In this article we will tell you the main reasons for situations in which an orchid withers.
Many varieties of orchids are quite easy to care for, contrary to popular belief, however, in order to grow a beautiful, full-fledged plant, proper care is required. In addition, it is important, in case of certain problems with a flower, to promptly diagnose and correct the situation through treatment or correcting errors in care.
Wilting orchid
Why an orchid withers is a question that periodically worries owners of exotic flowers. Sometimes this is not a cause for concern. Wilting and subsequent desiccation of the two lower leaves is a natural process in many crops. As well as the appearance of new, young leaves. However, you should worry and take action if the following symptoms appear:
- the leaves of the plant have lost turgor;
- yellowness and dullness appeared on some leaves;
- dark spots;
- wrinkling of the leaf plate;
- lethargy.
If such symptoms appear, the first thing to do is to remove the plant from other crops in a separate place. Next, you should observe the flower to figure out what causes such manifestations. During this period, it is necessary to isolate the plant from bright light, do not irrigate or fertilize. Only after establishing the exact cause can you try to revive the plant.
Substrate for planting
There are several ways to plant an orchid:
1. Planting an orchid on a special block.
As such a block you can use fern leaves, tree bark, or some kind of driftwood.
Moss is laid out at the bottom of the pot, then we place the block itself. And we tie the orchid roots to it with a special thread. With this method of planting, the plant will need moisture. Therefore, for the first time, while the plant takes root, it is recommended to place it in a greenhouse.
2. This method involves planting an orchid in a special substrate.
You can either buy it ready-made or make it.
There are several ways to prepare such soil.
- For this you will need fern, forest moss and ordinary soil. Everything is taken in equal proportions and mixed. The substrate is ready.
- To prepare this substrate you will need forest moss and dry pine bark. Dry bark should be boiled for ten minutes, then cooled and this procedure must be repeated several more times. This is necessary to get rid of insects. Next, the finished cooled tree bark should be crumbled and mixed with moss. The soil for the orchid is ready.
- Another way to prepare a special substrate for orchids. You will need: pine bark and peat. Everything is taken in equal proportions, mixed, and also ready for use.
The main reasons for orchid wilting
The most common causes of crop wilting include:
- errors in the care and maintenance of the plant;
- some diseases;
- exposure to insect pests.
There are many methods for restoring an orchid, but they can be used to determine the exact cause.
Common care mistakes
The first thing you need to pay attention to is its proximity to other indoor plants. Some types of orchids do not tolerate close proximity to other crops. In addition, for the correct development of an orchid, you must initially correctly determine its location.
Over or under watering
Sometimes the cause of wilting lies in the wrong watering regime. The fact is that irrigation is important for orchids, but crop owners often forget about this. With constant changes in the microclimate in the room, you need to constantly monitor the substrate. To determine humidity, you need to touch the flower. If it moves, the soil is too dry.
Determining whether a plant is rotting due to overwatering is a little more difficult. Externally, rotting is not noticeable; often the plant even blooms during this period. You need to carefully examine the root system. If blackness is visible on the roots, it means that the orchid was regularly flooded.
Dense soil
Proper soil largely determines the full development of the plant. The high-quality substrate that an orchid requires does not retain moisture and nourishes the plant with all the necessary nutrients. It is important to remember that the substrate needs to be changed every 2-3 years.
Overheating or hypothermia
The orchid does not like direct sunlight, so you should not place it on a windowsill on the south side of the house. The plant will react negatively to heating devices located near the orchid. These factors have a detrimental effect on culture. The flower is designed in such a way that at the slightest overheating it immediately begins to evaporate moisture.
Drafts and hypothermia of the roots also have a bad effect on the plant. For this reason, there is no need to place the plant on a window during the cold season. To prevent the root system from freezing, experienced gardeners place a small foam plate under the pot.
Insect pests
As a result of the influence of certain parasites that eat up the roots of the orchid, the plant loses its ability to absorb nutrients and water necessary for the crop. As a result of the attack of parasites, the laying of larvae in the top layer of soil, the leaves of the plant wither.
Features of proper care and cultivation
In total, there are about 25,000 species and subspecies of orchids and a large number of different hybrids. However, not all of them are suitable for home cultivation. For example, “phalaenopsis” and “cattleya” can grow exclusively in warm rooms, while another type of orchid, “celoginia”, cannot exist without cold. Therefore, when choosing an orchid, you should take this point into account.
One of the common species is “phalaenopsis”. He is very unpretentious, which is why he is loved in our latitudes.
An orchid grows exclusively on other plants. Therefore, in order for an orchid to take root at home, it is necessary to prepare a special substrate for it.
