In a private house      06/13/2019

Tips for choosing soil for an orchid: how and in what substrate can a plant be transplanted? We choose a good soil for an orchid: which one has the most correct composition and which is better, make it at home or buy it ready

Orchid princess, gentle and very beautiful flower which leaves no one indifferent. Orchid can be grown both at home on the windowsill and in the yard on the site. The video in this article shows step-by-step instruction how to plant a beautiful orchid with your own hands and pick up soil for phalaenopsis orchids so that they will delight you with their flowering for many years.

Orchid is a herbaceous and perennial, which has the same type of structure, despite the huge variety of species. The flowers of this stunning plant are distinguished not only by their multifaceted colors, but also by the shape and size of the petals.

There are species of orchids whose flowers are only a few millimeters, while in other species they can reach up to a meter. The forms of flowers also amaze with their diversity and fantasy of nature. They can be in the form of a star, butterfly wings, a palm with spread fingers or a miniature shoe.

Whatever the orchid, regardless of the type, subspecies or variety, this flower is rightfully the most exquisite and expensive plant. Due to its colorful coloring, extraordinary tenderness of forms and delicious pleasant aroma, the price of such flowers is quite high.

phalaenopsis orchid

The Phalaenopsis orchid is the least fussy of all orchid species. Therefore, beginner flower growers are advised to start growing orchids with phalaenopsis. Its views are also beautiful, colorful and varied.

Its name comes from the Greek expression - resemblance to a butterfly, since the flowers of this plant resemble butterflies. The Phalaenopsis orchid has both underground roots and aerial roots that feed on moisture from the air.

soil for orchids

How to grow an orchid at home so that it does not get sick and blooms beautifully? Of course, choose which soil is best for orchids.

The composition of the soil for orchids must meet certain specific requirements:

  • It should not contain garden soil.
  • The soil should keep the plant upright.
  • The soil should pass moisture well, retaining it to a minimum.

Only the right composition of soil for orchids will allow you to enjoy beautiful flowering plants. Therefore, we will consider its components in more detail.

Soil components

Consider what kind of soil is needed for an orchid, and what components it consists of. It includes both organic and inorganic elements.

Organic:

  • Moss sphagnum. This is a swamp moss, which, due to its origin, absorbs moisture best and allows air to pass through well.
  • Peat. It is best to choose salt-free peat, it also helps to accumulate and retain moisture in the soil for flowers.
  • Charcoal. It helps to regulate soil acidity and serves as drainage. It can be coal from a fire, washed and crushed.
  • Wood bark. For orchids, pine bark is suitable, which must first be boiled and dried properly.
  • fern roots. Choose large ferns, their roots are washed out, dried well and, cut into small pieces, added to the ground.
  • coconut fiber. It is usually purchased, ready-made, in specialized stores, with a special composition for orchids.
  • Pine cones. Cones need to be chosen with wooden scales, separate them and boil. After dry well and add to the soil.
  • leaf ground. It is added to the soil of ground orchids for greater earth density. It must be cleaned of large debris, sticks and twigs.

Inorganic:

  • Expanded clay. It is needed for better drainage. We select the size of crushed stone for the size of the pot and pour it on the bottom of the container.
  • Vermiculite. It is a layered mineral that is filled with air. It retains water and gradually shares it with the plant, and also protects against mold and fungi.
  • Perlite. These are small white pebbles that improve soil drainage. He will not crumple and cake.

Advice! Soil for orchids can be purchased ready-made in specialized stores, but experienced growers it is advised to do it yourself, based on the variety of your plant, the humidity in the room and its lighting.

Do-it-yourself soil

Let's look at what you need to remember and consider when creating soil for orchids:

  • If there is little humidity in the room, then the soil for the orchid with your own hands should have more moisture-intensive elements and substances.
  • Land for orchids should not be heavily packed or dense, so there should be enough drainage elements in it.
  • It is also necessary to consider the variety or species of your plant, as the soil for the Phalaenopsis orchid is different from the soil for other types of orchids.

Advice! What kind of soil is suitable for orchids of your species, you need to check with the seller when buying.

When preparing the soil for your plants, it is necessary to secure its constituent components:

  • Moss should be left in water for about a day, this will save it from insects that will emerge.
  • Fern roots are well washed and doused with boiling water, getting rid of pests.
  • Peat is divided into small pieces and dried.
  • We disassemble the tree bark into chips, steam and dry.

How to prepare and lay the soil, everyone has their own recipes, consider the most common way:

  • We put drainage at the bottom of the pot.
  • We spread the soil to the middle of the container.
  • A thick layer of drainage is needed in the center of the vessel.
  • Fill the pot to the brim again with soil.

The main thing is that the earth in the pot should support your orchid in an upright position.

Soil options

The main tasks of soil for orchids are:

  • Keep the plant upright.
  • Keeping roots moist.
  • Good air permeability.

Consider what kind of soil to plant an orchid, depending on its type and variety.

Soil for orchids-epiphytes:

  • Pine bark - approximately 70%.
  • Peat - about 10%.
  • Perlite - about 10%.
  • Sequoia bark - about 10%.

Or:

  • Coniferous bark - approximately 90%.
  • Charcoal and sphagnum moss - about 5% each.

For orchids such as phalaenopsis, cattleya or dendrobium, the composition may be as follows:

  • Bark of conifers - about 50%.
  • Styrofoam - about 20%.
  • Expanded clay - about 15%.
  • Peat - about 10%.
  • Charcoal - about 5%.

For moisture-loving orchids, such as, for example, dracula or lycasta, you can use the following compositions:

  • The bark of conifers is approximately 40%.
  • Cork material - about 30%.
  • Styrofoam - about 20%.
  • Peat - about 10%.
  • Moss-sphagnum - about 25%.
  • Sand - about 25%.
  • Peat - about 25%.
  • Perlite - about 25%.

For orchids, the soil of which must periodically dry out completely, for example, such as vilstekeara, trichopilia or leptotes, there may be such a soil:

  • Peat - about 30%.
  • Cork material - about 20%.
  • Coconut fiber - approximately 10%.
  • Peat - about 40%.
  • Pine bark - about 25%.
  • Styrofoam - approximately 25%.
  • Expanded clay - about 10%.

For terrestrial orchid species, the soil is made the same as for epiphytes, but dry leaves and garden soil are added to it, and moss is not added to the soil, but placed on top of the earthen mixture. For example, for varieties such as paphiopedium or cymbidium, the soil can be:

  • Peat - about 40%.
  • Dry oak leaves - about 20%.
  • Pine bark - about 20%.
  • Expanded clay - about 20%.

