lead to the orchid seedlings being premature and early blooming.
And the flowering of pregnant buds requires a large amount of nutrients for the mother seedlings. The purpose of cultivating seedlings is to allow them to reproduce more orchid seedlings, rather than to make them bloom in a hurry. Therefore, it is not recommended to control water in seedling cultivation (Autumn), and in addition to rational refining seedlings, it is also necessary to prevent freezing in winter. The photos of seedlings above
were all cultivated in March this year (the same seedlings are divided into the picture above). Now it seems that these seedlings have grown well. In addition to the planting factor, it is also very important to reasonably avoid the above four taboos.
This year's maintenance focus is to cultivate new seedlings, so in terms of fertilizers and moisture, we are all aiming toward the goal of only growing seedlings without blooming. In fact, the first and second items of the above four taboos, I believe that Lanyou will not make any mistakes. Articles 3 and 4 are management traps that many novice Lan friends often commit.
