Autumn is a difficult time for orchids in the house. Illumination decreases, changes in temperature and air humidity occur. In order for tropical plants to continue to feel good, it is necessary to adjust their care in September. You will need to make 3 important changes.
Installing additional lighting
The length of daylight hours in September becomes shorter and shorter. In addition, in autumn the weather is often cloudy, and even during the day orchids do not have enough sunlight. In order for plants to bloom, it is necessary to provide them with 10–14 hours of intense light. In such a situation, additional lighting will come to the rescue. For this purpose, gardeners can use fluorescent lamps or phytolamps.
If there are several plants, it is better to purchase an elongated lamp, then the light will be distributed among all the orchids. Turn on the backlight in the evenings for 3–4 hours. On cloudy days, the lamp should also work in the morning. If you create similar conditions for orchids, they will continue to bloom and grow new roots and leaves.
Adjusting the watering regime
In houses with central heating, warmth does not come to the apartments until early autumn. Until the batteries are turned on, the house will be quite cool. As long as the air temperature in the room is below 18 °C, orchids need to be watered less frequently.If in summer watering is carried out by soaking the pot in a container of water, then in autumn it is better to moisten the substrate by gradually pouring moisture along the edge of the container.
Before watering, inspect the orchid's roots through the walls of the pot. If the roots are green, you need to wait another 2-3 days. You can determine how dry the substrate is by the weight of the pot. The container has become light - it’s time to water the plant. It is impossible to accurately indicate the interval between waterings. This indicator depends on the temperature in the room, the characteristics of the substrate, and the condition of the plant.
Stop spraying orchids
Orchids are inhabitants of the tropical forest. In nature, they live in humid environments. During the summer heat, flower growers spray their pets, creating conditions for them that are close to natural. With the arrival of autumn, the air becomes saturated with moisture due to rain. There is no need to spray orchids during this period.
Excess moisture can cause harm instead of benefit, for example, cause rotting of the growing point or root collar. It is allowed to return to spraying when the heating is turned on and the air humidity drops excessively. However, with the windows closed, it is better not to spray on the leaves, but to spray water over the plants or place a tray with wet expanded clay next to it.
Orchids do not have a pronounced dormant period and can continue to bloom and develop in the autumn-winter period if comfortable conditions are created for them. You just need to add lighting, reduce watering and temporarily stop spraying. Fertilizers can still be applied as long as the plants receive enough heat and light. You just need to slightly reduce the concentration of the fertilizer.
