The topic of orchid drying out is very relevant, mainly for beginner gardeners and orchid owners.
Understanding the essence of the problem, it will be easy to fix. And if you act at random, there is a high probability that the plant will disappear.
Among the many reasons for the drying of exotics, two main ones can be distinguished:
- Wrong conditions of detention;
- The presence of pests.
Under the conditions of detention, as a rule, means the negative influence of external factors, such as:
- Direct sunlight;
- Lack or excess watering;
- Wrong temperature and so on.
- Orchid drying out can occur due to improper care.
By detecting and eliminating these problems in a timely manner, the flower is quite easy to save. The first results of proper care can be seen in a week.
In case of damage by pests, the situation becomes more dangerous, and if the insect is not detected immediately, perhaps even critical. When a parasite is detected, it is necessary to act with lightning speed. Otherwise, there is a possibility of losing the plant. Let’s take a closer look at the question: why do orchid drying out?
Causes of Orchid Drying Out at Home
If the orchid has dried up, then you need to look for the cause. There are several options for drying exotic. Parts of Orchid which Can dry out:
- Flowers Petals;
- Leaves;
- Roots;
- Or the Phalaenopsis peduncle.
In the first case, if the flowers fall off, but the peduncle, leaves, and roots have a natural color nothing terrible happened, just the green pet has ended the flowering period and needs to be allowed to rest.
In other cases, drying is a signal from a tropical inhabitant that the gardener makes mistakes in care. Such oversights must be eliminated as quickly as possible in order to prevent the loss of the flower. Check out Why are orchid roots dry shriveled?
Orchid Drying due to temperature
Why does a homemade orchid dry out? Despite the fact that the natural environment for keeping orchids is the tropics, these flowers do not like high temperatures. Direct sunlight is also harmful to them.
Therefore, the orchid feels most comfortable on the windowsills or balcony, which are located on the southwest or southeast side of the building. At the same time, the air temperature in the room should not be lower than +25 in the warm season.
For an orchid, it is necessary to observe the temperature regime.
ATTENTION! During the period of cold weather, the temperature should not be allowed to drop to + 15, as the orchid will be uncomfortable and cold. The temperature minimum for this beauty should not be lower than +16 degrees Celsius. (For different species and genera of orchids, these temperatures also differ.)
Also, do not forget about high humidity, which is necessary for the full development of phalaenopsis.
direct sunlight may be cause of orchid drying
If the orchid dries up, then you need to reconsider its location. Being light-loving plants, orchids do not like direct exposure to sunlight. The most favorable for them is diffused light. It is possible to achieve such lighting by installing blinds on the windows.
In addition, orchids do not have to be on the windowsills. Decorating the bedside tables or tables in the house next to the window, the flower also receives the necessary lighting.
If the exotic leaves began to turn yellow and wither, then there is too much lighting and you need to take action. Most often, this phenomenon can be observed in the spring-summer period.
Soil components
For full-fledged, high-quality growth and development, a tropical plant needs the right soil. Since the roots of phalaenopsis are not only outside, but also inside the pot, they also need lighting and air circulation. For this purpose, it is recommended to plant orchids in transparent plastic pots.
As for air circulation, everything is quite simple here. For orchids, ordinary soil is not suitable, which gardeners use for other flowers. It is necessary to plant a green beauty in a special substrate, which includes:
- Oak (or pine) bark;
- tree moss (sphagnum);
- Coconut fiber.
You can buy such a substrate at any flower shop. After transplantation, it is allowed to water the plant no earlier than after 3-4 days, and fertilize after 1-2 weeks.
Due to improperly selected soil, orchids dried up at the grower. Therefore, you should carefully select the substrate for the plant.
ADVICE! If, in the opinion of the gardener, a transparent plastic bucket spoils the aesthetics of an exotic pet, in no case should it be transplanted into an opaque ceramic pot, as this can lead to root rot. As a decoration, it is best to use multi-colored transparent flower pots.
Air humidity
If the roots and leaves of a tropical plant begin to dry out, they may not have enough moisture. Because of this, the leaf plate of the flower dries and turns yellow. Of course, flowers need watering, but there should also be enough moisture in the environment.
In their natural habitat – the tropics, air humidity reaches about 70%, but in our latitudes, these exotics have adapted well to natural humidity, which is 50%.
The orchid regards a lower level of moisture as drought and begins to absorb the moisture accumulated in the aerial roots. When this moisture does not remain, the plant begins to dry out.