Or:

  • Peat - about 40%.
  • Clay - about 25%.
  • Styrofoam - approximately 25%.

Interesting! Nowadays, very often experienced flower growers grow orchids without soil, using hydrogel instead.

In conclusion

So, now we know how to make the soil for orchids ourselves, so that our beauties will delight us for many years, with their stunning flowers that give a good mood. But if you are still afraid to take on the independent production of soil mixtures for delicate orchids, then a large selection of ready-made soils can be found in any flower shop, and sales assistants will tell you which one is best for your plant.

Some orchids grow on the ground, others grow on stones or tree trunks, at home we must create similar conditions for them if we want to get beautiful flowering of healthy plants. Do-it-yourself soil for an orchid can be made at home, if you know the characteristics of its growth in your homeland.

The rules for caring for orchids require a mandatory transplant every two years, with a complete replacement of the substrate that contains their roots. Soil for orchids cannot be called nutrient soil in the full sense of the word, its main tasks are to support the plant, giving it stability, and absorb the optimal amount of moisture without interfering with the evaporation of its excess. For example, the soil for "Phalaenopsis" should dry out in 3-4 days, if the moisture stays longer, the substrate will compact, prevent the roots from getting air, and can provoke rotting or the development of fungal diseases.

To create comfortable conditions tropical beauties, you need to know what kind of soil they will need, that is, what conditions they have in their homeland. The substrate for Phalaenopsis orchids that live on trees must have maximum moisture and air throughput, and for Cymbidium, which grows on the ground, nutritional supplements must be included in the substrate. It is advisable to know how to prepare soil for orchids with your own hands in order to be able to experiment with purchased mixtures, achieving maximum convenience for your plants.

Soil composition

Stores sell ready-made soil for orchids, you can change the composition with your own hands in accordance with the needs of plants, but for this you need to know what ingredients are included in it. Substrates are made up of the following elements: tree bark, charcoal, fern root, sphagnum moss, coconut fibers, peat, perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay or small pebbles, various nut husks, fallen tree leaves, humus or leafy soil.

  • The bark is used oak, from larch, pine. It is better to take it from a tree that fell or was cut down a year ago, the bark should be easily separated from the trunk, be dry, but not rotten. The bark of living trees contains too much resin.
  • Charcoal is taken from the burnt trunk of birch, oak, beech. It is advisable to burn the tree yourself in order to know for sure that no polymers or toxic substances burned with it.
  • Fern root can be dug up in the summer by choosing a larger plant. Then it is cleaned from the ground, washed, cut into small pieces, dried.
  • Sphagnum moss and peat can be collected from the swamp or bought at the store, as can coconut fibers or chips. They retain moisture well, and peat slightly acidifies the entire soil, so it must be combined with coal.
  • Skins of forest, walnuts, pine nuts or husks sunflower seeds- This is an excellent baking powder of organic origin.
  • Perlite and vermiculite are of mineral origin, they do not nourish plants, but protect them from mold and fungal diseases. In addition, they are excellent baking powder, they restrain the inevitable caking of the soil, even out the temperature during its abrupt changes in the external environment.
  • Expanded clay has excellent drainage qualities, with a similar function, foam plastic, polystyrene are used.
  • But the leaves are not used for all orchids, only for those that grow on the ground and are able to get nutrients from it.

Substrate selection

Cooked according to all the rules must meet the requirements of the variety, the only indicator confirming the optimal choice of ingredients is lush bloom orchids. Different species and varieties may need different ingredients, which does not mean at all that all of the components listed above can be found in one pot.

If the substrate bought in the store does not suit the plant for some reason, you need to experiment - add or remove some of its parts, then look at the condition of the flower. If the air is too dry, then you need to add more moisture-retaining components. With large daily temperature fluctuations, it is better to increase the amount of perlite and vermiculite.

Sanitization

Most self-assembled elements cannot be consumed without special training and sanitization. All components must be washed, then thermally processed, crushed to the desired size, and dried. In this form, they can be folded into linen bags for long-term storage. Parts of the substrate can be collected gradually, stored for a long time, used as needed.

The bark is recommended to be taken from a tree that fell a year ago, if there are no signs of rot on it. Suitable bark itself easily lags behind the trunk, it does not need to be cut. The resulting pieces should be boiled in water for several minutes, cut into pieces with a diameter of up to 2 cm, dried and boiled again after a few days. Some flower growers bake it for 10-20 minutes in the oven at a temperature of 200 degrees.

Moss is first poured with water for several hours to get rid of insects, then dried. After that, dry moss is poured with boiling water for 10 minutes, dried again. Some experts advise treating it with insecticides.

Orchid is a plant with unusually beautiful flowers. When choosing a houseplant in a store, the eye will definitely catch on to it and many people think about buying it. Unfortunately, after a while, many orchids wither and dry out - and all because they require special conditions maintenance and care.

This plant cannot be planted in ordinary soil, because its peculiarity lies in the ability to accumulate moisture, and then give it away. There are four components to consider after buying an orchid: correct soil, watering, lighting and air humidity.

If you take some time to study and correct selection soil for orchids, and you will also be in right time water the plant, it will delight you with its beauty for a long time.

Orchid, considered the most beautiful and most unusual flower on our planet. To date, about a hundred wild-growing and artificially bred species of orchids are known. They grow in all climatic zones- from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

Types of orchids are diverse:

  • from small ones, the size of which is only one millimeter,
  • to gigantic with flowers 90 cm in size.

They are found at very high altitudes, in desert oases, in forests, in hot countries and the tropics, and even in swampy areas. It turns out that scientists are still discovering more and more new types of orchids.

There was even a funny case when the new kind Orchid was opened in a flower shop, sellers among the flowers accidentally discovered a specimen unknown to science before, it was named after the company supplying them with goods.

Orchids have been admired since Ancient Greece, in the IV-III century BC. Nowadays, scientists tirelessly study these amazing plants, there is even a science - orchidology. And to study them, really there are reasons.

It was found out that the flowers of some species of orchids, in order to attract the attention of male insects, change their external likeness and become similar to their females and even emit a characteristic smell, which immediately disappears after pollination.

flower tricks

It is known that different types orchids are pollinated by their own varieties of insects, so the plant goes to all sorts of tricks to lure the "pollinator" and continue its genus. And it’s impossible to deny their ingenuity.

