Which orchid soil is suitable for which plants? Inorganic substrates: yes or no? Is it necessary to plant an orchid in a transparent pot?

Phalaenopsis - very popular decorative flowering plants. IN wildlife they grow on the bark of trees, their roots are on the surface and do not go into the ground. Therefore, to successfully keep them 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 substrates for other indoor plants.

In the article we will look at what kind of soil is needed for a phalaenopsis orchid and what composition is better.

Soil requirements

Popular substrate compositions

In addition to the above compositions, there are also soils for orchids with a predominance of stones and rocks. Phalaenopsis grows well in soil made from the following components:

The following composition can also be used:

Pine or oak bark - 3 parts;
Pieces of pumice – 1 part;
Charcoal – 1 part;
Fern roots – 1 part;
Expanded clay – 1 part.

This substrate has increased moisture capacity. It can be used to keep plants at low air humidity.

There are also mixtures 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 polystyrene foam:

Pine bark or coconut chips – 2 parts;
Crushed cork tree bark - 2 parts;
Expanded clay – 1 part;
Charcoal – 1 part;
Pieces of polystyrene foam – 1 part.

Of the purchased substrates, Seramis has proven itself to be excellent. This soil does not contain any plant components. It is a clay granulate that holds water well. Orchids planted in Seramis intensively increase their leaf mass and bloom profusely, and problematic specimens are quickly restored.

Phalaenopsis planted in hydrogel live no more than a year and then die.

Preparing the substrate for use

To make soil for phalaenopsis with your own hands, you need to carefully prepare each ingredient. The 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. The 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 this, the finished substrate must be poured hot water for a few hours.

The purchased substrate also needs to be prepared for planting. It is sifted to remove fines and dust. Peat is often added to purchased orchid substrates. This component is detrimental to phalaenopsis, as it promotes long-term soil moisture. Peat can also be removed from the substrate by sifting.

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 this, it must be treated with one of the antifungal drugs. Purchased soil For odorless phalaenopsis, you need to soak it in hot water for several hours before use.

Now you know what soil is needed for phalaenopsis orchids and how to choose the best composition.

The process of replacing habitat for houseplants is stressful. Orchids are no exception.

That's why transplantation is often not done, once every 2-3 years is enough. For this period:

As is known, the main component of the substrate for orchids is tree bark. Which, as a result of frequent contact with water, swells and decomposes. Subsequently, the substrate becomes dense and air circulation stops. Accordingly, the roots do not receive the proper amount of oxygen.

For full development exotic flower soil acidity is required at 5.5-6.5 pH. If this indicator differs from the norm, then the orchid will not be able to fully absorb iron, and its green foliage will turn yellow.

Watering with poor quality water also leads to negative consequences – mineral salts accumulate in the soil, so the plant’s roots cannot continue to perform vital functions.

Why is it important to choose the right soil for replanting?

It's no secret that the natural habitat of orchids is considered to be an impenetrable tropical forest. They choose the trunks of powerful trees as their place of residence. By clinging to their unevenness with aerial roots, epiphytes receive necessary elements, and moisture from the air and rain. This specificity exotica should be taken into account when choosing soil.

A correctly selected substrate composition guarantees future flowering and plant health.

Criteria that the correct composition must meet

What kind of soil does an orchid need for replanting? When choosing a substrate, you need to pay attention to the following qualities:

Representatives of the Orchidaceae family, which are grown at home, are divided into 2 groups: epiphytic and terrestrial. The difference from each other is not only in name and appearance, but also in the growing environment. That's why, the substrate for terrestrial and epiphytic orchids is significantly different.

Varieties of epiphytic plants:

Dendrobium.
Cattleya.
Lycastes.
Phalaenopsis.
Cumbria.
Zygopetalum.
Masdevallia.

For such flowers, the soil first of all serves as a support, and then as a source of nutrition and moisture. It can be concluded that the soil base does not need to be included in the soil mixture for epiphytes. Organic and mineral components will be sufficient.

Substrate options: 1 part charcoal and 5 parts of bark.

Sphagnum moss, ash and small pieces of pine bark in proportions 2:1:5. How additional components You can use dry fern roots, natural leavening agents, drainage.