In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to maintain an acceptable level of moisture in the exotic habitat. This can be done by covering the heating elements with wet towels or by placing water trays.
Such devices can be purchased at flower shops or made by hand. To do this, the gardener will need:
- Pallet;
- Water;
- Drainage.
At the bottom of the pan, it is necessary to pour drainage (expanded clay, for example), and then fill it with water. Gradually, the water will evaporate and create a sufficient level of moisture.
presence or absence of necessary fertilizers
For full growth and timely flowering of Phalaenopsis, they need to provide not only frequent watering but also high-quality fertilizer. It is best to fertilize flowers with liquid preparations since the structure of the substrate is not adapted to the dissolution of tablets and other solid forms.
The permissible fertilization frequency must reach:
- 1-2 times a month – during the heat;
- And at least 1-2 times a week if we are talking about the cold season.
CAREFULLY! Too much fertilizer can speed up the flowering process and cause unopened buds to fall off.
In case the exotic has not bloomed for a long time, gardeners should think about it. Perhaps the reason lies precisely in fertilizers. The fact is that regular fertilizing contributes to the abundant growth of orchids, and this often happens to bypass the flowering process.
In order for the orchid to bloom, it needs to be fed with fertilizers.
In addition, frequent topdressing can lead to soil drying, which entails the drying of the root system. In this case, if the number of dry roots began to increase noticeably, it is necessary to reduce (or completely eliminate) the introduction of feed. It is necessary to resume soil fertilization only when the state of the flower is fully restored.
care mistakes
In addition to excess fertilizer and other errors listed in the article, improper watering can also be called. If the roots of the flower are constantly wet, there is water in the flower pot, and watering is so frequent that the rhizome does not have time to dry out, this is fraught with the decay of the orchid roots.
After that, if watering is not normalized, the leaves begin to die and the peduncle dries up.
This can lead to the death of the plant.
Pest infestation
Orchids can begin to disappear not only due to improper conditions of detention but also due to the invasion of pests. The most dangerous of them are:
- Mealybug;
- Shchitovka;
- Aphids;
- Spider mite;
- Bulb mite and others.
Some types of pests are worth considering in more detail.
See also Orchid Fusarium Treatment.
Shchitovka
The invasion of these parasites can be recognized by the characteristic tubercles on the leaves of the orchid. The first measure to be taken when a scale insect is found is quarantine. A diseased plant should be isolated from the rest so that harmful insects do not switch to them.
Shchitovka is considered one of the dangerous pests for orchids.
The scale insect feeds on the cell sap of orchids, which manifests itself in the form of deformation of the leaves and other parts of the plant. You can fight this pest using folk methods, for example, onion infusion, as well as using chemicals.
From chemicals, against this pest, you can use such means as:
- ” Aktara “;
- ” Fitoverm “;
- “Actellik”.
In this case, the treatment must be carried out strictly according to the instructions.
To prepare onion infusion you need:
- Cut a small onion into pieces;
- And pour it with a glass of boiled water;
- Let it brew for 2-3 hours;
- Then you can spray the plant.
Aphids
This pest feeds on the juices of the leaves and young shoots of orchids.
In addition, aphids secrete honeydew, a syrup that can attract ants and other unwanted insects. To combat this pest, methods such as:
- Oil, alcohol, or citrus (based on orange peels) solutions;
- Also chemicals.
why are Orchid stems Drying Out?
If during the flowering of an orchid the peduncle begins to dry out, there is nothing wrong with that. But if the arrow dries up along with the unopened buds, this most likely indicates the aging process of the green pet. Here you want to know about Why Orchid Stem Dried Out?
why are Orchid Roots Drying Out?
Leaves can dry out from lack of moisture or dry air.
If the roots of an orchid dry, then it does not have enough moisture.
In addition, this may be due to the drying of the root system, and, as a result, the stems. It is important to know that the roots can dry out from both insufficient and excessive watering.
why are Orchid aerial Roots Drying Out?
If we are talking about aerial roots, their condition can be judged precisely during watering. Healthy roots, saturated with moisture, acquire a bright green hue.
how do stop orchids From Drying out?
Why did orchid flowers dry up? Excessive watering and a constantly wet substrate can also cause buds to fall off. Other reasons are also:
- An overabundance of fertilizers;
- And natural aging.
As a preventive measure, it is necessary to adhere to the proper care and conditions for keeping the plant, because this is the only way to avoid negative consequences.
Conclusion
Summing up, I want to emphasize that despite the huge number of reasons for the orchid drying out, each of them is easy to fix or cure.