  1. Some arrange a kind of trap from the petals, getting out of which the insect will inevitably be covered with pollen. Sometimes, to get out of such a trap, the insect spends about an hour, and in order for the "pollinator" to get out, the plant shows the correct route with colored signs, which leads to freedom.
  2. Other orchids seek to surround insects with comfort, the shape of their flowers resembles a soft bed. There are those who simply - simply solder their "guests".

For example, Dremlyuga marsh nectar is the most common brew. Having tasted nectar from two or three such flowers, the insect is no longer able to fly and only crawls from one plant to another, while carrying pollen.

  • The flowers of a very bright large orchid that resembles the head of a horned bull spread a narcotic smell, sniffing which the insect simply slides right into the pollen.
  • And then there are species of orchids that simply spit pollen, attaching it with a sticky substance for reliability, but most often they attract insects with tasty nectar, which the majority of insects like.

Due to their exquisite beauty, orchid flowers are in great demand, even cut, the orchid is able to retain beauty and fragrance for a spirit - three months. For a long time, unsuccessfully, scientists tried to propagate orchids in a greenhouse, until Noel Bernard, a breeder from France, tried to infect orchid seeds with a fungus.

The fungus first develops in the seeds, thereby helping the formation of the embryo, and the embryo, having become stronger, simply eats the fungus.

Nowadays, the breeding procedure various kinds orchids, is quite mastered, and it is not difficult to buy a grown plant from a nursery, however, this exotic beauty will require a lot of attention and care.

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What kind of soil do orchids need?

When buying an orchid in a store, we get phalaenopsis or cymbidium, which are prominent representatives of elephite plants. And surprisingly, such a plant does not need soil as such for growth and vital activity.

In their homeland they have to live in a fairly difficult conditions. Tropical forests consist of trees with a very dense crown, and elephites are located directly on the trees themselves in order to be as close to the sun as possible.

Wrapping its roots around the trunk of a tree, the flower feeds on the remains of vegetation in the cracks in the bark and consumes moisture from environment Fortunately, the tropics have a very humid climate. That is why aerial roots are very important for orchids, they help to get food in literally from the air.

But for home growing soil is still necessary, because we cannot provide the flower with the conditions to which it is accustomed in its homeland. Of course, it is best to purchase the desired soil in the store. But if you want to cook it yourself, let's look at what soil composition can satisfy the overseas beauty.

Here are the ingredients that are essential for soil preparation:

  1. fern roots.

Main substrate

It is better to take pine bark as the main substrate, and ideally, the tree should die recently, then there will be a low content of resinous substances in such a bark.

  • The bark is crushed using an ordinary meat grinder (without a knife and nozzles) and disinfected by boiling in a water bath for thirty minutes.
  • The bark must be dried well before use.

It is worth noting that the bark has low hygroscopicity - over time, it accumulates in itself excess moisture, which can adversely affect the root system of the orchid. To prevent this problem, large pieces of bark can be placed in the center of the pot.

Depending on the type of orchid, the size of the bark may vary. If the plant needs a lot of air exchange, then the pieces should be at least two centimeters.

Peat should have a stable coarse fiber base and contain a small amount of salts. Chopped peat is not recommended. Charcoal is great at raising the pH of the soil and is the best way to regulate the water regime.

However, it also has a negative side - over time, it accumulates salts, which leads to a violation of the salt balance during irrigation. Therefore, you need to add charcoal very carefully. And if in the future you plan to often feed the plant - it is completely undesirable.

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Is it possible to plant an orchid in ordinary soil

Those who decide to start growing orchids should first learn more about them. Contrary to popular belief, these flowers are not so difficult to care for, but they still have some features. The plants do not look like ordinary potted flowers, but can become houseplants if desired.

There are more than 23 thousand species of orchids in the world. There are species that live on trees, rocks and the ground. Not many species are available for home breeding, however, these are not even natural orchids, but hybrids. But still, these hybrids were bred by crossing real flowers.

Breeders tried to achieve when breeding room orchid those properties that you can observe in plants now:

  1. aroma,
  2. size,
  3. color,
  4. conditions of care and much more.

Deciding to grow an orchid at home, you will get not just a beautiful flower, but also a useful one, not too whimsical to care for, especially if you know exactly how to do it.

The first rule when growing an orchid at home is not to plant it in ordinary soil.

This type of plant does not live in ordinary soil, the roots will simply die under the "press" of the gravity of the soil. To grow a flower, purchase soil that is as similar as possible to the one in which flowers grow. It should be lightweight and retain moisture. When preparing soil at home, you should follow a few rules:

  • if the room is dry, then the soil should consist of moisture-absorbing substances to a greater extent;
  • after watering, the soil should remain moist for 4-5 days;
  • soil for orchids should not be compressed.

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How to prepare soil for orchids with your own hands?

Most self-assembled elements cannot be consumed without special preparation and sanitization. All components must be washed, then thermally processed, crushed to the desired size, and dried. In this form, they can be folded into linen bags for long-term storage. Parts of the substrate can be collected gradually, stored for a long time, used as needed.

Knowing what kind of soil is suitable for your orchids, it is easy to make it yourself. In the process of experimenting with various components of the soil for orchids, unnecessary components are gradually eliminated.

So, an excess of sphagnum moss leads to the accumulation of moisture and condensation in the pot. And therefore, if it is used, then just a little. An exception may be a room with low humidity, in which water evaporates very quickly.

The best is to plant orchids with a pine bark substrate with a small addition of foam balls. It is pine bark that best suits this plant. You can buy it at a flower shop, but it's better not to be lazy and assemble it yourself. Purchased bark should be left for some time in a well-heated oven to kill unwanted microflora.

In no case should you collect bark from growing healthy trees. Only the bark that was collected from a dry dead tree is suitable. After the prepared bark is at your home, it needs to be boiled for about an hour in order for the resin to boil out and the insects that lived in it die.

Now the softened bark should be cut into large pieces and dried in an oven with a temperature of about 100 degrees. After that, you can safely plant the plant in a new substrate and expect grateful flowering.

  • The composition of the mixture intended for planting an orchid depends both on the size of the plant and on the size of the container in which it is going to be placed.
  • It is believed that small young plants necessarily require additional moisture-intensive components.
  • In the case when the orchid grows in a basket or on a separate block, this is true. But for adult specimens planted in pots, the presence of such materials in the substrate is not very important.

