PHALAENOPSIS (Orchid Plants)

PHALAENOPSIS

Growing Tips

  • Temperature : The ideal temperature range for Phalaenopsis is 28* - 35*C during the day and 20*C – 24*C during the night.
  • Humidity : Phalaenopsis grow best in high humidity conditions, ideally 70% - 80%. Humidity should not drop below 50%.
  • Light : Phalaenopsis grow best in low light conditions. 8000 – 12000 lux. Light can be controlled using 70 – 80% shade net.
  • Air Movement : Phalaenopsis like plenty of fresh air. Gently moving fresh air will ensure healthy growth and prevent of fungal & bacterial diseases.
  • Water : Water needs are influenced by humidity, pot mix, type of pot, size of pot, time of year. Over watering can kill the plants. Water with a pH of 6 – 7 is ideal. Orchids require more air around their roots. The top of the roots should be shiny green or red. The tip should be plump and creamy colour. Over watering turns the root tip brown and the roots loses their ability to absorb water.
  • Potting media : Use pots with adequate holes at the bottom and on the sides. Use media with large particles so that there is space in the media for air. A good potting mix could be a combination of coconut husk pieces, coal or broken pieces of roofing tile. 25 – 30% of the media should be coal /tile pieces to ensure adequate drainage. Fresh fast draining at the same time water retentive media is essential for proper growth. Pot the plant when roots are actively growing. Do not plant deep. The base of the plant should be at the level of the potting mix. The growing tip should never be covered by the potting mix.
  • Fertilizer : Plants use fertilizer in direct proportion to the light received. Weak fertilizer applied frequently is better than strong application. Dosage 3- 4 gms/litre NPK. 30:10:10 fertilizer for early stages of growth and NPK 10:27:27 fertilizer at flowering time is adequate. Reduce fertilizer once flower spikes appear and during low light conditions. Once every two months stop fertilizer and water well to flesh out any salinity due to excess fertilizers.
  • Pest & Diseases : Pseudomonas signified by a small dark depression on the leaf which quickly becomes a brown patch which is soft.
  • Isolate affected plants
  • Reduce irrigation
  • Increase air circulation
  • Spray bactericide 1 gm in 4 litres water at 10 – 20 days interval.
  • Root Rot : Excessive moisture at the root level, high EC & adverse pH levels can cause root rot affecting the plant adversely. Reduce watering temporarily and correct the EC and pH level to optimum levels.
  • Pests : Snails / slugs chew round holes in the leaves and flowers. These pests are rarely seen during the day but come out from dark damp places at night. There are snail pellets available which can be sprinkled in the pot which are effective to control the pest.
  • Mites : These are very small spider like creatures that cannot be easily seen with the naked eye. Mites are found mainly on the under side of the leaves in very dry conditions. The life cycle of the mites is extremely short as little as 4 – 5 days under ideal conditions, making this pest difficult to control. Mites can cause serious damage to leaves of the plants. Once infection sets in regular spray with an miticide is the only way to control the pest. Good hygiene can reduce the incidence of mites. Kelthane//Hilfol @1-1.5ml per litre water to be sprayed at an interval of 4 days .Minimum 3 sprays to be given.
  • Water Stagnation : During irrigation, water should not be allowed to accumulate in the centre of the plant as this can cause rot. Care should be taken that the plants are fairly dry as night approaches. Water stagnation with lower temperature can cause rot of the leaves. One way of avoiding water accumulation is to tilt the plants so that excess water runs off the plant.
  • Flowering : Initiation of flower spikes takes place as the days shorten & nights become cooler. Spikes take several weeks to develop the 1st flower. The flower spike will always orient itself to the light. Spikes are usually staked for the best display. Flowers last for several months on the plant.

CATTLEYA (Orchid Plants)

DENDROBIUM, ONICIDIUM, CATTLEYA – ORCHIDS

How to Plant

  • The orchid seedling plant will arrive with coconut husk media and blooming size with 3inch pots. If with pots, gently pull out the orchid plant with coconut husk from the small pot.
  • Replanting into a 5inch (dia) pot- Put some broken tile pieces or charcoal in the bottom of the 5inch pot for better drainage. Place the plant with coconut husk into the pot in such a way that the base of the plant is the same as the rim of the pot
  • Add coconut husk chips between the side of the pot and the plant so that the plant set firmly in the pot. The plant should be planted firm in the pot and not loose for faster establishment. Stabilize plant with a vertical stake and ties if necessary.
  • Water sparingly until new roots start.

