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What to do if the leaves of an orchid wither

The fact that the leaves of an orchid wither is very often encountered by people who first purchased this flower. An orchid is a beautiful plant that literally every experienced grower or person with good taste has. It is able to decorate even the most beautiful flower greenhouse, because it is very original and exotic flower. On a long stem, orchids grow unusually beautiful flowers. They have a large number of bright colors. The contemplation of such a magnificent plant brings aesthetic pleasure. But, probably, everyone knows that this is a rather whimsical flower that requires special attention and care.

The orchid is a rather capricious flower in its care.

Why do orchids wither and turn yellow leaves

Orchid owners often encounter a problem when the leaves of a plant begin to turn yellow for no particular reason. But there are still reasons.

Sometimes yellowing and dropping of leaves is a normal physiological process of death. This is a completely natural genetic quality of a flower. The rate of onset of such a period depends both on the variety and on the age of the plant.

The orchid really needs diffused lighting, so when there is little sun, ultraviolet lamps are used.

The reason for the wilting of the leaves may be the placement of a number of flowers that negatively affect the orchid. You can not put next to pelargonium, yucca or araucaria.

The process of wilting of the leaves may occur due to a lack of sunlight. Bright light is vital for an orchid, as it is very thermophilic. In case of lack of light, the leaves begin to turn yellow and the stem deteriorates. To save the flower, you have to completely cut off its top. This is a very difficult procedure, and after it it is necessary to wait a long time until the orchid is fully restored.

Despite the love of the sun, the orchid should not be exposed to direct sunlight, the light should be diffused. Under the influence of intense rays, spots in the form of burns appear on the leaves and the flower fades. Therefore, in order to avoid negative consequences you need to choose the right lighting.

As a fertilizer for orchids, compounds with potassium are used.

The yellowing of the leaves may be due to the lack of fertilizers or the wrong product. The orchid needs a certain amount of potassium, so its deficiency leads to yellowing and leaf fall.

The question arises, why is potassium so important? The answer is simple. It is he who is necessary in order to start a full-fledged process of updating old cells. This will extend the life of the flower and enjoy its flowering.

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Ways to restore orchid leaves

Even if you notice that the plant has begun to fade, do not rush to get rid of it. Proper care will help restore it, and it will delight you with its flowering for a long time to come.

To restore the orchid, dried leaves, roots and mustaches are pruned.

If you notice that the orchid's roots are drying out, then this means that it lacks moisture. Cut off any dried air roots and treat the cut points with cinnamon powder or crushed activated carbon.

After that, put the pot with the plant in a container with warm, settled water for 2-3 hours. During this time, the plant will absorb the required amount of moisture.

Try to maintain an optimal level of humidity in the orchid room. In the cold season, when the central heating is turned on, the air can be very dry, which is detrimental to orchids. To humidify the air, use a special electric humidifier. If it is not there, then regularly moisten the air around the orchids with a spray bottle. You can also place a container of water next to the flowers. Water will evaporate during the day, which will slightly humidify the air.

Take an ordinary magnifying glass and carefully examine the leaves: perhaps the orchid has unwanted “neighbors”. When identifying pests, be sure to treat the plant with special tools.

Watering orchids is carried out carefully, to the roots.

If the orchid leaves are shriveled, then perhaps most of The roots of the plant are dry or dry up. If you cannot see the state of the roots through the walls of the pot, then the plant must be pulled out of the container in which it is planted. If the roots are overdried or rotten, then they must be cut off, treated with activated charcoal and an anti-rotting agent. After that, the orchid is planted in a new soil.

If you recently purchased a flower and noticed that unblown buds dry up and fall off, then most likely the plant suffered a significant temperature difference during transportation or received a serious thermal burn. In this case, cut the stem of the plant so that it directs all its forces to its restoration, and not to flowering. If there is a lack of lighting, be sure to install a special lamp above the flower and apply fertilizer once a week.

Many novice gardeners are often interested in: why do orchids wilted leaves and what to do with it? If you do not help the plant in a timely manner, then it may simply die. Problems can be very different and they consist in insufficiently good care, the presence of pests or diseases. Only by understanding the reasons, you can figure out how to help the flower.

The main reasons for tying orchid leaves

Some orchids grown at home are losing their decorative look due to wilting leaves. Many provoking factors can lead to such a problem, in particular:

• not enough good care behind a plant;
• frostbite and overheating of flower leaves;
• damage by diseases and pests.

Be sure to determine the reasons that provoked the wilting of the leaves of the plant, and try to eliminate them.

