Tell me, what kind of soil is needed for an orchid? Colleagues at work gave me a flower a couple of years ago. During this time, the orchid has grown greatly, the roots literally spread out on the windowsill, and the bush itself will soon fall out of the pot. I came to the conclusion that I need to transplant into a large dish. This is my first orchid, and at home, apart from the universal substrate, there is nothing. I heard that such soil is not suitable for these flowers, so what should I plant it in?
Orchids, like other epiphytic plants, get their food from aerial roots. They "take root" with them, clinging to a support-tree in nature. These flowers do not need the earth as such, it serves more so that the bush does not collapse and firmly takes up a vertical position. But at the same time, an orchid growing at home needs to eat something and take useful substances from somewhere. For indoor specimens, special mixtures are created that absorb and give off water well, and will also nourish them. In order for the capricious epiphyte to feel good and bloom regularly, it is important to know what soil is needed for the orchid. Many flower growers prepare the soil on their own, including for these plants. Knowing what and with what to mix, this will not be difficult to do.
When choosing or mixing soil, it is also important to consider which group your orchid belongs to. Although epiphytic flowers are most often grown in apartments, there are also ground orchids. For them, the composition of the soil mixture will be somewhat different.
The composition of the substrate for epiphytic orchids
Phalaenopsis and dendrobium require, first of all, a reliable support in a pot. Growing on branches, these orchids thrive in pine bark pots. It absorbs moisture and fertilizers well when watering, then gradually giving them to the roots of the flower, and also allows air to pass through. Such plants do not need land, moreover, they will die in it, “suffocate”.
Instead of pine bark, you can take oak or birch bark.
The bark is the main component of the soil mixture for epiphytes, and you can keep moisture in it longer by adding a little moss and charcoal. The latter, moreover, will cleanse the soil of harmful bacteria.
What kind of soil is needed for a terrestrial orchid?
Since in nature such flowers do not grow on a tree, but in the ground, the substrate in the pot must also contain it. In this case, it is he who acts as the main component of the mixture, and the bark is already a secondary, additional, “ingredient”. The earth should be light, but nutritious, with the addition of organic components. The ground orchid will take food from the soil, so you need to make it saturated with trace elements.
As you know, replacing the soil for a flower is a kind of stress. For this reason orchids are transplanted every 3 years with soil replacement(read about when it is best to transplant an orchid at home, and from you will find out whether this procedure can be performed in autumn period). So during this period, the soil is greatly depleted, losing valuable properties:
- The balance of mineral salts is disturbed.
- The substrate ages and decomposes.
- The supply of micronutrients is running out.
- Decreased breathability.
- The level of acidity rises.
ATTENTION: Compaction of the soil leads to disruption of the drainage process, and stagnant moisture can adversely affect the root system. For the full development of exotic, carry out a complete replacement of the substrate.
General Criteria choice of soil mixture for indoor orchids the same. The soil must have the following qualities:
Representatives of orchids that are grown at home are divided into two groups: epiphytic and terrestrial. They differ not only in name, appearance but also the growing environment. Accordingly, the substrate for plants has a number of differences.
Epiphytic orchids include varieties:
- dendrobium;
- cattleyas;
- lycastes;
- phalaenopsis;
- cumbria;
- zygopetalum;
- Masdevallia.
For such plants, the soil is important mainly for maintaining an upright position, and then for nutrition and obtaining life-giving moisture. Hence, epiphytes do not need land, enough without a soil substrate. Mixtures have variations: 1 part charcoal and 5 parts bark. Or sphagnum moss, ash and bark chips in a ratio of 2:1:5.
Ground orchids: cymbidium and paphiopedilum, which require enhanced nutrition. The following soil composition is suitable for them:
- pine bark;
- wood ash;
- peat.
ADVICE: It is also possible to prepare a substrate from ready ground for orchids by adding moss and some hardwood.
Experienced flower growers unequivocally answer this question - no. The habitual habitat of orchids is loose, light soil.. The root system should be freely blown by air, participate in the process of photosynthesis. And in the ground, they will be compressed, as if under the weight of a stone. Under such conditions exotic flower growing is quite difficult and most likely death awaits him.