Methods for treating orchids
Once the cause of the plant's wilting is discovered, treatment can begin. The orchid is a fairly resilient plant and is more likely to be revived.
The simplest methods include getting rid of pests using special preparations, watering when the substrate is dry, irrigating the leaves, and wiping with a damp cloth. You can revive the plant by adjusting the watering, irrigation, and fertilizing regimes.
More complex measures include trimming the roots, getting rid of dry or rotten elements, changing the substrate, transplanting into another, more spacious pot, treating the root system with special means.
Transplant technology
If an orchid withers, you need to do an urgent transplant, especially when rotten, dry, injured roots are found. The technology consists of the following steps:
- carefully free the roots from the old substrate;
- carefully examine the roots;
- rinse them carefully under warm running water;
- Use a sharp sterile knife to cut off rotten and dry shoots;
- treat the sections with activated carbon.
Next, you need to leave the orchid without a substrate for several weeks. Then select a suitable pot, a substrate with the correct ratio of the necessary elements and plant the orchid.
What to do if the leaves continue to wilt
If all the described measures did not help to revive the plant, and the leaves continue to wither and fall off, most likely the orchid has outlived its useful life. It will not be possible to save the plant.
But most often the problems are in violations of the root system. Therefore, they inspect it again, removing all the old areas.
Withering of different parts of the orchid
The lethargy of different parts of the plant depends on certain reasons.
Butonov
Wilting of buds may be due to the fact that the plant does not have the strength to flower after the buds form. Other causes include pest attacks or fungal infections.
Root system
Roots can lose turgor due to an excess of fertilizers, exposure to heat, mechanical damage that is difficult to detect immediately, or fungal diseases. You also need to check the pot - perhaps it is too small for the roots to develop.
Leaf blades during flowering
The orchid spends all its energy on flowering. A healthy plant copes well with this, but if the crop is weakened, it lacks the ability to provide the necessary nutrition to the leaves.
After the purchase
If the orchid withers after purchase, you need to check the soil, since it is often not intended for the normal development of the plant. You should also pay attention to the pot - whether it matches the size of the crop. It is possible that wilting immediately after purchase is a plant reaction to stress.
Hypothermia
If in winter the orchid began to wither and drop its flowers immediately after purchasing it in a store or changing the location of the pot, then hypothermia could have occurred during transportation or from drafts.
Already at temperatures below 15⁰C, wet roots receive enormous stress. Therefore, it is very important to pack the plant well before going outside and not to ventilate the room after watering.
Signs of frostbite include slimy yellow spots.
You can save an orchid. To do this, all damaged parts are removed—the entire leaf is cut off from the trunk, and the root or peduncle is cut to the first intact bud. The wounds are disinfected. As a rule, this is enough for treatment.
Prevention
To prevent premature wilting of an orchid, you need to follow the simple recommendations of experienced gardeners:
- the culture should be inspected frequently;
- treat pests in a timely manner;
- provide adequate lighting;
- establish the correct watering and irrigation regime in accordance with the humidity in the room;
- form the soil correctly and change it in a timely manner.
You should also take seriously the choice of a permanent place for culture. The orchid does not tolerate direct sunlight, drafts, or heat.
Excess fertilizer
Most fertilizers contain a certain feeding algorithm - they are often applied in large doses at once a couple of times a month. But not everyone knows that orchid roots are sensitive to phosphate and potassium salts, so if the concentration of the latter is too high, they can begin to dry out or rot.
It is better to take the advice of botanical scientists: add a couple of drops of nutrient solution with each watering - this way the salts will be supplied gradually and in low concentration, but regularly.
A sign of excess nutrition is the appearance of sticky spots on the leaves.
Is it possible to fix the situation?
Measures to save the crop will directly depend on the factor that caused the flowers to fall off. If the reason is the wrong location, you should rearrange the pot with the plant or remove the negative factor. When the air is dry, you should place containers of water nearby or spray the orchid from time to time with a spray bottle. If it overheats, you must immediately remove the plant to a safe place and avoid such situations in the future. As for pests, they need to be dealt with promptly and mercilessly.
Follow these simple rules, and your orchid will delight you with lush exotic flowers for a long time.
Poor quality soil
If the leaves have wilted and you are not sure of the quality of the soil, but the condition of the roots has deteriorated, then you should look for the reasons in two directions:
- initially unsuitable substrate - it is necessary to purchase a special soil for orchids, which is based on large pieces of bark;
- the soil is old - nothing can last forever, so over time the substrate is destroyed, crushed and compacted, losing its main property - breathability, and the orchids begin to suffocate. This process is accelerated by the presence of fungi or algae in the soil.
In this case, the plant requires replanting. If even after this the flower still disappears, then it is worth checking step by step whether it is kept in appropriate conditions.