But there are exceptions. Among orchids, there are separate species that require heavier soil. For example, a cymbidium that prefers moist soil. The soil can contain a variety of components, both natural and artificial. Each of these materials has its own characteristics, which must be taken into account when composing the mixture.

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Natural constituents of the soil

Natural, that is, natural components include:

  1. tree bark;
  2. sphagnum moss;
  3. fern roots;
  4. low-lying or high-moor peat;
  5. coconut substrate;
  6. Pine cones;
  7. leaf land.

Tree bark is harvested from the forest. It is best to take it from sawn or fallen pines. But detached from living trees is also suitable, only it must be removed very carefully. The only requirement is that the material must be dry, not yet rotten.

The rotten bark contains many pathogenic bacteria that will not bring anything but harm to the roots of orchids.

Sphagnum moss is used as an antiseptic and moisture-absorbing component that fills the selected container. It is necessary where there is a danger of dehydration - in nets, blocks and other devices that allow air to circulate freely.

  • It is best to collect it in a swamp, where it is usually of the highest quality, but the forest is also suitable.
  • Before use, all moss must be aired, crushed and slightly dried.
  • In ordinary pots or containers with solid walls and drainage holes at the bottom of the sphagnum can not be added.
  • It is enough just to put a little on the top surface of the filler.

Some orchids do well in sphagnum alone, which, in fact, contains almost all the substances they need. But, in this case, special attention is required so as not to dry them out or flood them.

Roots

Fern roots are also dug up in the forest. To do this, the fern is removed from the ground, and its upper part is removed. The remaining roots are cleaned from the ground and washed warm water. To make a mixture, they must be dried and cut so that the pieces do not exceed 2 cm.

Charcoal is used as a regulator of acidity and water content. But there is one serious drawback here - over time, as an adsorbent, it accumulates a large amount of salts and begins to change the salt balance of the entire mixture. Therefore, you should not add too much of it, especially where regular top dressing is required.

  1. Charcoal must be thoroughly washed and dried before use. For use in mixtures, it is crushed into pieces of 0.5 - 1 cm. In this form, this material can either be added directly to the soil or sprinkled on it. upper layer soil in a pot.
  2. Peat is also a good moisture storage. The main requirements for it are a stable coarse fiber base and a low salt content. Therefore, they try not to grind this component especially.
  3. Pine cones collected in the forest must be cleaned of seeds and small debris. Then rinse and divide into separate scales. Prepared in this way, they are disinfected in boiling water for no more than 5-6 minutes, dried and used instead of the bark or together with it. Spruce cones with thin scales are not suitable for this purpose.
  4. The leafy ground is sorted out, removing all sticks, twigs and dry leaves. Then they are poured into bags or buckets, like a regular garden one. Add to mixtures for plants such as cymbidium, requiring a denser substrate.

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bark for orchids

The main component of ready-made and home-made substrates for orchids is tree bark. The material can be purchased at flower shops or lie with your own hands. Russian flower growers prefer pine bark, but if you can’t find it nearby, any coniferous species, oak, beech and other trees will do.

Orchid bark is collected from sawn logs or dead wood. In this case, she:

  • easily lags behind and can be processed;
  • has less acidity than fresh;
  • does not contain as many resinous substances as on living trees.

When collecting, pay attention to the quality of the material. It is better to take strong pieces of bark without signs of mold rotting or massive damage by insects. As part of the substrate for orchids, the bark experiences significant stress due to exposure to moisture and a growing root system. Initially rotten, old pieces will quickly collapse, and the flower will soon need a transplant.

rotten tree

Like any natural material, the bark carries a potential hazard to the houseplant. It may contain dangerous insects, bacteria and fungi.

Therefore, before sending flower pot collected pieces of bark for orchids:

  1. cleaned of softened fabrics, wood and resin;
  2. subjected to heat treatment in the oven, steamed or digestion methods;
  3. dry thoroughly.

Coniferous, and especially pine bark for orchids, increases the acidity of the soil, so it is useful to add a little to the mixture to neutralize dolomite flour. The size of the fragments is selected depending on the type of plant grown. The smaller the fraction, the:

  • denser soil;
  • less air penetrates into its thickness;
  • moisture is better retained.

Before mixing the substrate, the bark is immersed in warm water for a couple of hours so that it is saturated with moisture, and the plant immediately gets into an environment favorable for growth.

Moss sphagnum for orchids

Sphagnum marsh moss, common in Russia and other countries, is valued by flower growers for its ability to:

  • loosen the soil;
  • retain water without compacting the soil for orchids;
  • absorb excess salts harmful to plants from irrigation water;
  • have a bactericidal effect.

Specialized stores offer ready-made, already decontaminated and dried sphagnum for orchids, but if you wish, you can prepare the moss yourself. And after collecting, be sure to rinse, sort, soak in boiling water, and then squeeze and dry well. Best time for collection - pre-winter.

Some flower growers prefer to use live sphagnum or other moss, but here it is worth remembering the risk of settling insects and microorganisms, which remain in abundance in natural material.

Moss is included in the soil for orchids, and is also used:

  1. as a mulching layer;
  2. as an independent substrate for rooting child outlets;
  3. for compacting plants on blocks and in baskets.

Sphagnum is indispensable for orchids that require resuscitation due to decay or drying of the root system.

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Artificial constituents of the soil

As artificial soil components use:

  • perlite;
  • vermiculite;
  • expanded clay.

Perlite and vermiculite are good loosening materials. They have the ability to swell when they fall into the water. And then slowly return to its original size, giving up the absorbed liquid along with the nutrients dissolved in it.

Expanded clay is a draining material. It quickly absorbs excess moisture that accumulates at the bottom of the pot - for this it is poured there.

Soil for epiphytes

For epiphytic orchids, the substrate, like the pot where it is placed, is needed not only for nutrition. Its main function is to maintain the plant in a position close to vertical. And only then should it retain moisture, without preventing the penetration of air to the roots.

Therefore, such soil may not contain earth at all and consist of:

  1. bark mixes,
  2. coal,
  3. various fibers,
  4. coarse sand,
  5. granulated clay with the addition of loosening materials.

It is not necessary to use all components at once. For most epiphytes, a mixture of charcoal, bark, sphagnum and fern roots, which are taken in equal parts, is suitable.

But this is only for those plants that are supposed to be grown on blocks or in special mesh pots, where air has free access to the roots. Sphagnum is definitely needed here - it not only helps to conserve water, but also serves as an indicator of the sufficiency of watering.