Terrestrial orchids: Cymbidium and Paphiopedilum. They need increased nutrition. The following soil composition is suitable:

leaf humus;
peat;
pine bark;
crushed coal;

You can improve the finished mixture a little more by adding sphagnum moss, cork material cut into plates and some turf land.

Can I use regular soil?

There's no need to choose ordinary land, as a substrate For exotic plants. After all, the root system needs light and oxygen for the process of photosynthesis. That is, the substrate must consist of light, breathable components. Otherwise, the heavy soil will be a kind of press for the roots.

Also, dense soil can lead to disruption of the drainage process, and stagnation of water will negatively affect the root system. It will be difficult for orchids to fully grow and develop in such conditions.

Do not forget that the usual habitat of exotics is loose, light soil or its complete absence. A ordinary soil is a fairly dense environment in which an orchid simply cannot survive.

Not all types of orchids die in ordinary soil. For example, the varieties Bletilla striata, Pleione, Orchis and Cypripedium grow well and overwinter in the garden.

How to make the right choice when shopping in a store?

The orchid substrate market is overflowing with various offers.

Stores sell both ready-made mixtures and individual components.. But even famous manufacturers Not always pleased with the quality of the goods. Often the soil contains a large amount of peat, which is useful for terrestrial orchids and is contraindicated for epiphytes. Therefore, before purchasing, it is important to pay attention to:

The purpose of the substrate, what varieties of orchids it is suitable for. Soil for epiphytic exotics is sold under the name “Mixture for Phalaenopsis”, and for terrestrial orchids “Mixture for Cymbidium”.
Supply of components and soil pH.
Nutritional value of soil.
Recommendations for use.

We invite you to watch a video on how to choose the right substrate for orchids:

How to cook it yourself?

If you are not sure about the quality ready mixture for orchids, it will be better to prepare it yourself. This method has its positive sides:

There are quite a few recipes for preparing substrate for exotic flowers.. It will not be difficult to complete them, even for an inexperienced gardener. The main thing in the process is to maintain the specified proportions of ingredients.

Main components of the substrate:

pine bark, you can use the bark of any trees. Grind to a size of 2-3 cm.
Sphagnum moss, grows in forests and lowlands. Used fresh and dry.
Wood ash, the size needed is approximately the same as the bark.
Fern roots, used exclusively in dry form.
Expanded clay granules, are excellent as drainage.

Various variations of mixtures may contain additional components: coarse sand, pieces of foam, cork material, turf or deciduous soil, gravel, perlite, vermiculite, shells walnut, humus, coconut fiber and others.

We invite you to watch a video about preparing a substrate for orchids:

Step-by-step instruction

Description of the process in detail will eliminate unnecessary errors and will add confidence in your actions. So, how to replant with soil replacement:

We invite you to watch the video instructions for replanting an orchid:

Selecting soil and replanting is not difficult, but it is so important. Further full development and wild bloom orchids. A subsequent proper care and care will ensure the beauty’s quick adaptation.

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 are literally spread across the windowsill, and the bush itself will soon fall out of the pot. I came to the conclusion that it needs to be transplanted into a larger container. This is my first orchid, and at home I have nothing but a universal substrate. I heard that such soil is not suitable for these flowers, so what should I plant it in?

Orchids, like other epiphytic plants, receive nutrition from aerial roots. They “take root” with them, clinging to a support tree in nature. These flowers do not need soil as such; it serves more so that the bush does not fall over and is firmly in a vertical position. But at the same time, an orchid growing at home needs to eat something and get useful substances from somewhere. For indoor specimens, special mixtures are created that absorb and release 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 kind of soil is needed for the orchid. Many gardeners prepare the soil themselves, including for these plants. Knowing what to mix with what, it won’t 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 terrestrial orchids. For them, the composition of the soil mixture will be slightly different.

Substrate composition for epiphytic orchids

Phalaenopsis and dendrobiums require, first of all, reliable support in a pot. Growing on branches, these orchids thrive in pots containing pine bark. It absorbs moisture and fertilizers well when watering, then gradually transfers them to the roots of the flower, and also allows air to pass through. Such plants do not need soil; moreover, they will die and “suffocate” in it.