The roots of the dendrobium will come out of the pot. This is good as orchids take most of the nutrients from the air.

Humidity  & Temperature : Tropical  orchids like  Dendrobiums thrive  in High Humidity. Dendrobiums grow best at a temperature ranges 25-30°C.

Light : Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. 50% shade is recommended. Keep the pot in a location that gets morning sun but shaded in the afternoon. Yellowish or Light green leaves indicates too much light. Dark green leaves indicate too less light. Parrot green is the right colour of the plant.

Water : Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. Too much water can kill the plant. It’s best to allow medium to almost dry out between watering. Check the medium with your finger – if you feel moisture do not water. Do not let the plants stand in water. Water at least once a day by spraying the leaves with a sprayer. Fertilizer also can be sprayed same way. In hot dry months watering can be done twice a day but plants should be dry by evening.

Fertilizer : 30.10.10(High Nitrogen) – for better growth -3 gms per ltr, twice in a week, Foliar spray. 13.27.27 (Low Nitrogen) –for flowering size plants -3-4gms per liter, twice in a week

Pests& Diseases : Pests can be controlled by spraying systemic insecticide like Confidor @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Mites can be controlled by sparying Dicofol @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying Contaf Plus @ 2ml per litre of water. Snails and slugs can be controlled by placing Snail Kill pellets in the pots.

DENDROBIUM (Orchid Plants)

DENDROBIUM, ONICIDIUM, CATTLEYA – ORCHIDS

How to Plant

  • The orchid seedling plant will arrive with coconut husk media and blooming size with 3inch pots. If with pots, gently pull out the orchid plant with coconut husk from the small pot.
  • Replanting into a 5inch (dia) pot- Put some broken tile pieces or charcoal in the bottom of the 5inch pot for better drainage. Place the plant with coconut husk into the pot in such a way that the base of the plant is the same as the rim of the pot
  • Add coconut husk chips between the side of the pot and the plant so that the plant set firmly in the pot. The plant should be planted firm in the pot and not loose for faster establishment. Stabilize plant with a vertical stake and ties if necessary.
  • Water sparingly until new roots start.

The roots of the dendrobium will come out of the pot. This is good as orchids take most of the nutrients from the air.

Humidity  & Temperature : Tropical  orchids like  Dendrobiums thrive  in High Humidity. Dendrobiums grow best at a temperature ranges 25-30°C.

Light : Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. 50% shade is recommended. Keep the pot in a location that gets morning sun but shaded in the afternoon. Yellowish or Light green leaves indicates too much light. Dark green leaves indicate too less light. Parrot green is the right colour of the plant.

Water : Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. Too much water can kill the plant. It’s best to allow medium to almost dry out between watering. Check the medium with your finger – if you feel moisture do not water. Do not let the plants stand in water. Water at least once a day by spraying the leaves with a sprayer. Fertilizer also can be sprayed same way. In hot dry months watering can be done twice a day but plants should be dry by evening.

Fertilizer : 30.10.10(High Nitrogen) – for better growth -3 gms per ltr, twice in a week, Foliar spray. 13.27.27 (Low Nitrogen) –for flowering size plants -3-4gms per liter, twice in a week

Pests& Diseases : Pests can be controlled by spraying systemic insecticide like Confidor @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Mites can be controlled by sparying Dicofol @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying Contaf Plus @ 2ml per litre of water. Snails and slugs can be controlled by placing Snail Kill pellets in the pots.

ONICIDIUM (Orchid Plants)

DENDROBIUM, ONICIDIUM, CATTLEYA – ORCHIDS

How to Plant

  • The orchid seedling plant will arrive with coconut husk media and blooming size with 3inch pots. If with pots, gently pull out the orchid plant with coconut husk from the small pot.
  • Replanting into a 5inch (dia) pot- Put some broken tile pieces or charcoal in the bottom of the 5inch pot for better drainage. Place the plant with coconut husk into the pot in such a way that the base of the plant is the same as the rim of the pot
  • Add coconut husk chips between the side of the pot and the plant so that the plant set firmly in the pot. The plant should be planted firm in the pot and not loose for faster establishment. Stabilize plant with a vertical stake and ties if necessary.
  • Water sparingly until new roots start.

The roots of the dendrobium will come out of the pot. This is good as orchids take most of the nutrients from the air.