The composition of charcoal and pine bark, taken in a ratio of 1: 5, is suitable for orchids growing in pots or a mini-greenhouse. It has a very low moisture content and high breathability.

A substrate consisting of one part of coal, two parts of sphagnum and five parts of pine bark has a higher ability to retain moisture. It is used for baskets and blocks located right in the room.

Ground for ground orchids

For orchids that require enhanced nutrition, a mixture consisting of:

  • coal,
  • pine bark - one part,
  • leaf land - three parts.

For ground orchids, you can make soil using a ready-made substrate intended for epiphytes. Dry moss, which actively retains moisture, and garden soil are usually added to it.

If there is no ready-made soil, then first a little bark is poured into the pot, then coal. The next component is moss. And to increase fertility - peat. But it should not be laid too much - if the earth becomes too heavy, the roots may rot. Everything is thoroughly mixed, and expanded clay is poured onto the bottom.

During the growth of the plant, the substrate gradually disintegrates under the influence of its root secretions. In addition, any soil always has its own microflora - bacteria and fungi that accelerate the decomposition of organic matter. Therefore, over time, the contents of the pot turn into dust.

Naturally, the air exchange is significantly reduced, which negatively affects the root system of orchids. Therefore, the state of the soil needs constant monitoring. If any warning signs appear, the plant should be transplanted into a fresh substrate, or replaced directly in the pot.

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How to make a substrate with your own hands?

In order to make the composition with your own hands, first of all you need to find out what kind of substrate is required for a particular type of orchid and decide on how it will be grown.

  1. Mesh containers and blocks. Most epiphytes are suitable for a composition that includes: pine (oak) bark, sphagnum and charcoal in equal proportions.
  2. Pots with drainage holes and containers made from bark. As a basis for them, bark mixed with charcoal is suitable. The top of the landing must be laid out with moss.

Let's take a closer look at how to prepare soil for orchids with your own hands.

Depending on the substrate with which moisture capacity is required for a particular type of plant, additional moisture-absorbing components can be added to these compositions.

For example, to make soil for an orchid with your own hands, you can use the following components:

  1. epiphytic species: pine (oak) bark - 3 parts; cork tree bark - 3 parts, peat - 1 part, moss - 1 part, expanded clay - 1 part;
  2. terrestrial species: pine (oak) bark, peat - 1 part, moss - 1 part, expanded clay - 1 part, charcoal - 1 part.

Before planting, you need to add to the mixture liquid fertilizer for orchids according to the instructions.

When harvesting pine bark on your own, you need to find a fallen dry tree or dead wood in the forest.

The bark on them should lag behind the trunk, but not rot.

You can not take the bark from living pines, as it contains a large amount of resinous substances. It is not necessary to use too old trees for collection, as the bark on them turns almost into humus.

The best option for harvesting can be pine trees that were cut down no more than about a year ago.. Once harvested, the bark must be properly prepared to form the substrate.

Check out the interesting varieties of orchids:

  • phalaenopsis;
  • dwarf orchid;
  • dendrobium nobile;
  • dracula;
  • cumbria;
  • cattleya;
  • oncidium;
  • vanda;
  • miltonia;
  • paphiopedilum;
  • ludisia;
  • cymbidium.

Let's take a closer look at how to prepare pine bark for orchids:

  1. The material must be cleaned of debris and resin residues, break too large pieces.
  2. Boil the bark for twenty minutes, drain the water. After three days, the procedure must be repeated.
  3. Immediately after the second boiling, the cooled wet bark is cut into squares with pruners. right size. For young orchids - 1 centimeter, for adult specimens - 2 centimeters.
  4. The finished material is thoroughly dried. Such bark, packed in paper or cloth bags, can be stored for a very long time.
  5. Instead of boiling, you can use steaming or baking in the oven (about 70 degrees) for fifteen minutes.

Such treatment is required to destroy insects, their eggs and larvae, as well as to reduce the amount of resinous substances.
Dry bark should be soaked in water for three hours before composing the substrate, because dry bark will not absorb moisture.

There is nothing to worry about if mold has formed on the material during storage. This is a natural process and the bark remains usable.

The orchid is not an ordinary plant for indoor breeding. Therefore, the soil for an orchid at home must be chosen correctly so that it feels comfortable in your home and pleases with its exotic flowers.

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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. Suitable for these purposes:

  1. clear plastic pots
  2. or clay, 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.

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Where to plant an orchid

There are many ways to grow an orchid: from seeds, shoots, bulbs or babies. How to plant an orchid, you choose. The most time-consuming process is the seed method of planting.

What do orchid seeds look like?

To get orchid seeds, you need to pollinate it yourself. With the help of tweezers or a brush, pollen is gently transferred from the flower of one plant to the flower of another.

After that, a seed box will begin to form. After a while, the seeds in the box will ripen and you can start sowing.

Orchid seeds are very small, like fine yellow dust and almost impossible to see with the naked eye. But if you follow the germination technology, then you can try to grow flowers from seeds at home.

Orchid from seeds at home

How to plant orchid seeds? First of all, they need to grow.

For seed germination, it is necessary to create a special nutrient medium. It is made from a solution

  • agar-agar,
  • glucose or fructose with distilled water.

You can use various hydrogels for orchids. Hot nutrient substrate is poured into sterile glass jars with lids and leave for 5 days. If after this the substrate remains clean, without mold, seeds are planted in it.

  1. Before germinating and planting orchid seeds, they need to be prepared. Before germination, the seeds must be disinfected in a pale pink solution of manganese or a weak solution of calcium hypochlorite for 10-15 minutes.
  2. Then, with a pipette, carefully move the seeds into the substrate. It is desirable to do all this over steam, in a water bath, to ensure disinfection.
  3. Then the jar is tightly closed and left for germination at t 18-25 C in a well-lit place.
  4. Seedlings can be sown in the ground only one year after germination. The seedlings are carefully washed out of the substrate and transferred to the prepared soil, consisting of bark, moss and soddy soil.
  5. Keep them under glass, in a warm room, avoiding the formation of condensate. After the appearance of the first leaves, the seedlings are moved to separate containers and taken care of as adult plants. Such an orchid will bloom only after 5-6 years.

Now that you know how to plant an orchid from seeds at home, let's look at other ways to plant an orchid at home.

How to plant a baby orchid?

How to plant an orchid with children at home? Planting orchids by children consists of several stages.

When planting children, they are separated from the shoot immediately, without layering, and rooted simply in the air, without soil.

To do this, take a plastic cup with drainage holes made in the bottom.