Instead of pine bark, you can use oak or birch bark.

Bark is the main component of the soil mixture for epiphytes, and you can retain moisture in it longer by adding a little moss and charcoal. The latter, moreover, will cleanse the soil of harmful bacteria.

What soil is needed for a terrestrial orchid?

Since in nature such flowers grow not on a tree, but in the ground, the substrate in the pot should also contain it. In this case, it is he who acts as the main component of the mixture, and the bark is a secondary, additional “ingredient”. The soil should be light, but nutritious, with the addition of organic components. A ground orchid will take its nutrition from the soil, so you need to make it rich in microelements.

Orchid is a plant with unusual beautiful flowers. When choosing a houseplant in a store, your eye will definitely be drawn to it and many will think about purchasing it. Unfortunately, after some time, many orchids wither and dry up - and all because they require special conditions maintenance and care.

This plant cannot be planted in ordinary soil, because its peculiarity is its ability to accumulate moisture and then release it. There are four things to consider after purchasing an orchid: correct soil, watering, lighting and air humidity.

If you spend a little time studying and choosing the right soil for your orchid, and also water the plant at the right time, it will delight you with its beauty for a long time.

Orchid is considered the most beautiful and most unusual flower on our planet. Today, about one hundred wild and artificially bred species of orchids are known. They grow in everyone climatic zones- from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego.

The types of orchids are varied:

from small ones, whose size is only one millimeter,
to giant ones with flowers measuring 90 cm.

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

There was even a funny incident when the new kind orchids was discovered in a flower shop; among the flowers, sellers accidentally discovered a specimen previously unknown to science; it was named after the company supplying them with the 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 there really are reasons to study them.

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

Tricks of a flower

It is known that different types orchids are pollinated by their own species of insects, so the plant goes to all sorts of tricks to lure the “pollinator” and continue its genus. And one cannot deny their ingenuity.

Some make a kind of trap out of the petals, from which the insect will inevitably be covered with pollen. Sometimes an insect spends about an hour to get out of such a trap, but in order for the “pollinator” to get out, the plant shows with colored signs the correct route that leads to freedom.
Other orchids strive to provide comfort to insects, the shape of their flowers resembling a soft bed. There are also those who simply get their “guests” drunk.

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

The flowers of a very bright large orchid, which resembles the head of a horned bull, emit a narcotic smell, after sniffing which the insect simply slides straight into the pollen.
There are also types of orchids that simply spit pollen, attaching it with an adhesive substance for reliability, but most often they attract insects with tasty nectar, which the majority of insects like.

Thanks to their exquisite beauty, orchid flowers are in great demand; even cut orchids can retain their beauty and aroma for up to three months. For a long time, unsuccessfully, scientists tried to propagate orchids in a greenhouse until a breeder from France, Noel Bernard, tried to infect the orchid seeds with a fungus.

The fungus first develops in the seeds, thereby helping to form the embryo, and the embryo, having grown stronger, simply eats the mushroom.

Nowadays, the breeding procedure various types orchids, has been sufficiently mastered, and buying a grown plant from a nursery is not difficult, but 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 purchase phalaenopsis or cymbidium, which are prominent representatives of elephyte plants. And what’s surprising is that such a plant does not need soil as such to grow and function.

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

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

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

Here are the components that are basic for preparing soil:

fern roots.

Main substrate

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

The bark is ground using a regular meat grinder (without a knife or attachments) and disinfected by boiling in a water bath for thirty minutes.
The bark must be thoroughly dried before use.

It is worth noting that the bark has low hygroscopicity - over time it accumulates excess moisture, which can negatively affect the orchid’s root system. 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. It is not recommended to use crushed peat. Charcoal perfectly increases soil pH and best regulates water regime.

However, it also has a negative side - over time it accumulates salts, which leads to an imbalance in the salt balance when watering. Therefore, you need to add charcoal very carefully. And if in the future you plan to frequently feed the plant, it is not at all advisable.

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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 regular 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 ground. There are not many species available for home breeding; however, these are not even natural orchids, but hybrids. But still, these hybrids were bred by crossing real flowers.

