Contents:
- General rules for transplant
- Preparing for the Transplant
- Extract from the old flower pot
- Transplant into a new pot
Orchids have long won the hearts of most gardeners. They are very beautiful, so alive are excellent decor of any room. In addition, the varieties bred specifically for growing in the home, unpretentious enough to care, but endowed with a function continuous flowering. And to get such an exotic and at the same time, patient plant recently quite simple, especially since the price of its popular view - Phalaenopsis - is quite acceptable. But sooner or later, every flower needs a transplant, and it is linked to most of the difficulties for inexperienced owners.
In nature, all epiphytes (ie they include orchids) have unlimited space for development: growing confidence and growing. Indeed, the space for the roots enough ground refreshed naturally, so why change something? But those of their relatives, who bred specifically for life and bloom in the home, are a kind of captivity: they are "enclosed" in special pots. Therefore, sooner or later, to the owners still face the task of transplanting orchids, which grew its old "home". And the soil in any case, better to be changed periodically.
It is a maturing need for such a procedure in the majority of inexperienced gardeners there is just a lot of questions. "When you need to update the substrate? Is it possible to make the transfer to the new pot epiphytic flowering period or better to do it after falling off buds? What signs indicate that it is time to repot an orchid? "- These and other nuances require detailed consideration.
Indeed, the approach to solving the problem of the relocation of your exotic beauties blooming in pots with a new substrate should not just "the mind." Unlike other houseplants, orchids should be repotted in view of some of the features. According to experts, there are some limitations when the plant is not advisable to subject such stress, such as during the active development of the root system, or at the time of flowering.
But because even in these cases, sometimes there is a need to adopt emergency measures, some nuances you know certainly. Therefore we suggest to familiarize with the general rules and procedures for the transfer phases of your extraordinary beauty blossom into a new and more spacious pot. So, how to transplant an orchid, derived for the existence of at home?
General rules for transplant
As you know, every time the substrate has a useful existence. After three to five years, a mixture of bark worse transmit moisture, loses the ability to "breathe", is compressed and accumulates a salt coming from the irrigation water. Substrate moss require annual replacement, and every couple of years should be updated soil compositions, including concrete block.
But often migrate from one orchid pot to the other is impossible. The optimal interval between these processes - two or three years. But the young plants are the most common type of phalaenopsis during their main growth is allowed to move into the new substrate every six to eight months. The signal for the next Resettlement can serve not only the strong growth of the flower, but the complete disintegration of the substrate. In addition, because of the gaps in care, or improper watering of disease, in the roots of exotic plants can begin the process of decay. Then move to the new orchid substrate is necessary as soon as possible in order to bailout from destruction.
Repot epiphytes permitted year-round, but only before the start of the root activity and before it was time to actively flowering. For the majority of orchids this time, in the spring or early summer. Therefore, transfer them to the new pot should be either in the beginning of March, or with the onset of September. Identify the beginning of active root growth is possible by the emergence of a new germ (Sympodial epiphytes) or the first sheet (monopodial epiphytes). Not recommended also repot the plant in the beginning of flowering. This is due to the fact that adaptation to the new conditions and the substrate simultaneously with the formation of buds bleed epiphyte many forces that may lead to its destruction.
If you're still wondering the question of how to transplant orchids, and above the time of the lower part or flowering has occurred, it is necessary to wait until sufficient regrowth of young roots (centimeters to five to seven) or petal fall. And it is better to postpone the process and do it after the active growth of the root system, or choose a time when there was a break in the process of flowering, if absolutely necessary to resettle there.
In Phalaenopsis, which with proper care at home tends to decorating your windowsill bright buds blossoming all year round, it is recommended after petal fall crop stems, leaving two to three buds to plant all their forces could throw at rooting the new substrate. In the process of the transfer of exotic beauties in the new pot remember its fragility and spend all manipulations extremely gently and carefully.
Preparing for the Transplant
Before transplanting orchids need to conduct some preliminary training. First, select a suitable pot whose diameter should be two centimeters more than the old. The pot is better to take a clear, since the roots of orchids need to freely receive ultraviolet process of photosynthesis. With its capacity of plastic or glass, note the obligatory presence in its special drainage holes. In addition, prepare a long sharp knife or garden shears, a wooden stick and a special substrate. For Phalaenopsis orchids, you can take the bark (preferably pine), and if you use the finished pochvosmes for epiphytes, then select from it only the necessary pieces of bark and peat moss.
The substrate in the old pot should be well moistened, watering defended with warm water for half an hour before removing the flower. This will help to easily separate the roots from the sides of the pot and save time for the transplantation. If the old clay pot, it will likely have to use a stick to gently pull the stuck shoots. If he is still inside and porous, they may have to sacrifice the state flower: gently separate the roots of such walls is almost impossible.
Prepare a new container, which are planning to repot an orchid. First of all it is necessary to put on the bottom of the drainage in the form of expanded clay, pebbles or polystyrene beads. Suitable as an ordinary river sand. If you use materials obtained by you on the street, they should be disinfected by boiling in water. Do not ignore this safety measure, because any problem is easier to prevent than to guess then, why is it that the plant died.
If none of the above wicking materials you have on hand during the transplant was not a sudden (it's not very good but acceptable), then a quarter of the height of the pot to fill with fresh substrate. Although the drainage elements for epiphytic plants are often a necessity: firstly, they extend the life of a special Peat mixture, and secondly, perfectly removes moisture, preventing the decay of the root system. So better to carefully prepare and stock up on all the necessary materials, tools and containers.
Extract from the old flower pot
Repot any orchid start with this procedure. The pot should be obmyat from all sides (if it is hard, it 'obstuchal "). If, during the life there epiphyte roots have time to increment to the walls of the pot, then a wooden stick to be careful to hold on the inner side, separating the earthen room. I must say that sometimes such measures do not help, so you have to break a glass or ceramic pot, and the plastic is better simply to cut.
During the next step should be removed from the roots of the old substrate and then gently spread them with your fingers and gently clean off the remains of the soil. If the roots are strongly intertwined, after extraction from the old pot is best to wash them with lukewarm water from the shower. This simple procedure will prevent the breaking of their damage, allowing easy clean up of lumps of old substrate.
Some growers recommend that, on the contrary, to leave a little earlier pochvosmesi on the root system when transplanting epiphytic plants in the new soil. Especially useful to do so for orchids, which are active in the period of flowering. This method allows you to quickly adapt Exotics in new flowerpot, at a cost of less strength. But save a little old to be substrate only if the roots of plants are healthy, and he shows no signs of mold. Otherwise, it is not necessary to do so because there is no need to transfer old problems to the new location.
With the already cleaned the root system should be disinfected tool to cut all the dead parts: rotten, hollow or soft. By the way, Phalaenopsis dry processes can not be removed. After that, put the orchid in a container of water for ten minutes. During this time, the possible pests, settled on the roots die. And in the end stage of the withdrawal must be carefully handle all the root sections of coal powder, gray or cinnamon. These measures will help to protect the disinfection plant from rotting and other deterioration.
Transplant into a new pot
That wait-your beautiful orchid that hour when it's time to repot it in a new vessel and was relieved to finish this whole long process of resettlement. You need to bring a prepared pot and gently, without holding to the bottom of the roots and place in a plant. Then, holding a flower almost weight should gradually fill the capacity of the substrate (for transplanting orchids phalaenopsis kind used bark).
Pour augmentation of yield should be evenly compacted it is not pressing on the ground and tap the side of the pot. The substrate can be between the roots gently push the wooden stick. Just do it carefully so as not to damage the plant. If the length of roots in a pot does not fit, it is best to leave them on the surface: let hang from the edges and absorb moisture from the air. Do not forget to strengthen the stem of a plant using a special rod and clamp.
Remember that orchids transplant will be a real stress, especially if it came in the flowering period. Therefore, we must give epiphytes time to relax and settle into the new pot. Do not water the flower the first five days, but the daily spray it with warm water. It is best to place an exotic beauty in a lightly shaded place with a high humidity for a couple of weeks. And do not take the time to fertilize her: the first feeding the roots is better to make only a month. Although the procedure to carry out feeding the top of the orchid is not forbidden.
The fact that the transplantation of an orchid made with all the basic requirements and your exotic beauty was not damaged, can be judged by the timing of the next flowering. If you strictly adhere to the algorithm described above, the new buds should please you with its appearance in the current year. But do not panic if it does not happen. Look carefully at the Orchid: If the plant has a seemingly healthy appearance, roots and leaves are not damaged, dry and rotten parts are missing, please be patient and wait a little longer. Perhaps the process of flowering is delayed due to the fact that the epiphyte not yet amassed enough power for that.
As you can see, the question of how to transplant the phalaenopsis orchid species and other less common its congeners, is solved simply enough even for novice gardeners. Therefore, if you are still hesitating and wondering whether to do it, but all the signs suggest the urgent need, be braver. Suffice it to meet deadlines when the plant is most willing to relocate to the new substrate and adapt it to follow the above recommendations and to deal with exotic epiphyte carefully. And then your orchid will always look charming beauty, delighting the owner of a continuous process of flowering, healthy appearance and longevity.