  1. Drainage is laid in the first layer: small pebbles or pebbles. To the question: do orchids need drainage? The answer is unequivocal - yes, it is necessary. It is also important to care for the orchid baby after planting, which will be discussed below.
  2. The second layer is wet moss. A baby is placed on a horizontal support at the top of the glass so that it does not touch the moss. From above, all this is covered with another glass, larger diameter with multiple ventilation holes. It is important to maintain high temperature and humidity. When roots 5-6 cm long appear, the plant is planted in the ground.

You can put the baby right in the bark. To do this, take a glass container with a lid, on the bottom of which drainage is poured, then chopped pine bark.
A baby is planted in the prepared and disinfected bark, moss is laid out on top. Spraying is carried out daily. The container is covered with a lid and placed in a warm, well-lit place.

Planting an orchid in a glass pot using the bark is a common way to grow these plants. As well as planting orchid babies at home, the process is becoming increasingly popular among flower growers.

Planting an orchid with a bulb

How to plant orchids with bulbs? In general, sympodial (bush) orchids are more convenient to plant with bulbs.

It is important to understand how to plant an orchid bulb correctly. Planted such a bulb in the usual dry substrate for orchids.

  1. For rooting, she will need a plastic pot with holes in the bottom and walls.
  2. Drainage is laid at the bottom of the tank, then soil and bark.
  3. The bulb is not buried in the ground and is not watered until real long roots appear.
  4. Growing an orchid from a bulb takes about 1.5-3 years.

You can also plant a large plant with bulbs. In a well-grown orchid, the roots are carefully separated during transplantation. Each rhizome should have 2-3 full-fledged false bulbs. After separation, each plant is placed separately and cared for as usual.

How to plant an orchid with a shoot?

Some varieties of domestic orchids are monopodial (single stem) and easily propagate by lateral stem processes, at the ends of which "babies" are formed.

These shoots appear after the end of the flowering of the plant. The peduncle is cut to half and a lateral process-baby grows from the rest of it. How to plant an orchid sprout at home? Or rather, how to properly plant an orchid shoot so that it takes root and does not dry out.

As the shoot grows, it is taken to a nearby pot and placed on wet moss for rooting. Top the baby should be tightly covered with a plastic cup. After the roots appear, the baby is separated from the mother's shoot and the cut site is treated with crushed wood or activated charcoal. Then the young plant is transplanted into the ground for further growth, without removing the shelter.

Be sure to provide the plant with good lighting and optimum temperature.

You can also immediately separate the shoot and put it in warm water with a little fertilizer. After waiting for the roots to appear, the process is planted in the ground. This is the easiest way to plant orchid shoots.

Where is the best place to plant an orchid?

If the orchid is an epiphyte, then it can be planted on a bar (block). For ground orchids it is better to use a substrate.

Landing on the block

As a bar (block) for planting, you can use large pieces of pine bark, fern roots, small wide fragments of any trees, except for resinous species.

  • A little moss is laid between the plant and the bar and the resulting structure is tied with a soft rope or thread. Since the roots dry out very quickly, the bar with the orchid is placed in a glass container with a lid. This will create a moist environment favorable for the orchid.
  • You can do without the use of a container. To do this, a bar with an orchid is completely covered with moss and wrapped on top with a synthetic mesh. To get rid of the drying of the roots, peat pressed blocks are often used as a bar, which also require tying with a net. Caring for these plants is easy.

Most of all, this planting method is suitable for small orchids with small roots. Orchids growing on bars look very beautiful and original.

Landing in the substrate

This is the easiest way to land. You can use ready-made soil mixture for orchids, or you can make the soil yourself. To do this, you need to take in equal proportions pine bark and dry sphagnum moss.

  1. The bark must be thoroughly boiled and dried before use. After that, the moss can be mixed with chopped bark or laid in layers: below - bark, above - moss. This soil is ideal for epiphytes.
  2. Another option: this is the soil for ground orchids. Finely chopped fern roots and a mixture of soddy and leafy soil should be added to the substrate of bark and moss. Small pieces of moss are laid on top. When planting, drainage is placed at the bottom of the tank.

Drainage for orchids

Good for drainage

  • river stones,
  • granite chips or small pieces of broken brick.

If the pot is located on special legs and does not rest on the bottom of the surface, then less drainage is used. When planting in a regular pot, 1/3 of the volume is filled with drainage.

A substrate is laid out on top of the drainage. Epiphytic orchids do not need drainage.

Landing land plants in pots - drainage is required. It prevents the accumulation of excess water and provides good air circulation at the roots.

Planting in a basket

This planting method is the most optimal due to good air access and rapid drainage of water after watering.

When landing in a basket, drainage is not used; instead, a wire mesh is laid on the bottom.

The material for such baskets can be any wood that is not subject to decay, for example, oak or pine. Orchids grow well in bamboo baskets.

The substrate for baskets should have a high moisture capacity. Therefore, more moss or peat is added to it. All side openings are also covered with moss to increase humidity.

Features of planting an orchid in a pot

How to plant an orchid in a pot? First of all, you need to choose a pot. For planting, plastic or special ceramic orchid pots with side drainage holes and glazed on the inside are well suited.

In ordinary clay pots, the roots of the plant can stick to the walls and are severely damaged during transplantation.

  1. In a plastic pot, it is necessary to make a lot of holes in the bottom and walls.
  2. Drainage must be laid at the bottom.
  3. The volume of the pot should not be very large.
  4. Before the false bulbs leave room for the appearance of 2-3 new growths.
  5. After planting, the area around the plant is covered with moss.

Features of planting an orchid in a pot are shown in the video:

Is it necessary to plant an orchid in a transparent pot?

In a transparent pot, it is necessary to plant epiphytic plants, the roots of which are involved in the process of photosynthesis, for example, phalaenopsis. You can use glass or translucent plastic pots.

For ground orchids, glass pots will not work, the roots in them will not have enough air. It is good to use transparent plastic pots to see the root system and distribute fertilizer and water correctly.

How to plant an orchid without roots?

If for some reason the orchid is left without roots, you can try to save the plant. To do this, it is necessary to remove all rotten or damaged areas and treat the sections with crushed coal diluted in water.

After that, the orchid is placed in a container with warm clean water with the addition of a small amount of stimulating fertilizer. The water is changed daily, and the plant is dried. The temperature in the room should be above + 26-28C. Good lighting is a must.

  • Another way to grow new roots on an orchid is to wrap the bottom of the plant in damp moss and secure with soft, thin twine. Moss should be moistened daily until roots appear.
  • Care and planting at home, as well as growing an orchid, takes a lot of time and effort, requires a lot of experience and in-depth knowledge. Each type of this plant needs an individual approach.
  • It is important to follow all the rules of planting and care in order to grow a healthy and beautiful flower. Surround the orchid with love and care, and it will more than reward you for your efforts with its unforgettable flowering.
  • We hope that our article was useful to you and you now know how to plant orchid seeds, what an orchid shoot is and how to separate and plant it, and also understand what planting and caring for orchids at home is.

beautiful orchids - unique plants, which differ in many ways from traditional indoor flowers. In ordinary soil, they “refuse to grow”, therefore special mixtures and substrates are selected for them.

Primer for phalaenopsis orchids

In epiphyte plants, which include most types of phalaenopsis, the roots perform a variety of functions. And this is not only the absorption of nutrients and moisture, but also attachment to substrates, as well as participation along with orchid leaves in the process of photosynthesis.

ON A NOTE! The containers in which phalaenopsis grow must be transparent.

Roots are basic and adventitious (air). In orchids, the roots are covered with a special substance - velamen. At the heart of velamen are dead cells and air, which are a kind of “sponge”. Thanks to this coating, the phelanopsis root system can accumulate moisture, which is consumed during periods of drought. That is why it is long time when wet, orchid roots cannot; they necessarily need air and drying.

It is difficult to create such conditions with ordinary earth mixtures, therefore, for orchids, soils with high air permeability, loose, are used. The components for them can be selected differently, the main thing is that they all meet certain requirements.

What soil is best for phalaenopsis orchids

Even experienced flower growers, when faced with growing orchids for the first time, often make mistakes when preparing the soil. Even the highest quality earth mixtures are not suitable for these plants, but special compositions are needed.

The soil requirements for growing phalaenopsis are as follows:

  • it should not contain garden soil;
  • the soil must have a loose structure with excellent permeability;
  • the plant should be located in the ground freely, at the same time firmly held in an upright position.

In nature, most phalaenopsis grows on trunks. tropical trees, receiving nutrients from the air due to aerial roots. For successful cultivation in city apartments, orchids need to provide appropriate conditions and, above all, prepare high-quality soil.

Soil composition for phalaenopsis orchids

The main components of the soil for beautiful orchids include:

  • tree bark;
  • ordinary coal obtained by burning wood firewood;
  • sphagnum moss.

Let's consider each of them in more detail.

For the basis of the phalaenopsis substrate, the bark of pine, larch, birch is suitable. Oak bark is considered one of the best, as it contains many nutrients that are useful and necessary for the successful growth of orchids. In such soil, you can reduce the number of phalaenopsis dressings.

You can buy bark in specialized flower shops, it is also quite possible to prepare it yourself. Bark is used only from fallen trees, while the material must be clean, without woodworms.

IMPORTANT! Do not use bark from rotten and diseased trees.

After collecting the bark, it must be cleaned of resinous substances, and then boiled. Usually, this procedure is recommended to be carried out twice, and then dried and used to prepare the soil.

Moss is also collected in the forest, and it is desirable to use sphagnum for growing orchids. This white-greenish peat moss absorbs all excess moisture and also provides nutrition to the plant. Sphagnum has a bactericidal effect, creates a sterile environment, protects plant roots from infections, pests, which is very important for phalaenopsis.


Charcoal- it is an excellent absorbent, as well as an antiseptic. To obtain it, they simply burn a few birch logs.

ON A NOTE! It is impossible to use coal from fires, as foreign objects (paper, plastic) can get there. Such coal is not suitable for substrates.

One of the "classic" components of the soil for orchids are the roots of a plant such as a fern. They also have a lot of nutrients, in addition, they are durable and very moisture-intensive. For phalaenopsis, which are always quite difficult to tolerate any transplants, it is advisable to always add fern roots to the substrate.

In addition to the main components, phalaenopsis substrates are added:

  • various moisture-absorbing materials (pieces of foam rubber, vermiculite, perlite);
  • foam plastic (in granules, as well as in plates);
  • expanded clay;
  • fallen leaves;
  • sand;
  • peat.

Sometimes flower growers add walnut shells, small pine cones, soddy soil, terracotta clay. Some materials are purchased in stores, others are harvested independently.

So, you can buy peat, you can take the upper layers of peat in forest swamps. Usually, a small amount of dolomite flour is added to such mixtures, which makes it possible to neutralize the acidity of the mixture.

Leaves of birch, aspen, beech are suitable for additions to substrates. An excellent addition to the substrate is the foliage of oak trees. Leaves of beech, oak provide in the structure of the substrate the creation of a microflora that is comfortable for the root system of phalaenopsis.

Elements such as perlite or vermiculite are added as baking powder, but with the help of expanded clay and polystyrene they arrange drainage in pots.

ON A NOTE! Expanded clay may contain lime, dolomite. With prolonged interaction with water, these elements lead to salting of the substrate. And this is also the reason to replace the old substrate with a new one after a certain period of use.

Many flower growers use coconut chips and coconut chips to prepare substrates. These materials are characterized by high moisture capacity, inertness. The crumb is added to the substrate in an amount of not more than 10-15%, chips usually make up to 50% of the mixture.

Composition options, given the variety of components, can be very different. You can take some mixture as a basis, and therefore, after observing the plants, adjust the additives.

A common substrate is bark-based (it takes 5 parts), sphagnum (2 parts), with the addition of a small amount of charcoal and leaves.

For phalaenopsis, the following composition is also suitable:

  • sod land;
  • sphagnum;
  • peat (top layers);
  • pine needles;
  • polystyrene (granules).

The components are mixed, and expanded clay or polystyrene pieces are used for the drainage layer.

All materials are processed before use. Cooked dry bark is soaked for three to four hours in water, moss is also soaked for a day in water.

ON A NOTE! To equip the drainage layer, crushed stone of a fine fraction, nut shells, pieces of broken brick are used.

If sand is used for the substrate (it is advisable to take white river or quartz), then it is also boiled for 10 minutes. Many flower growers are experimenting, composing their substrates, while focusing on the state of orchids. An indicator that the soil for phalaenopsis is chosen correctly will be beautiful view plants and, of course, regular flowering.

Soil selection rules

Today, soil for orchids can always be purchased at specialized stores. Substrates are offered both in Russian and foreign production, but in all cases it is necessary to carefully study the description of the compositions.