When breeding indoor orchids, breeders tried to achieve the properties that you can observe in plants now:

aroma,
size,
color,
conditions of care and much more.

If you decide to grow an orchid at home, you will get more than just beautiful flower, but also useful, not too fussy 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 the flowers grow. It should be light and retain moisture. When preparing soil at home, you should follow several rules:

if the room is dry, then the soil should consist of moisture-intensive 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 elements collected independently cannot be consumed without special preparation and sanitization. All components need to be washed, then thermally treated, crushed to the desired size, and dried. In this form they can be placed in linen bags for long-term storage. Parts of the substrate can be collected gradually, stored for a long time, and used as needed.

Knowing what kind of soil is suitable for your orchids, it is not difficult to make it yourself. In the process of experimenting with various components of soil for orchids, unnecessary components are gradually eliminated.

Thus, excess sphagnum moss leads to the accumulation of moisture and condensation in the pot. And therefore, if you use it, then only a little. An exception may be a room with low humidity, in which water evaporates very quickly.

It is optimal to plant orchids on a pine bark substrate with a small addition of polystyrene foam balls. It is pine bark the best way suits this plant. You can buy it at a flower shop, but it’s better not to be lazy and collect it yourself. Store-bought bark should be left in a well-heated oven for some time to kill unwanted microflora.

Under no circumstances should you collect bark from growing plants. healthy trees. Only the bark that is collected from a dry dead tree is suitable. After the harvested bark is at your home, it needs to be boiled for about an hour so that the resin is boiled down and the insects living in it die.

Now the softened bark should be cut into large pieces and dried in an oven at a temperature of about 100 degrees. After this, 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 on both the size of the plant and 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 also exceptions. Among orchids there are individual species, requiring heavier soil. For example, Cymbidium prefers moist soil. Soil can contain a variety of components, both natural and artificial. Each of these materials has its own characteristics that must be taken into account when composing the mixture.

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Natural soil constituents

Natural, that is, natural components include:

tree bark;
sphagnum moss;
fern roots;
lowland or high peat;
coconut substrate;
Pine cones;
leaf soil.

Tree bark is collected from the forest. It is best to take it from cut down or fallen pine trees. But peeling from living trees is also suitable, but it must be removed very carefully. The only requirement is that the material must be dry, not yet rotten.

Rotten bark contains many pathogenic bacteria that will do nothing but harm to orchid roots.

Sphagnum moss is used as an antiseptic and moisture-absorbing component to fill 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 the swamp, where it is usually of the highest quality, but the forest one is also suitable.
Before use, all moss must be ventilated, crushed and slightly dried.
In ordinary pots or containers with solid walls and drainage holes You don’t need to add sphagnum at the bottom.
Just 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 it is required Special attention so as not to overdry them or flood them.

Roots

Fern roots are also dug up in the forest. To do this, the fern is removed from the soil and its upper part is removed. The remaining roots are cleared of soil and washed warm water. To make the 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 - over time, it, like an adsorbent, 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 feeding is required.

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 be either added directly to the soil or sprinkled with it upper layer soil in a pot.
Peat is also a good moisture accumulator. The main requirements for it are a stable coarse-fiber base and a low salt content. Therefore, they try not to crush this component too much.
Pine cones collected from the forest must be cleared 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 bark or together with it. Fir cones with thin scales are not suitable for this purpose.
The leaf soil is sorted, removing all sticks, twigs and dry leaves. Then they are poured into bags or buckets, just like a regular garden one. Add to mixtures for plants such as cymbidium that require a denser substrate.

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Orchid bark

The main component of ready-made and homemade substrates for orchids is tree bark. The material can be purchased at flower shops or made 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.

Bark for orchids is collected from cut logs or dead wood. In this case she:

easily lags 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 the expanding root system. Initially rotten, the old pieces will quickly collapse, and the flower will soon need to be replanted.

rotten tree

Like any natural material, bark poses a potential danger to indoor plant. It may contain dangerous insects, bacteria and fungi.

Therefore, before sending to flower pot collected pieces of bark for the orchid:

cleaned from softened tissues, wood and resin;
subjected to heat treatment in the oven, steam or boiling methods;
dry thoroughly.

