An orchid is an exotic and beautiful flower. But in order to get a full-fledged blooming orchid at home, certain knowledge is required.
In order for an orchid to please the eye with the beauty of its flowers for many years, special care is required. Many novice plant growers believe that this is a lot of work, however, they are mistaken.
A flower called phalaenopsis does not require much effort or time. You just need to follow some rules.
Conditions necessary for maintaining a flower
When deciding to have an orchid in your home, it is necessary to create certain living conditions for it, namely, close to its natural content. It’s not that difficult, the most important thing is to monitor the temperature, humidity, and lighting of the room. It is also important to properly water and feed the plant, and the composition of the soil is also important.
When choosing a flower, remember that there are many types of phalaenopsis. They differ not only in appearance, but also in care requirements. Before choosing a flower, you need to familiarize yourself with the characteristics of each species.
Epiphytes are an ideal option for the home. This is a species of orchid that grows in the tropics, on trees and rocky soils. They have aerial roots that help with photosynthesis.
Types of orchids, their names and photos
You can grow some types of orchids at home.
Phalaenopsis
Flower growers fell in love with this flower due to its compact size and decorative appearance. It is ideal for growing indoors. During flowering, it produces 1 or 2 peduncles strewn with flowers of different shades. The foliage is dark green, fleshy, the shoots are marsh-colored. Flowering time is spring.
Wanda
It grows naturally in northern Australia and Asia. Characterized by an exotic shade of flowers. In addition to blue, which is rare, there are other tones. Flowering is long-lasting, with up to 20 flowers on one peduncle.
Dendrobium
There are up to 1,200 plants of the Orchidaceae family in the genus. The most commonly grown dendrobiums at home are phalaenopsis and nobile. During dormancy, it sheds its leaves.
Paphiopedilum or lady's slipper
An interesting and difficult plant to grow. One rosette produces only 1 peduncle. To admire the luxurious flowering, up to 3 rosettes are planted in one pot.
Cymbidium
It is very difficult for fragrant orchids to create suitable conditions. The flowers are delicate, the lip is often painted in a contrasting color. Flowering duration is 2.5 months.
Brassia
The color of the sepals, its shape, as well as the unusual appearance of the flowers themselves prompted flower growers to give the orchid a second name - “Spider Orchid”. Rich green lanceolate leaves, yellow flowers interspersed with brown, large pseudobulbs. It can delight with flowering all year round.
Zygopetalum
The shoots of the zygopetalum rise upward, similar to cascading phalaenopsis. Smooth pseudobulbs are green in color and have an elliptical or oval shape. Flowers exude a pleasant aroma.
What should be the lighting for orchids?
Light for orchids should be adjusted to their usual habitat. Direct sunlight is not advisable, as it destroys leaves and roots. Also, under such lighting, flowers die. Therefore, the south side is not the best place to keep an orchid.
The north side also does not have a favorable effect on the flower. When kept on the north side, the orchid requires additional lighting, even in the summer.
The ideal option is the western or eastern sides. This way the plant will receive optimal lighting. By choosing the right place for a flower, you will certainly extend its life.
However, proper lighting is not a complete success; there are other important conditions.
Orchids in the interior of the apartment
This amazingly beautiful flower is surrounded by a whole veil of superstitions. It is believed that the orchid is a vampire plant; it is not recommended to keep it in the bedroom, as it draws life energy from other plants and humans. However, this is due to the fact that its pollen sometimes causes drowsiness and lethargy in humans, and the strong smell characteristic of some species can cause headaches.
Many people believe that this plant repels men, while at the same time they claim that it increases female attractiveness, energy and charm. According to Feng Shui, orchids attract good things into the home, help get rid of negativity and cope with problems.
Most often, plants are placed on the windowsill. However, the culture is very plastic, flowers can adapt to the characteristics of the environment, so the choice of possible location is unlimited. It is only important that the degree of illumination is acceptable for the flower, and strict adherence to temperature and humidity is also necessary. These plants look quite natural in an elegant setting, although they perfectly complement and decorate any interior (with the exception of rustic, rustic, Romanesque, ethno, punk).
High humidity
For orchids, high humidity in the room in which they are located is very important. 60-70% is the optimal humidity level for this plant.
In summer, air humidity is maintained much better than in winter. This occurs due to operating heating devices that dry the air space.
Nowadays, it is not so difficult to provide the necessary conditions for air humidity; it is enough to purchase a humidifier or an indoor fountain. If they are not available, you can use a spray bottle to irrigate the leaves. The most important thing is that the water does not get on the flowers and is at room temperature.
Wet leaves and roots must be protected from cold air and drafts. Orchids are just as susceptible to disease as children, so you need to make sure there are no drafts in the room.