Can regular soil be used? Ground for exotic plants you can buy ready-made, cook it yourself or purchase individual components, and choose the proportions yourself. Garden stores have a wide variety of orchid potting mixes to choose from. When buying a substrate, you should pay attention to:
Unfortunately, even in trusted stores, you can buy a low-quality product. To avoid this, the substrate for orchids is prepared independently. All substrate ingredients do not have to be collected by hand, which are sold separately in specialized stores. Thus, the substrate is easy to assemble by yourself by mixing the components in the right quantities. Good products natural material from the manufacturer "Gardens of Aurika".
How to make a mixture yourself?
In order to save Money, and also for complete confidence in the quality, the soil is prepared individually. The main composition of the substrate contains:
- pine bark. This is the main component that is easy to find in a pine forest, on fallen trees. The bark should be crushed to 2-3 cm.
- moss sphagnum. Collected in the forests, in the lowlands, after the snow has completely melted. Moss has antibacterial properties. Used fresh and dry.
- fern roots, which contain many useful substances. Add dry to mixture.
- charcoal easy to find in the ashes. Ash is needed the same size as the other components.
- Expanded clay, inexpensive and lightweight material. The granules are great for drainage.
Substrate preparation options are used with the addition of coarse sand, granulated clay, cork material, perlite, polystyrene, leafy soil, peat, humus.
Watch the video on collecting materials for the orchid substrate:
With soil replacement? A detailed description of the transplant process will eliminate the fuss and unnecessary mistakes. It is important to follow the sequence:
Watch video about correct transplant orchids:
At work, the girls gave me some wonderful orchids, and it was truly a royal gift. When it was time to transplant the "sisters", I used the soil they talked about - the usual one for flowers. What a mistake it was! Fortunately, only one flower, transplanted “for trial”, managed to suffer.
Having shoveled a lot of forums, I figured out what was the matter - it is better to mix the earth yourself (and not listen to my friends who grow only petunia and pelargonium, but not orchids). Don't repeat my mistakes! In order for the orchid to feel good after transplantation, you definitely need ...
Since the orchid is an epiphyte, that is, a plant that clings to the bark of trees with its roots all its life, it is easy to guess that this flower will prefer to grow in the bark in your apartment.
It is best if it is pine (pinia bark is also good). True, it is not necessary to cut it in a large piece - on the contrary, flower growers advise grinding the bark into small (with a coin) pieces.
You can buy it, but it's cheaper - to collect it by going out into the forest for barbecue or a walk (and it doesn't matter if it's winter or summer).
It's correct to do this:
- the tree must be inanimate (fallen, cut some time ago or dried up), so there will be no resin in the bark;
- the bark should not be with wood, cut off only its upper balls;
- do not take the bark if bark beetles have worked on the tree (the bugs themselves are not your enemies, but the gnawed pieces will quickly rot and the soil with them will become unusable);
- at home, the bark should be dried a little in the oven so as not to bring undesirable microorganisms to the sensitive orchid.
Sometimes used instead of bark Pine cones. This landing option is considered rather experimental, but it has already proven itself well ... And it is also aesthetically pleasing and unbanal.
What else can be added to the substrate
Your the main task- do not “clog” the soil so that it remains light and airy, without interfering with the delicate roots of the flower to breathe.
Charcoal
If you're growing a Phalaenopsis orchid, mix a lot of bark, some charcoal, just a little bit of moss, and you've got a mixture.
Where to get coal? You can grab some from the fire after burning wood (ideally birch). The main thing is that the fire is not kindled with combustible mixtures.
Some flower lovers add activated charcoal to the orchid substrate.
Swamp moss sphagnum: what is it and where to get it
It absorbs water very well. At the same time, moss contains almost no nutrients - in our case, this is good, since the orchid is very demanding on nutrition.
Dried moss is sold in stores, but it can be picked up in the forest or in the meadow (yes, it does not necessarily grow in swamps, it can also be found in lowlands or wet glades). collect moss better in spring. Moreover, it is not necessary to dry it; you can also add live, fresh sphagnum to the pot.