Conifers, and especially pine bark for orchids, increase 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 being grown. The smaller the fraction, the:

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

Before mixing the substrate, the bark is immersed in warm water so that it is saturated with moisture, and the plant immediately finds itself in an environment favorable for growth.

Sphagnum moss for orchids

Sphagnum bog moss, widespread in Russia and other countries, is valued by gardeners for its ability to:

give the soil looseness;
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 disinfected and dried sphagnum moss for orchids, but if you wish, you can prepare 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 gardeners prefer to use live sphagnum or other moss, but here it is worth remembering the risk of the spread of insects and microorganisms, which remain in abundance in the natural material.

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

as a mulching layer;
as an independent substrate for rooting daughter rosettes;
for compacting plants on blocks and in baskets.

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

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Artificial soil components

The following are used as artificial soil components:

perlite;
vermiculite;
expanded clay

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

Expanded clay is a drainage material. It quickly absorbs excess moisture that accumulates at the bottom of the pot - that’s why it’s poured there.

Soil for epiphytes

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

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

bark mixtures,
coal,
various fibers,
coarse sand,
granulated clay with the addition of loosening materials.

It is not at all necessary to use all the components at once. For most epiphytes, a mixture of charcoal, bark, sphagnum and fern roots, 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 absolutely necessary here - it not only helps to conserve water, but also serves as an indicator of the sufficiency of watering.

A 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 very low moisture holding capacity and increased breathability.

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

Soil for terrestrial orchids

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

coal,
pine bark - one part at a time,
leaf soil - three parts.

For terrestrial 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 pour a little bark into the pot, then coal. The next component is moss. And to increase fertility - peat. But you shouldn’t put a lot of it - if the soil becomes too heavy, the roots may rot. Everything is thoroughly mixed, and expanded clay is poured onto the bottom.

During plant growth, 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, air exchange is significantly reduced, which has a negative effect on the root system of orchids. Consequently, the condition of the soil requires constant monitoring. If any alarming signs appear, the plant should be transplanted into 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 a composition with your own hands, first of all you need to find out what substrate is required for a particular type of orchid and decide on how it will be grown.

Mesh containers and blocks. Most epiphytes are suitable for a composition that includes: pine (oak) bark, sphagnum and charcoal in equal proportions.
Pots with drainage holes and bark containers. Bark mixed with charcoal is suitable as a base for them. The top of the planting should be covered with moss.

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

Depending on the substrate with what moisture capacity a particular type of plant requires, additional moisture-intensive 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:

epiphytic species: pine (oak) bark – 3 parts; cork bark - 3 parts, peat - 1 part, moss - 1 part, expanded clay - 1 part;
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 in accordance with the instructions.

When harvesting pine bark yourself, 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 cannot take bark from living pines, as it contains large quantities resinous substances. There is no need to use trees that are too old for collection, since 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 collected, the bark must be properly prepared to form a substrate.

Check out interesting varieties orchids:

phalaenopsis;
dwarf orchid;
Dendrobium nobile;
Dracula;
Cambria;
Cattleya;
oncidium;
Wanda;
miltonia;
paphiopedilum;
Ludisia;
Cymbidium.

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

The material must be cleaned of debris and resin residues; too large pieces must be broken.
The bark needs to be boiled for twenty minutes and the water drained. After three days, the procedure must be repeated.
Immediately after the second boiling, the cooled wet bark is cut into squares with pruning shears the right size. For young orchids - 1 centimeter, for adult specimens - 2 centimeters.
The finished material is thoroughly dried. Such bark, packed in paper or fabric bags, can be stored for a very long time.
Instead of boiling, you can use steam treatment or calcination 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.
Before composing the substrate, dry bark must be soaked in water for three hours, because dry bark will not absorb moisture.

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

The orchid is not quite 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 delights you with its exotic flowers.

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Laying soil in a container for a flower

When replanting an orchid, you need to consider which pot is best to plant it in. Suitable for these purposes:

plastic transparent pots
or clay, in both cases the pots must have a hole at the bottom to drain moisture.

After cooking suitable soil and choosing a pot, you need to lay the soil layer by layer in the container for the 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, the orchid is planted in the ground. It is important not to compact the soil, since the flower loves loose soil.