Humidity  & Temperature : Tropical  orchids like  Dendrobiums thrive  in High Humidity. Dendrobiums grow best at a temperature ranges 25-30°C.

Light : Dendrobiums need lots of light, but not direct sun. 50% shade is recommended. Keep the pot in a location that gets morning sun but shaded in the afternoon. Yellowish or Light green leaves indicates too much light. Dark green leaves indicate too less light. Parrot green is the right colour of the plant.

Water : Water your orchids in the morning so that the leaves are dry before night. Too much water can kill the plant. It’s best to allow medium to almost dry out between watering. Check the medium with your finger if you feel moisture do not water. Do not let the plants stand in water. Water at least once a day by spraying the leaves with a sprayer. Fertilizer also can be sprayed same way. In hot dry months watering can be done twice a day but plants should be dry by evening.

Fertilizer : 30.10.10(High Nitrogen) – for better growth -3 gms per ltr, twice in a week, Foliar spray. 13.27.27 (Low Nitrogen) –for flowering size plants -3-4gms per liter, twice in a week

Pests& Diseases : Pests can be controlled by spraying systemic insecticide like Confidor @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Mites can be controlled by sparying Dicofol @ 1.5ml per litre of water. Fungal diseases can be controlled by spraying Contaf Plus @ 2ml per litre of water. Snails and slugs can be controlled by placing Snail Kill pellets in the pots.

GERBERA PLANTS

GERBERA PLANTS

Growing Media

The media should be porous and well drained to have better penetration of roots. Optimum soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5 to get maximum efficiency in absorption of nutrients.

Potting Mixture

Coco peat, sand and vermi-compost (2:1:1 ratio )

Bed Preparation

In general, Gerberas are grown on raised bed of size 2 ft. width, 1.5 ft. height and desirable length beds. Pathways of 1 ft. are maintained between beds.

The beds for planting should be well drained. Organic manure is recommended to improve soil texture and to provide nutrition gradually. Add single super phosphate (0:20:0) @ 2.5 kg per 100 sq.ft. for better root establishment and MgS04 @ 0.5 kg per 100 sq.ft. to take care of deficiency of Mg.

Planting

While planting gerbera plants, the crowns of plants should be just above soil level. Plant the seedlings without disturbing the soil around the plants. Generally, two rows are planted on one bed at a distance of 15 inches between rows and 12 inches between plants. Plants can also be planted in pots.

Irrigation

Gerbera does not like water to be stagnant on its leaves. If leaves are wet especially at night infections like Botrytis can occur which appears as brown spots/patches. It is recommended that drip irrigation is used for commercial production. Irrigate so that the plants are fairly dry in the late evenings and night.

The beds should not get waterlogged but must be moist and not allowed to dry out. The water requirement per plant per day is about 700ml per plant

Fertigation

  • After planting, apply N:P:K 18:18:18 @ 2 gms per plant every 3 to 4 days during the vegetative phase to have better foliage
  • Once flowering commences, start N: P: K 15:8:35 or similar (high potash) @ 2grms per plant for more flowers and better flower quality every 3 to 4 days.
  • Micronutrients should be given fortnightly or as per the deficiency symptoms.In between give a fertilizer free week with good irrigation to avoid accumulation of salt in the media.

Intercultural operations

Cutting of lower/ diseased leaf and loosening of soil to be performed with fertilizer application to maintain the health of plants.

Plant protection

Spraying of pesticide or fungicide as and when required.
Rogor or similar systemic insecticide 1 to 1.5ml/litre of water for all sucking pests and Bavistin @ 2g/litre of water for fungus infections. can be sprayed once in 15 days or as per need depending on the level of infection.

Mites : These are minute spider like pests which are not easily seen with the naked eye.Normal insecticides are not effective in controlling this pest. Spray Kelthane @1 to1.5 ml per litre once every 4 days. Minimum 3 sprays to be given to control infection.

Botrytis : Fungicide @1grm in 4 litres of water once in 20 days.

Harvesting

  • The first flowers are produced 8 to 12 weeks after transplanting. The average yield is 180- 200 flowers per sq.meter per year (6-7 plants per Sq. meter).
  • The flowers are harvested when whorls of stamens have been formed.
  • Pluck the flowers in the morning or late in the evening when temperature is low. The stems are usually twisted off the plants.
  • Cut the heel of the stem by giving an angular cut about one inch from the tip and place in clean water immediately.
  • Flower stems are usually packed 10 flowers in a bunch.