By the way! In addition to orchids, other flowers also love this component of the soil: anthurium, saintpaulia.
fern roots
The option is not for every flower. Terrestrial epiphytes will like it (say, cymbidium, but not phalaenopsis).
These roots are highly nutritious, so add a little at a time.
They can be found in the forest. Need to do it in early spring or late autumn. After that, the roots are washed and dried. Store them in a tied bag in the dark.
Inorganic substrates: yes or no?
If you go to a florist's shop, you will find that modern science has created many artificial substitutes for soils that your pet may like. And to buy them really for mere pennies. But is it worth it?
What will they offer you:
- Styrofoam,
- foam rubber,
- mineral wool,
- gravel,
- perlite (white pebbles),
- vermiculite (small gray pebbles),
- hydrogel (yes, the same one, colored),
- expanded clay.
Their advantages: high hygroscopicity, no reaction to top dressing, easy cleaning from heavy salts, which over time are collected in a pot from water (all these pebbles just need to be washed). All these substances can be used both as the soil itself and as additives to the already mentioned bark.
Their disadvantages: at the first use (especially if you have recently taken up orchids), you can fill your hand regarding watering for a very long time, which may cause the flower to suffer.
Why you should not use expanded clay
And at a party, and in the photo on the Internet, and even in video reviews, you can see pots filled with these brown porous ceramic granules, in which the orchid peacefully turns green.
It is easy to understand why flower growers love this material so much: it is porous, light, cheap, sold in many places, and environmentally friendly. Suitable for both the main soil and as one of the ingredients (acts as a drainage).
Porous granules absorb not only moisture, but also everything “good” that is in our tap water namely, salts of heavy metals. Pick up and then in large numbers give dangerous salts to the roots of the flower. This slows down the growth of the plant, prevents flowering.
Moreover! If watering is delayed, not only the roots become dehydrated, but also expanded clay pellets - these hollow "caves" begin to draw moisture from the roots, dehydrating the already suffering flower.
Purchased soil for orchids
After everything you read above, you might think that they are not sold at all, otherwise why bother with cutting the bark and everything else?
But there is also "factory" land. Another question is what quality is it? Experienced orchid growers complain: in the purchased soil for these flowers there is often too much peat mixture, or even soil dust.
Of course, there are also good products. But it is better to buy them for experienced people who know well what exactly a flower needs.
If you are preparing your orchid for the first transplant, bet on pine bark - it will certainly never let you down!
And the last
Each person with his apartment, life schedule and flower variety is special, so I will give you some tips on how to make the soil “for yourself”.
- If you often do not have time (forget or are on the road) to water your pet on time, add more moisture-intensive components (the same moss) to the soil. They will actively absorb moisture during watering, and then give it to the flower for a long time.
- If the phalaenopsis epiphyte (as well as other species growing on trees, which are 90% of the entire range in our stores) will like the bark, then the cymbidium and paphiopedilum are earthly inhabitants, which means they will not refuse both humus and leaf litter, as well as peat. The soil for these flowers can be made on the basis of fern soil.
- If the roots you have created take too long to dry out, add some more charcoal and bark to the pot.
- And vice versa, if the flower has little moisture (the air roots dry, the leaves shrink), the earth lacks sphagnum, coconut chips, and fern root.
- When transplanting, it turned out that you had prepared too little bark? Add what is at home - walnut shells. Also, many flower growers use broken coconut (but this supplement already needs to be bought in specialized stores).
- Fallen leaves of oak, birch, aspen, beech are a good addition, as well as a delicacy for epiphytes.
- Small seedlings? Make a shallow substrate for them (cut the bark into centimeter by centimeter particles). For a mature plant, the pieces should be larger.
- Do you want to experiment? How do you like the idea of \u200b\u200bgrowing an orchid without soil at all? Some growers let the roots grow in a container of water, or even dangling in the air. And the plants at the same time not only do not die, but also bloom! Of course, such experiments should not be used if your flower is the first and only one. But if you have already separated a lot of babies and got your hand in caring for them, why not give it a try?
But this capricious flower needs not only to be replanted, but also regularly watered, fed ... How to do it right, this video will tell you:
The orchid is a favorite of many. In order for it to bloom, it must be transplanted in time into a special soil for orchids, the composition of which can be assembled with your own hands even in urban conditions. Home orchid (phalaenopsis) grows in pots in a special substrate, ordinary soil is not suitable for it. The home orchid is a bred hybrid. Phalaenopsis is the most popular and unpretentious of orchids.
In order to understand how to properly care for a flower, you need to know how the plant lives in natural conditions. The fact is that under natural conditions, phalaenopsis is an epiphyte, that is, it attaches to other plants, the donor plant is not the main source of nutrients, the flower receives part of the nutrition from precipitation, and the orchid also uses other plants as a reliable support. In this regard, the soil on which phalaenopsis grows has a specific composition, which includes tree bark, insect remains, rotted leaves, bird droppings and moss.
Like any other flower, indoor phalaenopsis requires repotting, but the soil for the orchid should be close to its natural habitat.
Soil selection for home orchids
As already mentioned, the land for flowers has a specific composition. On this moment soil for this flower can be purchased at any gardening store, you can also prepare it yourself. It is important when choosing the filling of the pot to take into account certain conditions, such as:
- Flower variety.
- The volume of the pot in which the plant is planned to be transplanted.
- Growing conditions (temperature, lighting, humidity).
- flowering periods. Note that the orchid blooms 2 times a year, and the flowers do not fade for 3 months.
These factors must also be taken into account when the soil is created independently. Let us consider in more detail the process of preparing soil for orchids at home.
Components for the substrate
The question of what kind of soil is needed for orchids often worries beginner flower growers, because if you plant a plant in unsuitable soil, it will die. Note that for each variety, the soil may differ in its composition. There are many recipes for creating substrates for home phalaenopsis, but in this case it is important to choose the right proportions and composition of the soil. If everything is done correctly, then the plant will feel good and bloom for a long time.
Sometimes the soil may contain exotic ingredients needed for certain types of orchids. A kind of universal land for orchids at home mainly includes the following components:
- peat (lowland or highland);
- moss (preferably sphagnum - peat moss from a swamp);
- humus;
- tree bark (pine bark is better);
- charcoal;
- Pine cones;
- coconut fibers;
- polystyrene;
- expanded vermiculite (to saturate the flower with essential minerals);
- perlite (rock of volcanic origin);
- expanded clay;
- fern rhizomes.
Independent search the above components it will not be difficult, presumably difficulties may arise with the search for coconut fiber, but this problem can also be solved.
A component such as pine bark is very important in the substrate for orchids. Therefore, it must be removed only from healthy trees, it should peel off easily. by the most ideal option there will be bark from a fallen pine or hemp, but it is important that the tree is not rotten. It is best to collect the bark in the fall, when there will be no insects in it, they are not needed in the substrate.
Add moss...
Expanded clay, polystyrene can be bought at hardware store. And vermiculite and perlite in flower outlets. These components give the soil friability, in addition, vermiculite is a useful mineral and protects against mold, fungi and drying out of the soil.
Recipes for preparing soil for orchids
Do not use all of the above ingredients at the same time. Soil mixture for homemade orchids can be prepared different ways, below are the most popular options, they are based on those components that are easiest to get yourself. Each of the methods has different proportions, but the ingredients for them are prepared in the same way:
- The proportions of the components are 1:3:1. According to the proportions, the following components are prepared: peat, charcoal, pine bark. In this case, it is better not to use crushed peat, it should have a good coarse fiber base with a salt content, but in a small amount. As for charcoal, it must be crushed to a suitable size. Coal is an antiseptic, but it can accumulate salts, and if it is planned to feed the plant in the future, then it is better to refuse coal altogether. Do-it-yourself orchid bark must be clean, it must be finely chopped, because the smaller the bark, the better it retains moisture. After the bark has been crushed, it must be boiled for 10-15 minutes, then dried and used as a substrate.
- For this method of preparation of the substrate, only two components are used in a ratio of 1: 5 - charcoal and bark, respectively. This method will help create a reduced moisture capacity and increased air circulation. Air is necessary for the roots of orchids, as they also participate in the process of photosynthesis and are superficial.