Thus, it is quite easy to prepare soil for an orchid yourself; 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 children. How to plant an orchid is up to you. The most labor-intensive process is the seed planting method.

What do orchid seeds look like?

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

After which the seed pod will begin to form. After some time, the seeds in the box will ripen and you can start sowing.

Orchid seeds are very small, similar to fine yellow dust, and are almost impossible to see with the naked eye. But if you follow the germination technology, 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 be germinated.

To germinate seeds, 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. The 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.

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

Now that you know how to plant an orchid with 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 for children at home? Planting orchids by children consists of several stages.

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

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

The first layer is drainage: small pebbles or pebbles. To the question: do orchids need drainage? The answer is clear - yes, it is necessary. Caring for the baby orchid after planting is also important, as will be discussed below.
The second layer is wet moss. The baby is placed on a horizontal support at the top of the glass so that it does not touch the moss. All this is covered with another glass on top, larger diameter with several ventilation holes. It's important to support high temperature and humidity. When roots 5-6 cm long appear, the plant is planted in the ground.

You can plant the baby directly in the bark. To do this, take a glass container with a lid, add drainage to the bottom, then crushed pine bark.
The baby is planted in the prepared and disinfected bark, and moss is laid on top. Spraying is carried out daily. Cover the container with a lid and place it in a warm, well-lit place.

Planting an orchid in a glass pot using bark is a common way to grow these plants. Just like planting baby orchids at home, the process is becoming increasingly popular among gardeners.

Planting an orchid with a bulb

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

It is important to understand how to plant an orchid bulb correctly. Such a bulb is planted in a regular dry orchid substrate.

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

You can also plant a large plant with bulbs. When transplanting a well-grown orchid, carefully separate the roots. Each rhizome should have 2-3 full-fledged false bulbs. After division, 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 (one stem) and are easily propagated by lateral stem shoots, at the ends of which “babies” are formed.

These shoots appear after the plant has finished flowering. The peduncle is cut to half and a lateral baby shoot grows from the remaining part. How to plant an orchid shoot at home? Or more precisely, 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 damp moss for rooting. The top of the baby should be tightly covered with a plastic glass. After the roots appear, the baby is separated from the mother shoot and the cut site is treated with crushed wood or activated carbon. After young plant transplanted into the ground for further growth without removing the shelter.

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

You can also immediately separate the shoot and place it in warm water with a small amount of fertilizer. After waiting for the roots to appear, the shoot 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 block (block). For terrestrial orchids it is better to use a substrate.

Landing on a block

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

A little moss is placed between the plant and the block and the resulting structure is tied with a soft rope or thread. Since the roots dry out very quickly, the block 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 using a container. To do this, the block with the orchid is completely covered with moss and wrapped on top with a synthetic mesh. To get rid of drying out roots, pressed peat blocks are often used as a bar, which also require tying with a net. Caring for such plants is simplified.

This planting method is most suitable for small orchids with small roots. Orchids growing on bars look very beautiful and original.

Planting in the substrate

This is the easiest way to plant. You can use a ready-made soil mixture for orchids, or you can make your own soil. To do this, you need to take equal parts of pine bark and dry sphagnum moss.

The bark must be thoroughly boiled and dried before use. After which the moss can be mixed with crushed bark or laid in layers: bark on the bottom, moss on top. This soil is ideal for epiphytes.
Another option: this is soil for terrestrial orchids. To the bark and moss substrate you need to add finely chopped fern roots and a mixture of turf and leaf soil. Small pieces of moss are placed on top. When planting, drainage is placed at the bottom of the container.

Drainage for orchids

Good for drainage

river pebbles,
granite chips or small pieces of broken brick.

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

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

When planting land plants in pots, drainage is required. It prevents the accumulation of excess water and ensures 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 planting in a basket, drainage is not used; instead, a wire mesh is placed on the bottom.

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

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

Features of planting an orchid in a pot

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

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

In a plastic pot, you need to make quite a lot of holes in the bottom and walls.
Drainage must be laid at the bottom.
The volume of the pot should not be very large.
In front of the false bulbs, space is left for the appearance of 2-3 new growths.
After planting, the space 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?