Overheating and frostbite

If the orchid has sluggish leaves, the reason for this may be due to overheating or frostbite of the plant. The flower can be adversely affected environment. As a result of this, the leaves begin to turn yellow, sometimes become covered with brown spots, and wrinkle in places of burns. Against this background, flowers are also dropped.

A characteristic sign that the problem is in no way related to the disease of the plant is that the upper leaf plates, which have been adversely affected, most often suffer. climatic conditions. When buying a flower, ask the seller how to properly care for the plant.

Insufficient watering

If the leaves of the orchid have become lethargic, then the problem may be due to a lack of moisture. The main mistake when growing this flower is insufficiently frequent watering, as a result of which the plant becomes weak and lethargic.

With poor watering, the shoots begin to turn yellow quickly and require immediate resuscitation methods, so urgent watering is required, and in some cases even transplanting and fertilizing.

Over watering

The orchid has bare roots with which it attaches to trees and rocks. AT natural conditions warm tropical rains water the root system, and since it is not strengthened by soil, the water simply flows off. Warm air dries the roots, so the plant grows very well.

It is impossible to keep a flower at home with bare roots, as this is a rather laborious process. Therefore, some varieties of orchids grow in the ground. Many flower growers choose the wrong pot, which can be very large, without adequate holes to drain excess water. With excessive watering, the soil will always be wet. In this case, an orchid disease may appear. The roots acquire a brownish tint, and the leaves become lethargic, lose their elasticity.

Problems with the root system

If the orchid has sluggish leaves, what should I do? Floriculture identifies several reasons why wilting occurs. Among them, it is necessary to highlight the problems with the roots. This is a fairly thermophilic plant, but the grower needs to know when to stop. It is not necessary to allow the flower to be in direct sunlight all the time. If the room where the orchid is located is too light and warm, then the leaves, trunk and roots will become very hot. As a result, moisture begins to actively evaporate.

From the high temperature, the soil is constantly heated and water evaporates. Therefore, indoor flower severely supercooled root system, it ceases to consume moisture in the required amount. The leaves won't get all the required nutrients. They become lethargic, turn yellow and begin to fade. The whole process of withering occurs very quickly, in just a few hours.

The root system may begin to dry out and rot. Having determined why the orchid has sluggish leaves, you can choose the most suitable option flower treatment to eliminate the existing problem.

Wrong care

If an orchid has sluggish leaves, what to do about it can be determined only after clarifying the main reason that provoked the deterioration of the plant. Along with ensuring the correct temperature and flower care, it is important to choose the right fertilizer. Flower growers, trying to provide best flowering and good conditions content, fertilize incorrectly, so the leaves begin to wither.

Fertilizer should be diluted only according to the instructions that are indicated on the product label, since exceeding the concentration can provoke the formation of root burns. Before applying top dressing, you need to moisten the soil, otherwise the orchid will begin to fade very quickly.

You need to buy fertilizer intended only for orchids, and use it strictly according to the established schedule, because its excess is deposited in the soil and roots.

Problems with an orchid can occur with improperly selected soil components, the absence of periodic transplants. As a result of this, the soil around the root system will form a dense lump. This leads to the fact that there is an excess of moisture or its lack. In addition, in the case of subsidence of the soil, the air permeability of the root system deteriorates significantly, which is bad for the beauty of the leaves.

It is important to periodically transplant the plant into a larger pot, as over time the root system grows and it can be crowded. In addition, the roots are intertwined with each other, which provokes their death. This is dangerous for the leaves, they begin to fade, turn yellow and fall off.

Pests and diseases

Be sure the grower should determine which disease or pests provoked the onset of the disease. Among the most common fungal pathogens are spotting, rot, and anthracosis. Usually, the diseases that provoke these microorganisms appear as a local lesion, and in this area the surface begins to turn yellow or blacken. With a prolonged course of the disease, the leaves begin to wrinkle. If the bottom edge shows through white coating, this means that powdery mildew has occurred.

The reason for the rapid wilting of the leaves may be root rot or vascular mycosis. Often they begin to wrinkle quickly, and this process becomes irreversible. In addition to being affected by fungi, bacteriosis becomes the reason that the leaves become watery and wither. This disease develops rapidly and in just a few days can completely destroy the plant.

Plant treatment methods

Many are interested in: what to do if the orchid leaves become lethargic and begin to deteriorate? It is imperative to determine the cause of this problem, because the applied treatment measures largely depend on this. In case of overheating, you need to create partial shade for the plant or simply take the flower deep into the room. It is impossible to immediately carry out watering or spraying - such events will provoke the death of part of the roots. It is necessary to let the flower cool completely for several hours, only after that water it in the usual way.

Cause of deterioration appearance plants can be damaged by the root system, which is why it is necessary to recognize the presence of a problem in a timely manner, as this can lead to the complete death of the roots. It is necessary to carefully examine the roots, remove the damaged part with a sterile knife to healthy tissues. Fill the slices with activated charcoal. After that, plant a flower in a container with wet soil. When it dries, you can resume the usual watering.

If, due to hypothermia, orchid leaves become sluggish, what to do is a question that interests many home plant owners. In this case, it is necessary to provide the flower with care close to natural conditions.

How to revive a fading plant

Very often, inexperienced flower growers are faced with such a problem as sluggish leaves. Orchid resuscitation in this case begins with a thorough diagnosis, because it is necessary to treat not only the symptoms of the disorder, but also the cause of the problem. Initially, you need to carefully examine the sheet, if it has green color, which smoothly transitions from light to dark, then this is considered the norm.

If spots of brown and yellow color, this means that the plant gradually fades. Spots can be located on the sides or in the center of the sheet. If the leaf has completely changed its color, then it will no longer be restored.

However, leaf color is not the only sign of disturbance. The structure of its surface also changes if it lacks moisture or the plant is sick. These are the main reasons why orchids have wilted leaves. What to do with this, you need to decide individually, based on the complexity of the problem.

For a long time, your pet delighted you with its beauty. And, suddenly, you notice the wilting. Possibly a subsequent fall. Such a nuisance happens with leaves and flowers.

• 1 What to do if the leaves wither?
  • 1.1 Causes of wilting orchid leaves:
  • 1.2 Treatment methods for leaf wilt
  • 1.3 How to save?
• 2 What to do if the flowers fade?
  • 2.1 Methods of treatment

What to do if the leaves wither?

It is hard to watch when the plant that you groomed withers. Moreover, there are species that differ precisely in their chic foliage. But here they wither, turn yellow, and then fall off. Obviously, your beauty is either sick, or you screwed up with the care. “Debriefing” always begins by identifying factors.

Causes of wilting orchid leaves:

• Root overheating.

Phalaenopsis are thermophilic. But everything has its own measure. Invalid things: your flower is constantly "under the gun" of the sun's rays. The hot air of the air conditioner is directed to it. The heating battery under the windowsill on which the pot stands is too hot. Plus low humidity (50% or less).

What's happening?

The trunk, leaves, flowers are very hot. An active process of evaporation of moisture begins. So does the soil. It overheats by evaporating water. The result - the root system is cooled. "Cold" roots stop consuming moisture the right amount. This means that the leaves do not receive nutrients. Outcome: flabbiness, yellowness, wilting. Everything happens quickly, in a few hours.

• Severe root damage

The following troubles occur with the root system: rotting; shrinkage. Why? Priority - improper care. The main factors influencing these processes are:

• High humidity

Orchid is an epiphytic plant. That is, having "bare" roots. With them, it is attached to rocks, trees, caves. Frequent, warm tropical rains abundantly water the root system. And since it is not reinforced with soil, the water drains completely. Warm air dries out the roots. So, until the next rain.

Home conditions do little to keep such a flower with bare roots. This requires more care. Therefore, most varieties grow in the ground. Let's say the pot is chosen incorrectly (inappropriate size), without a sufficient number of holes. Then, with abundant watering, the substrate will always be wet. Disease may occur. When the roots turn brown, lose their elasticity, become sluggish, it means that problems have begun.

How to eliminate?

Everything is simple. Bring your pet's conditions as close to natural as possible. Abundant watering with warm water - runoff - drying. Drying is ensured by good air circulation in the room. Do frequent ventilation, excluding drafts.

• Low humidity

Another extreme of the previous paragraph. If an "experienced" florist tells you to water phalaenopsis strictly on a daily basis, ignore such advice. First: each plant requires individual approach. Influenced by species, origin. Second, meteorological parameters change daily. Like: air temperature, humidity, sunshine, cloudiness. Take a break from that. In dry weather, high temperatures, water more often. When cool or frost sets in, reduce watering. Focus on the condition of the substrate. It should be loose, moist (but not wet!).

• Wrong feeding

Many people think: the more fertilizer, the better. This is not true. There are top dressings, where different concentrations of minerals. The roots are extremely sensitive to this or that substance. Suddenly, there will be a search of salts, the plant may die. It also takes into account the variety, periods of growth, dormancy, flowering.

• Soil compaction

Sometimes an orchid is transplanted into a new dish, where there is a new soil. First, the root system grows, the old pot becomes small. The roots also suffer. Secondly, due to abundant watering, salts, the appearance of mold, fungi, the substrate is destroyed. It becomes more dense. Air circulation deteriorates. The roots feel the lack of oxygen. The result is that they “suffocate” and die.

Roots are the circulatory system of a plant. Therefore, the combination of these factors causes problems, the leaves too.

Leaf wilt treatment methods

• Overheating: your actions. We create a shadow for the plant (just take it deep into the room). You can not immediately fill it with water or spray! Such actions cause the withering away of parts. Let it cool down completely. Rest will take 2-4 hours. Then water in the usual way.

Recovering water balance up to four days. Regeneration of the affected parts is unlikely to happen instantly. So, be patient.

If such a nuisance has occurred, find a comfortable zone for the flower. It is impossible to completely deprive the sun of sunlight. Give him a table near the window. Or another part of the house. Perhaps the side of the world just does not suit him.

• Damage to the root system: what to do

When the foliage wilts, overheating plays a role only in 10% of cases. The rest is a violation of the function of the roots. Conventionally, three degrees of injury are considered: mild, moderate, severe, and very severe. Unlike the first three, the last degree means the death of the root system, and hence the plant.

How to save?

• Take the phalaenopsis by the trunk, gently move it back and forth. Does it sit firmly in the ground? The likely cause is drought. It's OK.
• Move the pot away from the heat source. Let him rest for one hour.
• After, place the flower in a container of water. Temperature +30 - +40 degrees. Let it stand for about an hour.
• Avoid fertilizers or stimulants immediately. Otherwise, the situation will only worsen.
• Next, give your pet a warm, plentiful shower from top to bottom. Try to bypass flower stalks.
• Let the water drain completely. Dry the leaves with a natural cloth. Better than cotton.
• Choose a well-lit place for the orchid, avoiding direct sunlight. The air temperature is moderate, +18 - 25 degrees.
• Wait 2-3 days, the foliage will recover.

If there is no regeneration, then you started the "resuscitation" late. AT this case leaf atrophy occurs. Or the death of part of the roots.

When the substrate with roots moves freely, remove it. Look closely at the root system. What can be seen there?

living roots. Most often they are green in different shades. The main thing is elastic, solid, dense. Young roots whitish when dry. Wet - turn green. The old ones are darker.

Rotting roots. They are easy to identify. They are Brown color, soft, slippery. They resemble a hollow tube, when squeezed, moisture flows out.

What to do?

Inspect carefully. Remove the rotten, dried part with a sterile knife. Everything should be removed to healthy tissue. Sprinkle slices with crushed activated charcoal. Alcohol-based disinfectants will only harm. Since they dry, they can "kill" the green part of the root.

Even if there is only one living root left, the plant may well recover. Plant the root (at least 5-6 cm long) in a small dish with a fresh, moist substrate. When it dries, renew regular watering.

What to do if flowers fade?

What a pity when luxurious buds suddenly fall off. There are reasons for everything. A plant is also a living being.

The factors that cause these processes are almost the same as with wilting, leaf fall. Let's just add something.

A change of residence is not always pleasant. Orchids endure this especially hard. You bought a luxury flowering plant. They brought him home. This is where the trouble began. Just a move plus a new place has such an impact on your beauty. A different climate, different conditions of detention - enough for the flowers to begin to fall.

• natural aging

Withering, falling off, dying off is a natural process. There is no eternal bloom. Some delight us with beautiful buds for a week or two. Others are several months old. In addition, it is not known how much phalaenopsis bloomed before you purchased it. Perhaps, at the time of purchase, this period was just ending.

• hypothermia

Orchids are thermophilic. Transporting it in winter is one of the causes of the problem. Even when it's well packaged. At home, the temperature is also below acceptable. It is supposed to be 22 - 32 degrees. Depends on periods. Stick to the rules. Especially humidity. The average rate is 70%. Its deficiency also serves as a factor in the fall of flowers.

• Draft

Orchids need good air circulation. But the draft is detrimental. It is enough to thoroughly ventilate the room.

• Location near food

Especially vegetables and fruits. Some of them emit ethylene. This gas stimulates the ripening of flowers, even unopened buds. Rapid maturation leads to early wilting. Therefore, remove all products from the flower.

• Pollination

During warm periods, the pot is taken out to outdoor balcony, "breathe". Small insects pollinate the plant. When everything went well, the fading flower will replace boll. If not, then it will disappear.

• Pests

Particularly conducive to damage mealybug. He loves the juice of the buds. It looks like cotton wool. Leaves a sticky residue behind.

Treatment Methods

The same as when the leaves fall. Overcooling causes the death of the plant. When stressed, provide care that is close to natural conditions.

Check daily for harmful insects. Found - isolate the orchid from others. Completely remove the pest. Treat with insecticide. Take good care of your pet and you'll be fine!

It happens that having brought home a magnificent orchid, in a few days we can only “admire” its bare peduncle. From our article today, you will learn what to do if the orchid flowers wither.

First of all, you need to understand probable reasons such a phenomenon. And they can be very diverse: from natural and obvious to disturbing. Sometimes the situation can be corrected with "little bloodshed", and sometimes you have to work hard to save the flower. Let's take a look at the most common flower wilting factors.

drastic changes

dry air

The most dangerous period for the Orchid family (and for all indoor plants) is winter. natural lighting not enough, intensively working radiators central heating, the lack of a natural temperature difference day and night - all this affects the well-being of the orchid not in the best way.

As a result of the action of an intense flow of hot air from the battery, the orchid discards the hatched buds as an extra ballast that consumes the missing moisture.

Watering errors

For a crop during the flowering period, both excessive and insufficient watering are considered equally detrimental. If you significantly reduce the amount of moisture when the orchid began to form buds, you can provoke extremely short flowering and fall of unblown buds.
It is even worse when the plant experiences excess moisture. In this case, the process of rotting of the roots begins, and the latter can no longer supply the flower with moisture in required quantity. As a result, the plant drops buds first, and then flowers. If urgent measures are not taken, the leaves will begin to wither, and this is already fraught with the death of the entire plant.

Overheating or frostbite

As you know, the orchid does not like straight lines. Sun rays preferring diffused light. By placing a potted plant on a south or west windowsill, you risk exposing your pet to overheating. In this case, the organization of shelter from direct sunlight is prerequisite, otherwise the orchid can not only overheat, but also get serious burns.
The result will be an intensive release of moisture on the leaves and flower stalks of the crop, which the root system simply does not have time to compensate. As a result, the dehydration of the plant and the fall of flowers.
A similar effect will be in the case when the plant has been exposed to low temperatures. This happens if we want to save the orchid from the hot air rising from a running battery by moving the pot closer to the glass. Sometimes it is difficult to notice that one or more leaves are in contact with the glass surface, which means that frostbite is guaranteed for the plant in this place.

The plant has grown old

Wilting of flowers can be caused by the natural aging process of the peduncle. Buying blooming orchid, we do not know how long flowering has already lasted, so it is likely that this process is coming to its logical conclusion. To protect yourself from such surprises, try to purchase plants that still have unblown buds on their peduncles.

Presence of pests

And another danger is insects. A particularly insidious pest for orchids is mealybug. The plant (including leaves and flower stalks) should be wiped with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water, and treated with an insecticide.

Is it possible to fix the situation

Measures to save the culture will directly depend on the factor that caused the flowers to fall. If the reason is in the wrong neighborhood, you should rearrange the pot with the plant or remove negative factor. When it comes to dry air, you should place water containers nearby or spray the orchid from time to time with a spray bottle.
In case of overheating, you must immediately remove the plant to a safe place, and in the future to prevent such situations. As for pests, they must be dealt with promptly and mercilessly.

Follow these simple rules, and your orchid will delight you with lush exotic flowers for a long time.

Video "Orchid flowers wither"

In this video, the expert will tell you what are the reasons for the wilting of orchid flowers, what to do about it.

The natural state of the aging process.

When we buy a blooming orchid in a store, we do not know when it began to bloom. After all, the duration of flowering of orchids ranges from several days to several months. Therefore, it is often advised to buy a flower with only a few blossoming buds in order to enjoy their flowering as long as possible. You can also find out how long they bloom.

The aging process of orchid flowers is easy enough to distinguish from a sudden shedding of them, as this process occurs gradually. The first flowers to die are the ones that bloom first.

Stressful state of the plant or suboptimal conditions.

1. A sharp change in the conditions of keeping an orchid.

Orchid relocation: greenhouse (shop) - apartment. The conditions in the greenhouse (shop) are very different from the conditions in the apartment. Often lack of light, temperature difference and lack of humidity can provoke a drop in the first place of buts, and then colors. This especially often happens in the cold period of time, when this difference is very noticeable.

It's certainly unpleasant, but there's nothing terrible about it. After all, even a person needs time to adapt when moving, so that everything goes on as usual. So it is with orchids. They also need to adapt. And if the conditions for its development and care are good, then it will delight you with its flowers many more times.

2. Hypothermia orchids.

Transporting the plant from the store home. During a cold period of time, buying an orchid may entail dropping buds and flowers. When buying at this time of year, you should always pack a flower well, but even these precautions sometimes cannot save it. Especially at sub-zero temperatures. Also, even if it is +15 outside, and your orchid has wet roots after watering in the store, then this will also be enough for the flower to react to such stress by dumping buts. It's not 100%, of course, but that's often the case. All of the above does not mean that you can not buy an orchid in the cold period of time. You just need to be prepared for such unpleasant surprises.

I have a lot of orchids that moved to me for permanent residence in the winter. Rather, most of them are. And they all develop well, despite the fact that many dropped the buds first after buying. This is one of them.

Purchased last year in January. There were - 5 on the street. They packed very well, there was even a blanket in the car. But it was clear that a short run to the car was enough for her. In addition, the root system was after watering, which aggravated everything. After all, few people go for a walk after a shower. Because they know they can get sick. Then what to expect from an orchid? My orchid began to dry buds almost on the same day. Within 3 days she dropped all the buds and a few flowers. But this did not stop her from releasing a new peduncle in a month and blooming as profusely as in the greenhouse.

Draft. A draft can be considered a type of hypothermia. Orchids love Fresh air, but they really do not like drafts, especially during the cold period of time. When airing the room where the orchids stand, it is better to remove them to another room. Or at least remove from the windowsills, if they are standing there. Hypothermia of a flower can cause not only the dropping of buds, but also adversely affect it as a whole. In addition, you should not ventilate the room if you have just sprayed a flower or watered it (meaning the cold season).

3. Spraying flowers.

to spraying precisely flowers must be treated very carefully. Most orchid care books do not recommend doing this. A long stay of water on the flowers themselves can provoke the appearance of spots on them, as well as their discharge along with the buds.

It is better to spray the leaves themselves if the air is dry and the sun is outside. Spraying should be in the form of water dust (microscopic drops).

From personal experience.

The photo shows flower stalks with flowers that have had water for a long time. The flowers change color and shrivel up, looking like they're dried out. Although they have only just opened up. This happened to me twice in 2012 - once in the summer, but since it was not catastrophic, I did not devote it Special attention but just surprised. The second time happened in December and it was just a disaster.

In the summer, I very carefully sprayed both the flowers and leaves of orchids. My atomizer was not very good, the drops were large. Once I sprayed them so diligently several times that the next day a couple of flowers drooped and began to dry. I didn't know then why this was happening. Only in the book Frank Röllke "Orchideen" I read that you need to spray orchids very carefully, at a distance of at least 20 cm. And it is better to avoid getting water on the flowers themselves. What difference does it make from what distance to spray an orchid? It turned out to be a big difference. As my mistake showed, it is important to spray from afar. Water covers the leaves with micro drops. Water in this state is absorbed very quickly and does not harm flowers and leaves. And from a short distance, the drops are large and they cannot soak or dry so quickly. And this is already harm to the orchid, not good. In other books, it is better to refuse spraying during the cool period of time. In December 2012, I diligently gave them a warm shower along with flowers and left them for quite a long time in the bathroom. This was enough for the orchids to show their displeasure the very next day. From the first batch (about 10 pieces), almost all dropped buds and some flowers. The second batch was watered by immersion and nothing happened to it. You can read about it in detail here "Phalaenopsis orchids. Mistakes and experience in care http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/olga_beck-eiris/post256246861/

Conclusion:

If you want your orchids to please you with flowering for a long time, then you should not spray their flowers. Especially during the cold season.

4. Low air humidity Ha + intense heating

The hardest time of the year for orchids, in my opinion, is winter. Few suns. Hot air batteries, causing the air to become very dry. In addition, there is basically no temperature difference between day and night. And this is also important for them. Batteries are, of course, under the windows on which our flowers stand. Sometimes you try to move the orchid closer to the glass, and you will not notice that it is in contact with it. If on the street subzero temperature, then frostbite of that part of the plant that was in contact with the glass is provided. Therefore, moving the flower away from the jet of hot air coming from the battery, make sure that your beauty does not come into contact with the glass.

If the heating works very intensively, then it is natural that the orchid can throw off buds or even flowers, like unnecessary ballast. The petals of a flower lose their moisture and dry out prematurely, or the buds dry up before they have blossomed. It is necessary to ensure that the peduncle does not hang over the battery.

What can be done to increase the humidity in the flower area. Primitive method from personal experience.

Can be used as a flower tray any deep plastic utensils. It is better to put expanded clay or sand at the bottom. Neither one nor the other was available. I used regular pebbles. Cut off from plastic bottle(it should be hard enough) part. This will be our flower stand. It should be of such a height that the pot rises above the filler.

We pour water so that it does not completely cover our filler. Our filler (expanded clay, sand, pebbles, etc.) is heated by the action of hot air from the battery and the water evaporates. This increases the humidity around the flower. In addition, the orchid itself also rises slightly above the windowsill, away from the battery and the hot air emanating from it. Pour into the water in the pan as it evaporates.

Of course, you can buy a humidifier ... But I think that not every orchid lover can do this.

Sometimes an orchid grows so much that no matter how you place it on the windowsill, the leaves still hang over the windowsill. In this case, it is possible to put a wet towel on the radiator in the overhanging area in order to somehow protect our orchid from hot air.

5 . Plant overheating - pdirect rays of the sun.

An orchid should always be protected from direct sunlight during a hot period. This is especially true of the southeast and west windows. If your windows (where your orchids stand) are oriented to these parts of the world, then you should take care in advance about their shelter during peak hours. Direct sunlight can lead not only to the fall of buds and flowers, but also to leaf burns and overheating of the plant as a whole. In a few hours of overheating, an orchid can release as much moisture on the leaves and peduncles as it is unable to absorb through the root system itself. Which leads to a lack of moisture in the leaves and they become "like rags." The roots also cease to function properly and can no longer absorb enough moisture that the flower needs. The result is dehydration of the plant. It is better not to allow the flower to such a state than to reanimate it later.

If such drops of moisture appear on your orchid (along the edges of the leaves or on the peduncles), then this often indicates that your pet clearly does not like temperature regime. Orchid pests can also be the cause, but more on them later.

What can be done.

In the hottest hours, it is better to remove orchids from the windowsill or block them from direct rays, do shading - lower the blinds slightly, put a sheet of drawing paper, tracing paper, tulle, etc. between the flower and the window. In summer, there is enough light for the plant and transfer from the windowsill will not harm it in any way.

6 . Lack of light.

For good development orchids and their subsequent flowering, factors such as light intensity and daylight hours are important. For orchids, a 12-hour day is considered favorable. Lighting in a greenhouse or store is much better organized. Therefore, when buying a blooming orchid in a store, one must be prepared for the fact that she may not like the lighting in our apartment. This is especially true for the period when the daylight hours are short. Therefore, for a flower during this period, it is necessary to choose a window on which there will be enough light for its development. If during the warm period, when the light intensity is very high and the day length is more than 10 hours, the orchid can stand in the back of the room, then during the period of low light (autumn-winter) it will no longer have enough light. As a result, the flower may either not bloom at all, or release a peduncle, on which buds may appear, but which are unlikely to bloom. They will dry out. Sometimes flower stalks appear in the fall, when there is still enough light. But until the end, the peduncle cannot gain strength for further flowering, as gradually the days become shorter and it begins to rain, snowfall, etc. Such peduncles can bloom either very poorly if there is not enough light, or throw off a couple of buds, like unnecessary ballast, or completely stop growing. Especially if a new leaf is still growing at this time.

What can be done?

Rearrange for a while (autumn-winter) the orchid to the southern windows, western or eastern. Install additional lighting if your windows face only the north side. Or you can just give the orchids a rest and gain strength for future flowering in a favorable period. What I am doing. I don't use lights.

I have windows to all parts of the world. And although the lighting on the southern windows is the best during this period, still some orchids rest after abundant flowering summer and autumn. But with the beginning of spring, they begin to grow again violently.

7 Change of residence within the apartment.

Orchids are very sensitive, especially when they are just starting to bloom. If at this moment you, out of good intentions, change her place (move to another window or even move from one end of the window sill to the other), then she can also throw off a couple of buds. This is also from personal experience. There is nothing terrible in this. Those buds that have already blossomed will continue to bloom, but it may well dry a couple of buds.

8. Wrong watering mode selected.

Overdrying orchids

When the orchid has already begun to bloom, it must not be overdried. During flowering, it needs watering with not such a large interval as during the dormant period. As a result, flowering can be very short, and in addition, it can additionally dry a couple of buds as a sign of its disagreement with the chosen regime. I have written in detail about watering orchids here. " Phalaenopsis orchids. Watering. When to water an orchid. "http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/olgabeck/post261663975/

Too frequent watering (root rot)

Too frequent watering for an orchid is much worse than overdrying. Since with such a selected irrigation mode, the roots rot gradually. It is not always possible to immediately determine from an orchid that it has problems with the root system. But over time, there comes a point when the root system can no longer provide sufficient moisture to the plant due to the fact that half of its roots do not function correctly (rotted). If at the same time the orchid blooms, then it will be the first to throw off its buds, then the flowers themselves will begin to dry out. This indicates that the redistribution of moisture has begun from less important parts of the plant (buds, flowers) to more important ones - leaves.

On the example of my own orchid.

I got it as a gift beautiful orchid. Everything seemed to be nearly OK. Elastic leaves and peduncle with buds and flowers. The only thing I really didn't like was the pot with roots. There were a lot of algae on its walls and in the substrate itself. The substrate itself looks very moisture-intensive. I decided that a little later I would transplant it. The day after she moved in with me, she began to drop her buds. I categorized it as stressful. After a while, the flowers began to droop and the leaves themselves began to lose their elasticity (circled in white in the photo), became wrinkled. . I decided not to delay the transplant and immediately take up the flower.

What I saw.

Almost half of the roots were rotten (sometimes they like to water orchids very often in stores). Lots of algae (circled in black). And a large number of them also does not lead to anything good, as they begin to oppress the plant. Substrate with large quantity moss, which leads it to uneven drying. Which is very bad for the roots.

The peduncle decided to cut it off immediately. Since with so many roots left after transplanting, the plant can only overpower the leaves. Throwing out the peduncle was a pity. She put it in a vase. All this was done in the morning. And how surprised I was when in the evening I saw that all the flowers came to life.

Photo of a peduncle in the morning (left) and in the evening (right).

The flowers lacked moisture. But if I started watering the orchid intensively when the peduncle had not yet been cut, then the flowers would still be left in this state (drooping), because there were few healthy roots to absorb moisture. And if only they were soon, they would all rot. You can read more about transplantation here. "Orchids Phalaenopsis (Phalaenopsis). Transplant."http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/olga_beck-eiris/post259744316/

9 .Exhaust fumes, cigarette smoke.

Orchids love fresh air. Therefore, cigarette smoke and exhaust gases, if the windows face highways saturated with vehicles, may well be the cause of the buds and flowers falling off.

10. Location near ripe fruits or vegetables.

Fruits give off ethylene gas, which contributes to the rapid ripening of buds and the aging of the flowers themselves. So the location of an orchid next to ripe fruits (for example, apples) can provoke a very rapid flowering process or even fall of flowers and buds.

11. Neighborhood with a bouquet of drying flowers.

A large bouquet of drying flowers can also provoke bud drop.

12. Pest damage.

Damage to orchids by pests. For example, a mealybug that likes to suck juices from young flowers and buds, which leads to their withering.

What can be done:

Immediately isolate from other plants. Gently remove all insects with a cotton swab dipped in soapy water. Carefully checking all the sinuses between the leaves. After that process INSECTICIDES .

INSECTICIDES- (from lat. insectum - insect and caedo - I kill), chemicals pest control. Depending on the ways in which they penetrate the insect body, they are divided into groups: intestinal, contact, systemic, or intraplant and respiratory.
The drugs most known to us are: Agravertin, Fitoverm, Vermitek, Actellik, Aktara, Bazudin, Dichlorvos, Masha. (information from the site xumuk.ru)

Folk remedies:

Garlic tincture: Pour 4-5 cloves of garlic with boiling water (0.5 l). Let it brew for at least 5 hours. With the resulting mixture with a brush, carefully process all the leaves, peduncles, flowers and buds. Often the mealybug hides in the axils of dormant buds. Treat the plant at least 2 times with an interval of 3-5 days. Control the orchid daily!!!

Soap solution (the best laundry soap).

With severe damage, often folk remedies do not help and it is better to use insecticides immediately.

13. The orchid was pollinated.

Can be pollinated by bees, wasps and other flying insects. After pollination, the flower begins to wither and a seed pod may appear or it may simply fall off.

Reasons from points 1 to 9 inclusive, as well as point 12, are based on their own experience and confirmed by the same special literature on the care of orchids. From points 10-13, reasons that are always also indicated in the literature on the care of orchids.

Orchid is a very grateful flower! If you want to learn to understand it, it might be better to try the situation on yourself. Is it pleasant to be in a draft or under the scorching rays of the sun, are you thirsty in a cool period of time, etc. If you know the answers to these questions, then you can learn and care for your beauty. And then the orchid will give you not only its gorgeous flowers, but also bring harmony and peace into your life.

Dear owners of various groups in contact and in classmates, as well as owners of various sites and blogs for caring for orchids and more! The entire text of the article and photos are copyright and I am categorically against the use my works at your own discretion (changing text and cutting out authorship from photos) without my knowledge. Definitely against the use of my photos as an advertisement for orchid care products. Let's learn to respect other people's work in order to avoid various misunderstandings. Copying text only with an active link to the source.

Sincerely, Olga Bek.