Creating a comfortable temperature regime
To choose the right temperature, it is necessary to take into account the differences in requirements for individual groups of orchids:
Heat-loving flowers (phalaenopsis, dendrobiums) need warm temperatures all year round. Summer mode 15-32 degrees and winter mode 15-18 degrees Celsius are suitable for them. In this case, the temperature difference during the day should not exceed 3-5 degrees.
Medium-temperature orchids (odontoglossums, miltonias) prefer cooler conditions. In summer the temperature should be 18-22 degrees, and in winter – 12-15 degrees.
Cold-resistant plants (Australian dendrobiums, paphiopedilums, laelias) grow at a summer daytime temperature of 22 degrees and with a winter night temperature of 12 to 15 degrees.
Rules for watering home orchids
Watering orchids also has its own characteristics. It is performed differently at different times of the year. In hot weather, the plant needs watering more often, 2-3 times a week. Due to the fact that orchids are planted in transparent pots with slits, you should not simply water the plant from above.
The pot must be placed in a container with water at room temperature and held for 3-4 minutes. During this time, the soil substrate will be saturated with moisture, and the excess will drain off.
Under no circumstances should the plant be flooded, otherwise disease will inevitably occur. If watering is carried out according to schedule, but the roots of the plant turn yellow, it is necessary to carry out sanitation.
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During the cold season, watering is greatly reduced, to about once a week. The plant will tell you on its own about the need for watering; its roots turn pale and the soil becomes dry.
Orchids in a classic style bedroom
Orchids in historical styles are very beautiful. They further enhance the severity of the lines and the richness of the classical direction. Expensive solid wood furniture and high quality finishes and fittings set the mood for the decorative design and flowers to be special.
If it is impossible to place live orchids in the bedroom, you should use artificial ones to decorate the interior, which are almost indistinguishable from real ones. It is also possible to combine them with other plants. It will immediately become easier to determine a place for flowers, because you will no longer have to comply with all the conditions for growing these capricious plants. A floor orchid in a large vase is distinguished by tall, showy flower stalks. And low, compact plants with small flowers are best placed on a dressing table, chest of drawers or on a bedside table. Depending on the room environment, you can determine the height of the orchid on the windowsill. But in any case, plants with peduncles of about 50 cm will be universal.
Orchid flowers often coincide in color with the main palette of the interior. But sometimes they stand out sharply against the general background - they serve as a kind of accent. Teaming up with others, they create certain points and lines in the bedroom that enliven the interior. An interesting solution is to use photo wallpaper with orchids, which can be placed not only at the head of the bed, on the wall, but also in a niche. Moreover, for the classical style, the appropriate design will be very important - gilded frames, stucco molding.
Proper feeding of the plant
It is necessary to fertilize the soil for orchids in the same way as for other indoor plants. However, there are also some peculiarities at this stage.
Feeding the plant is done using liquid fertilizers 2 times a month. It is alternated with washing the root system and substrate with clean warm water. It is necessary to fertilize the roots of the orchid only during the period of active growth and flowering.
Orchids in the nursery on the window
Placing fresh flowers in a child's room is not always justified, since in this case special attention will have to be paid to safety precautions and compliance with a number of sanitary and hygienic standards. Let them first learn to care for the flowers growing in the living room or kitchen, under strict parental supervision. But younger schoolchildren are already quite capable of watering and monitoring the condition of plants on their own. You can put a pot with a plant on the window in their room. However, you need to take into account that the strong smell of an orchid can cause an allergic reaction in a child, so it is better to decorate the window sill in a child’s room with artificial analogues or other, less “fragrant” flowers. Orchids in the kitchen in a basket
Plants are very appropriate in the design of a modern kitchen. They will be an important detail at a romantic dinner. Their delicate scent will complement the aroma of tea or wine. Orchids look great in a low, stable basket placed on a windowsill or kitchen cabinet top. When decorating a festive table, we must also not forget about these plants, whose exquisite beauty will decorate any feast with the most expensive menu. Even in a Provence-style kitchen, orchids will not be out of place. The abundance of light and air, characteristic of French country, will organically merge with delicate pink or purple flowers.
The simple and strict lines of modernism and minimalism also do not interfere with the placement of orchids in the kitchen. On the contrary, thanks to the limited number of details and decorative elements, flowers acquire even greater significance and value for decoration.
In the bathroom, if there are windows and enough light, you can also place orchids. But if they cannot create comfortable conditions, you will have to limit yourself to images of these tropical beauties on ceramic tiles or mosaic panels.
Orchids in the interior of an apartment are a phenomenon that still remains extraordinary. Do you want to surprise guests or relatives? Invite them as the plants begin to bloom. It is unlikely that you will be able to see and experience so many positive emotions and admiration at any other time.