It is necessary to plant epiphytic plants whose roots participate in the process of photosynthesis, for example, phalaenopsis, in a transparent pot. You can use glass or translucent plastic pots.

For terrestrial orchids glass pots will not fit, the roots will not have enough air in them. It is good to use pots from transparent plastic to see the root system and correctly distribute fertilizers and watering.

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 cuts with crushed coal diluted in water.

After which 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 room temperature should be above +26-28C. Good lighting is a must.

Another way for your orchid to grow new roots is to wrap the bottom of the plant in damp moss and secure it with soft, thin twine. The moss must be moistened daily until roots appear.
Caring for and planting at home, as well as growing an orchid, takes a lot of time and effort, and requires a lot of experience and deep knowledge. Each type of this plant needs an individual approach.
It is important to follow all planting and care rules in order to grow a healthy and beautiful flower. Surround the orchid with love and care, and it will amply reward you for your efforts with its unforgettable blooms.
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 you also understand what planting and caring for orchids at home is like.

As you know, replacing soil for a flower is a kind of stress. For this reason Orchids are replanted every 3 years with soil replacement(read about when it is best to replant an orchid at home, and from there you will find out whether this procedure can be performed at autumn period). So during this period the soil is greatly depleted and loses valuable properties:

The balance of mineral salts is disrupted.
The substrate ages and decomposes.
The supply of micronutrients is running low.
Breathability decreases.
Acidity levels increase.

ATTENTION: Soil compaction disrupts the drainage process, and stagnant moisture can have a detrimental effect on the root system. For the full development of the exotic, carry out complete replacement substrate.

General criteria choosing a 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 the following varieties:

dendrobium;
Cattleyas;
lycastes;
phalaenopsis;
Cambria;
zygopetalum;
masdevallia.

For such plants, soil is important mainly for maintaining a vertical position, and then for nutrition and receiving life-giving moisture. Hence, epiphytes do not need soil; a soil substrate is sufficient. The mixtures have variations: 1 part charcoal and 5 parts bark. Or sphagnum moss, ash and bark chips in a ratio of 2:1:5.

Terrestrial orchids: cymbidium and paphiopedilum, which require increased nutrition. The following soil composition will suit them:

pine bark;
wood ash;
peat.

ADVICE: You can also prepare a substrate from ready-made soil for orchids, adding moss and part of the deciduous soil.

Experienced flower growers answer this question unequivocally - no. The usual habitat of orchids is loose, light soil. Root system must be freely blown with air and participate in the process of photosynthesis. And in the ground it will be compressed, as if under the weight of a stone. In such conditions, it is quite difficult for an exotic flower to grow and most likely it will die.

Can I use regular soil? You can buy ready-made soil for exotic plants, prepare it yourself, or purchase individual components and choose the proportions yourself. IN garden stores There is a considerable selection of different soil mixtures for orchids. When purchasing a substrate, you should pay attention to:

Unfortunately, even in trusted stores you can buy a low-quality product. To avoid this, prepare the substrate for orchids yourself. It is not necessary to collect all the ingredients of the substrate yourself; they are sold separately in specialized stores. Thus, it is easy to assemble the substrate yourself by mixing the components in the required quantities. Not bad products natural material from the manufacturer "Gardens of Aurica".

How to make the mixture yourself?

In order to save Money, and also for complete confidence in 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 chopped to 2-3 cm.
Sphagnum moss. Collected in forests, in lowlands, after the snow has completely melted. Moss has bactericidal properties. Used fresh and dry.
Fern roots, which contain many useful substances. Add to the dry mixture.
charcoal easy to find in the ashes. The ash needs to be the same size as the other ingredients.
Expanded clay, inexpensive and lightweight material. Granules are great for drainage.

They use options for preparing the substrate with the addition of coarse sand, granulated clay, cork material, perlite, polystyrene, leaf soil, peat, humus.

Watch a video about collecting materials for an orchid substrate:

With soil replacement? A detailed description of the transplantation process will eliminate fuss and unnecessary mistakes. It is important to follow the sequence:

Watch the video about correct transplantation orchids: