Tropical strangers orchids in nature reproduce well and exist, taking root on the bark of trees, but in the conditions of an ordinary apartment they will hardly be able to provide such a habitat. Therefore, when buying this bright flower, you should know not only the rules for its maintenance, but also transplantation.
Before planting orchids, you should purchase the correct pot for this, on the choice of which the further successful existence of this plant largely depends. Its roots need light, which is why orchids are sold in plastic pots with holes in the bottom. The latter are responsible for a good outflow of liquid during watering and perform the function of a kind of drainage, without which the roots can simply rot. Sometimes in the store you can see not plastic, but glass pots for orchids, but there is an opinion that this is not the best option for planting. The problem is that with a certain refraction of the sun’s rays, the glass can work like a magnifying glass, collecting the sun’s rays in a beam and practically burning the delicate roots. Therefore, it is still better to plant a home orchid in plastic.
The size of the pot is very simple: the roots of the plant should fit in it, but not feel too loose
Planting orchids requires an equally responsible approach to soil selection. Plain bark is best suited for this. Sometimes in flower shops they offer to purchase already crushed soil, which includes bark sawdust, moss, and sometimes peat. In such a substrate, there is a high probability of stagnation of water and subsequent decay of the roots, so it is much safer to plant home orchids in the bark of pine trees.
Before planting, the bark must be boiled for a quarter of an hour. This will not only eliminate the risk of the presence of pests, but will also enable the bark to be saturated with liquid, which will facilitate the process of water absorption during watering.
When to replant orchids
Often, the desire to transplant this beautiful flower arises after buying it, since the roots in most cases literally stick out of the pot in all directions. This desire has its own truth, since the plant goes on sale in the so-called transport soil, not adapted for long-term living. But you should not rush too much with the transplant, since transferring a flower from one room to another is a great stress for him, therefore you need to give him at least a couple of weeks to get used to the new habitat, and then you can already think about a transplant. The flowers of the orchid themselves are not afraid of transplantation, therefore, you can not worry about their safety during this process. A sign that a plant needs a new pot is the almost complete absence of soil and filling the container with roots.
How to transplant orchids
This is not difficult. It is enough to carefully remove the plant from the old pot, inspect the roots, remove dry or rotten ones, clean them of pieces of old soil, then place the bush in a pot and cover with fresh soil. The flower should not be buried too deeply, the rosette and peduncle should remain above the ground, even if it seems that it does not look too beautiful.