How to grow orchids on the balcony

Location selection

Choosing a balcony in an appropriate location is very important for orchid seedlings to fully and appropriately absorb sunlight and accelerate photosynthesis. Although orchids cannot tolerate strong sunlight, all things grow with the help of the sun, so warm and gentle sunlight is also essential for orchids.

Seedling selection

This is the key to quickly cultivating excellent seedlings. The basic principle of seedling selection is, first, to choose healthy and strong seedlings that are free of pests and diseases as much as possible. Once seedlings with diseases and pests are brought back for planting, if they are not cured in time, the death of the seedlings is the least of their worries, but if the diseases are transmitted to other orchids, both the wife and the army will be lost.

The second is to avoid choosing old and weak seedlings as much as possible. Not only do old and weak seedlings grow and develop slowly and have a very low germination rate, but it usually takes more than one or two years for them to grow strong again, resulting in low efficiency. The third is to try not to buy a single seedling. It is more appropriate to buy two to five seedlings in a group. This will not only make it easier to plant, but also have a higher germination rate.

Pot soil

Potting soil is the material basis for cultivating strong seedlings. The scientific selection and reasonable combination of materials help the strains thrive. Generally, oak leaves, pond stones, red angelica and water bittern are enough. These materials are easy to buy in the professional market. Medium-sized particles of Tangjilan stone and red fairy soil are preferred. When using, oak leaves, Tangjilan stone, and red fairy soil are usually mixed in one third each. After the three are fully mixed and moistened with water, they will become a good potting soil.

When planting orchids, there is no need to pay special attention to classifying them into coarse, medium and small for lower, middle and upper use. Just fill them evenly, because any orchid pot has sufficient ventilation holes, not to mention the potting soil is full of breathable and water-permeable materials.

Watering

As the saying goes: "It takes ten years to grow orchids and three years of hard work." Watering and moisturizing is a long-term and daily effort, and is the key to growing strong orchid seedlings. Balconies are well ventilated, have plenty of light, and are prone to drying out. There is no regular rule for watering time and amount. You can only adapt to local conditions based on the environment, temperature, and humidity. The general principle is to ensure that the soil in the pot is moist.

As the saying goes, "Water is the root of all evil." If the pot is too wet for a long time, it can easily cause soft rot, stem rot, anthracnose, red spider mites, ants, snails, and other diseases. If the pot soil is too dry for a long time, the orchid will lack water and fertilizer, grow slowly, or even dry up and die. Soak and water once every one or two months, irrigate once every one or two weeks at normal times, and spray the leaves, ground and related containers every day depending on the dryness and wetness, and in the morning and evening.

temperature

Orchids can grow in temperatures between 5 and 30 °C, and the fastest and most ideal growth and development is between 1 and 25 °C. When growing orchids on the balcony, you should open and close the doors and windows according to the seasons and daily weather changes to keep the air fresh and maintain the temperature and humidity. The general principle is to close it during the day and open it at night, open it a little bit for cold or hot weather, and open it a little bit for comfort. This way, the temperature can be artificially controlled, which will increase the temperature difference, prevent storm attacks, prevent freezing at night in winter, and prevent heatstroke during the day in summer.

humidity

The ideal humidity for orchid growth is 70% - 80% relative humidity. Orchids grown on the balcony are very easy to dry out, so it is very necessary to keep the air humidity on the balcony close to the range that orchids like. There are two simple and easy ways to control humidity. First, no matter whether the flower pots are placed in the air or upright, there should be a water basin underneath them. This can not only increase the humidity but also maintain indoor hygiene. You can also fill the pots and buckets with water and place them on the balcony, which can also achieve long-term moisturizing effects. The second is to spray the flowers with water according to the daily weather changes, once in the morning and evening during the hot and dry seasons of spring and summer, generally once a day in spring and autumn, and ensure air circulation on rainy days. The amount and range of spraying depends on the dry and wet conditions. When it is particularly dry, not only the leaves and pot surfaces should be sprayed, but also the ground, related objects, and even the walls should be sprayed.

Fertilization

Frequent application of small amounts of fertilizer is the key to orchid fertilization. The orchid plant grows slowly and takes a year to become established. Compared with other plants, orchids are extremely intolerant of fertilizer. Generally, it is basically sufficient for orchids to have leaves as base fertilizer. For orchids with tall and wide leaves, an appropriate amount of base fertilizer can also meet the needs. Moreover, most orchid lovers change the pots every year. There are many kinds of fertilizers on the market now. No matter what variety you use, you must use it strictly according to the instructions or personal experience. If used properly, it will have good effects on rooting, strengthening stems, accelerating germination, increasing leaf thickness, and inhibiting viruses. It is not easy to cause phytotoxicity and will promote the orchid to grow green and strong.

Disease prevention

The balcony is far away from the ground, well ventilated and well-lit. As long as you prevent diseases and insects from entering with the orchids, apply fertilizers reasonably, master watering requirements, and control humidity, diseases and insect pests are generally not likely to occur. However, balcony orchids do not grow in a vacuum, and necessary prevention is also indispensable. From early summer to late autumn, spray with carbendazim, thiophanate-methyl, and chlorothalonil once one to two months, and you can use them alternately. Spray with Scale Cleaner once or twice in the rainy season, and you will basically be safe.