- The proportions of the components of the substrate are 2:1:5. The ingredients used are moss, charcoal, pine chips. Moss for orchids is well washed and dried, if small branches, leaves, grass get into it, then you should not remove them, in the future, in the process of decomposition, they will give their nutrients to phalaenopsis. After the moss is dried, it must be cut. Charcoal and pine bark are prepared in the same way as in the first method.
A good addition to these substrates will be finely chopped fallen tree leaves mixed with bark or moss, they will serve as additional fertilizer.
Laying soil in a container for a flower
When transplanting an orchid, it is necessary to consider in which pot it is better to plant it. For these purposes, plastic transparent pots or clay pots are suitable, in both cases the pots should have a hole in the bottom to remove moisture.
After cooking suitable soil and choosing a pot, it is necessary to lay soil layer by layer in a container for a flower. A drainage layer is placed at the bottom, it can be expanded clay, perlite, vermiculite or polystyrene. Next, the pot is filled to the middle with the prepared soil mixture. The next layer will again be drainage, and on it a layer of soil. At this stage, an orchid is planted in the ground. It is important not to compact the soil, as the flower loves loose soil.
Thus, it is quite easy to independently prepare the soil for an orchid, the main thing is to combine the components in the correct proportions and select the appropriate composition of the substrate for a certain type.
Phalaenopsis - very popular decorative flowering plants. In the wild, they grow on the bark of trees, their roots are on the surface and do not go into the ground. Therefore, for successful maintenance in the room, they need to create special conditions.
The most important factor for the growth and flowering of phalaenopsis is the soil, which is fundamentally different in composition from the substrates for other indoor plants.
In the article we will consider what kind of soil is needed for the phalaenopsis orchid and what composition is better.
Ground Requirements
Popular substrate formulations
In addition to the above compositions, there are soils for orchids with a predominance of stones and rocks in them. Phalaenopsis develop well in soil from the following components:
You can apply the following composition:
- Pine or oak bark - 3 parts;
- Pumice pieces - 1 part;
- Charcoal - 1 part;
- Fern roots - 1 part;
- Expanded clay - 1 part.
This substrate has an increased moisture capacity. It can be used to keep the plant at low humidity.
There are also blends with synthetic materials. Most often, pieces of foam are used to loosen the soil. Here is one of the popular compositions for phalaenopsis orchids, which includes foam:
- Pine bark or coconut chips - 2 parts;
- Chopped cork tree bark - 2 parts;
- Expanded clay - 1 part;
- Charcoal - 1 part;
- Styrofoam pieces - 1 part.
Of the purchased substrates, Seramis has proven itself well. This soil does not contain any plant components in its composition. It is a clay granulate with good water retention. Orchids planted in Seramis intensively increase their leaf mass and bloom profusely, and problem specimens quickly recover.
Phalaenopsis planted in a hydrogel live no more than a year, and then die.
Preparation of the substrate for use
To make a soil for phalaenopsis with your own hands, you need to carefully prepare each ingredient. Bark, sphagnum moss and fern roots require the most attention. The bark is collected from dead trees and boiled for 20-30 minutes, after which it is dried. Moss is poured with boiling water for 2-3 hours, and then dead insects are removed from it and dried. Fern roots are dug up in the forest, washed, cut and dried in the shade.
All components are stored in unsealed containers and mixed before use. After that, the finished substrate must be poured hot water for a few hours.
The purchased substrate must also be prepared for planting. It is screened to remove fines and dust. Peat is often added to purchased substrates for orchids. This component is detrimental to phalaenopsis, as it contributes to prolonged soil moisture. Peat can also be removed from the substrate by sieving.
If the soil has a characteristic mushroom smell, it cannot be used without disinfection, since pathogenic fungi are already developing in it. Such soil should be poured with boiling water for several hours or boiled for 1-1.5 hours. After that, it must be processed with one of antifungal drugs. Purchased soil for odorless phalaenopsis should be soaked for several hours in hot water before use.
Now you know what soil is needed for phalaenopsis orchids and how to choose the best composition.