The soil must be loose, of high quality, so if a hardened piece is offered in a bag, it is better to refuse it.


The packaging must have detailed description composition listing all components. It is also obligatory to note that this substrate is intended for epiphytic orchids.

The composition should not contain dust, moldy pieces. The basis of the substrates is crushed bark (2-3 cm in size), charcoal, fiber, fern roots. If in ready ground since there are many small fragments, it is recommended to carefully sift the composition through a large sieve.

Soil preparation rules

It has already been noted above that phalaenopsis are very sensitive to moisture, so the soil for them should dry out in 2-3 days. It is not allowed to use dense soils, as the roots of the orchid will not receive the air they need in large quantities.

In addition, in such compositions, the roots of phalaenopsis very quickly begin to rot, the plant gets sick, and then completely dies.

You can add some specific components to ready-made store substrates, taking into account General terms color content (humidity, temperature).


When preparing soil for plants with your own hands, as well as using some components to add to finished compositions, you need to remember the main thing: all materials must be washed, dried (some boil or pour over hot water) were crushed to the desired size. For storage, they are dried, stored in dry rooms in special fabric bags or bags. Before use, the desired components are soaked in water.

Do-it-yourself substrate for phalaenopsis orchids

Phalaenopsis are not such whimsical and capricious orchids, it is no coincidence that they are most often grown in apartments. But this does not mean that any soil will suit them. What compositions can you make yourself?

  1. Take charcoal and oak bark (proportion 1:5), mix. Such soil is suitable for phalaenopsis growing in flowerpots. The “plus” of the composition: it does not accumulate moisture that is detrimental to this type of orchid, and provides excellent air circulation.
  2. Another common composition: tree bark, white moss sphagnum, birch charcoal (ratio 5:2:1). Such soil is used in pots, various baskets, blocks.
  3. In rooms with higher humidity levels, a different substrate is used: bark (preferably pine or larch), polystyrene foam, cork tree bark (proportion 4: 3: 2).
  4. Sometimes they make soil for phalaenopsis only from pebbles, expanded clay (as drainage) and gravel. But such a composition is only good for the summer period, since in winter the orchid roots can be cool. Therefore, it is still desirable to add crushed bark to such a substrate.
  5. When growing phalaenopsis on a block (for example, a piece of bark), a small amount of moss is also used, which is fixed to the block. Then the plant is carefully fixed, its roots are covered with moss, fixed and the composition is ready. Orchids usually grow on such blocks with their leaves down or to the side, that is, in the same way as in natural conditions.

Instead of bark, it is convenient to use foam sheets for a block (especially young phalaenopsis).

Orchids are amazingly beautiful flowers, but rather capricious in their care. They require certain conditions of detention. They also need a special soil, which can be purchased at a flower shop in ready-made. But it is quite possible to prepare a substrate suitable for plants with your own hands, although this can turn out to be a somewhat troublesome task.

What soil is suitable for orchids

In maintenance and care, these flowers are fundamentally different from others. indoor plants. Ordinary garden soil does not suit them. In such soil, they quickly die. Need a special primer for. You can make it yourself by preparing and mixing certain ingredients. But in order for the nutrient medium to optimally suit the plant, you need to know exactly which variety the orchid belongs to.

The composition of a suitable soil for orchids will depend on which of the two groups a particular plant belongs to:

  • flowers that grow on trees in nature - their aerial roots do not require a rich nutrient medium, but the soil must be loose and well-permeable to moisture;
  • orchids growing in the ground - although their root system is located in the soil, it is quite different in composition from the soil used to plant other indoor flowers.

In indoor floriculture, varieties of orchids from growing on trees are more common. The substrate for them can be taken purchased, already completely ready for planting, or partially changed depending on the needs of the flower. But to be sure of the safety of the soil for orchids, you can do it yourself.

What is in the substrate

The basis of the soil for these colors is:

  • Bark - Pine or oak bark is more commonly used. But it can also be taken from larch or aspen. The bark does not need to be cut from the tree, it should be easy to separate from the trunk, be dry and free of signs of mold. And it is better to remove it from a tree that has fallen at least a year ago.

Attention! Fresh bark for the substrate is not used, since any disease can be brought along with it.

  • Charcoal - it can be taken from a burnt birch, oak or beech trunk. And in order to be sure that there are no impurities that can be harmful to the plant, it is better to burn a suitable log yourself.
  • Moss - Sphagnum is best, you can buy it or bring it from the forest.
  • Expanded clay, pumice, pieces of foam - are used for drainage when planting orchids.

When compiling the soil for orchids, other parts are also used. Nut skins, coconut fibers, sunflower seed husks are added to the substrate - this is a good baking powder of organic origin. You can also add pieces of fern root by digging up a healthy and fairly large specimen of this plant in the summer.

And to protect the flower from the development of fungal diseases and to loosen the substrate, small pieces of minerals such as perlite or vermiculite are added.

When preparing the soil, sand (white river or coarse quartz), peat and leafy soil are also used, which can be prepared independently during the warm period. They are used for the substrate of certain orchid varieties. Fallen leaves are also not added for all species.

Advice. Fallen leaves are taken from trees such as oak, aspen, apple tree. And to protect the substrate from the appearance of mold, it is good to add peach leaves to it.

Ground Component Processing

All components of the substrate harvested in the forest or in the swamp must be properly processed before use. All components must be thoroughly rinsed in clean water and then dried. The bark and moss must also be boiled or calcined in the oven, then dried, and after a few days repeat this procedure.

Boiling water treatment is also desirable for other components. And many flower growers advise moss to be additionally treated with insecticides. After such treatments, bark, moss and everything else can be safely used to prepare soil for planting.

Soil preparation

The simplest soil recipe might be as little as 5 parts bark and 1 part charcoal. But it can't be called the best option for plants. It will be optimal for most orchids if the soil also includes moss (1 or 2 parts) and expanded clay or crushed pumice for drainage.

Orchid transplant

Other components can be used for the substrate depending on the needs of the flower, adding them to the soil if necessary. It is important that all parts are disinfected, dried well and thoroughly mixed. It is also necessary to disinfect the container for planting the plant.

Orchid can not be called ordinary indoor flower, because it requires a special approach when growing. The soil for it also needs to be prepared very carefully. And although such a procedure is somewhat troublesome, many flower growers always prefer to prepare the substrate on their own. For those who do this for the first time, it is better to first watch the entire preparation process step by step on a video or photo.

Substrate for orchids: video