Graceful mini phalaenopsis. Miniature Phalaenopsis orchid: care at home Growing temperature and lighting

The orchid has become a familiar resident of home window sills, although a few years ago it was considered an inaccessible exotic plant.

Another discovery for orchid lovers was Phalaenopsis mini - a miniature version of this flower, characterized by long flowering and compact forms.

Let's talk about the advantages of miniature orchids, how to care for these plants and in what conditions they should be kept.

Advantages of mini phalaenopsis

I will name several advantages that encourage lovers of indoor floriculture to grow mini phalaenopsis.

• Compactness. A mini phalaenopsis orchid will easily fit in any corner of an apartment or office that does not include large plants.

• Decorative. They bloom so profusely that they will decorate any room, bring cheerful notes into it and lift your spirits. And if you combine several plants in one container at once, you will get a stunningly beautiful mini-garden!

• Easy care. Mini phalaenopsis varieties are so easy to care for that even a beginner can grow them! Therefore, a mini orchid will be an excellent gift for any person who knew nothing about it until now!

• Low cost. Unlike their larger counterparts, mini phalaenopsis can be purchased at low prices, especially during flower sales.

Varieties of mini phalaenopsis

There are many varieties of mini phalaenopsis, let's remember some of them.

• Phalaenopsis Luddeman. This variety is distinguished by the fact that the sepals are larger in size than the flower petals. The diameter of the flowers is 4-5 cm, the number on one peduncle is 5-7 pieces. Both sepals and petals are variegated in color.
• Phalaenopsis pink. It is distinguished by abundant flowering: 10-15 white-pink flowers with a diameter of 3 cm are formed on the peduncle at once. The white sepals are decorated with a pink stripe.
• Phalaenopsis Mark. The flowers of this variety are white, but may have splashes of pink, yellow or orange. The lip of the flower is bright orange.

Caring for mini phalaenopsis is not much different from caring for regular-sized orchids. They also love warmth and humid air and are afraid of waterlogging. They also need to be transplanted into a new substrate from time to time.

To replant a mini orchid, choose a slightly larger pot than the one in which it is currently located. These plants have fast-growing roots, so they need to be replanted periodically to give the roots more room to grow.

Transplantation process

1. Buy special soil for phalaenopsis: it should contain mainly pieces of bark and moss. Pour it into the pot and pour water thoroughly to soak it.
2. Trim faded flower stalks, if any.
3. Carefully remove the plant from the pot by placing it on its side or upside down, supporting the roots with your hand. If you can't remove it easily, slowly squeeze the sides to free up space.
4. Old soil remains on the roots, which can subsequently lead to rotting. Your task is to remove as much of the old bark and moss as possible.
5. Cut off the dead roots - they are wrinkled and brown in color. The same applies to rotten roots with an unpleasant odor. Healthy roots have a whitish-green color.
6. Place some fresh orchid soil at the bottom. You need very little of it, since most of the pot will be occupied by the roots of the phalaenopsis.
7. Now you have to transplant the mini phalaenopsis. Place the plant in the new pot, ensuring that the base of the lowest leaf dips is about 1.5cm below the rim of the pot.
8. Spread the soil around the roots of the mini orchid, gradually pressing it down so that it is distributed along the sides of the container. Add substrate until the entire root system is covered. Check how well the plant holds up in the new soil by lifting it up by a section of the peduncle or carefully by the leaves. If it slides out of the pot easily, add more soil.
9. After replanting, refrain from watering the orchid for 10 days. Instead, place it in a warm place and mist it every day with a small amount of water (a very fine spray, like a mist). Leaves should remain dry at night.

Repot miniature orchids every two years. If the roots grow too intensively, it is better to replant annually.

Important: urgently replant the phalaenopsis if the soil has an unpleasant odor or the roots take on an unhealthy appearance!

Watering can be done in different ways, for example, using a medium-sized ice cube. Place ice in the pot - on the moss. One ice cube per week is enough (for ordinary orchids you will need three) so that the sensitive roots of mini orchids receive a sufficient amount of moisture and do not rot from waterlogging. The ice gradually melts and moisture seeps into the substrate.

Check the soil for dryness from time to time. In general, one ice cube per week should provide enough water. In extremely dry or hot conditions, a mid-week water spray may be necessary.

The second way is immersion. As is the case with ordinary orchids, a pot with a mini phalaenopsis is immersed for 10-15 minutes in a container with warm, soft water (boiled or settled). Then the excess water is drained from the pot, and the plant is sent to the windowsill. In addition to watering, you need to periodically spray the leaves of the mini orchid from a spray bottle in the “fog” mode.

Any varieties of mini phalaenopsis need to be fertilized once a month, using a balanced fertilizer and diluting it with water according to the attached scheme. If special fertilizers do not sufficiently feed the plant, you can use an analogue with a high nitrogen content, especially if the soil mainly consists of bark.

Lighting for mini orchids

Mini orchids thrive in bright places where they are not exposed to direct sunlight. Place the plant in an east-facing window that receives dim sunlight. It will also grow well on other windows. You can put it on a south window, but you will have to shade the plant from the sun.

If there is little light in your home, use additional artificial lighting, such as fluorescent lights. Place them above the flowers at a distance of 30 cm.

How do you know if an orchid has enough light? Look at the leaves: if they are very dark, it means there is not enough light. If the leaves turn yellow or red, there is too much light, especially when brown spots appear on them.

At what temperature is Phalaenopsis mini kept?

The optimal temperature for keeping mini orchids is 18-29 degrees, as they need warm and humid conditions. In order for them to bloom and develop well, it is better to keep them in hot conditions during the day and in cold conditions at night (about 15 degrees).

Important: mini phalaenopsis orchids are afraid of drafts, so do not place them near ventilation holes or open windows.

Regardless of which varieties of mini phalaenopsis are on your windowsills, care instructions are usually the same for each of them. The main thing is to maintain the optimal level of humidity and air temperature, water them on time, feed them and replant them.

Many gardeners have fallen in love with miniature plants that decorate the house, adding bright accents to its interior, but do not take up much space. Among such crops, phalaenopsis orchids, which are native to tropical forests, have received special recognition. But in natural conditions, such flowers are still quite rare.

Why are these plants so attractive? Mini flowers are characterized by unpretentiousness, ease of care, and compactness. Original mini orchids differ in everything else:

But it is worth considering that some of these “inhabitants” of window sills require the creation of special conditions. That is why it is important to familiarize yourself with all its features and cultivation rules before starting to grow a certain species.

Main varieties and their features

There are several varieties of mini orchids.

Each of them has its own characteristics, which are manifested not only in the appearance of the flower, but also in the plant’s care requirements.

Today the following types of mini orchids stand out:

• Cattleya;
• Ascocendes;
• Oncidium;
• Dendrobiums;
• Cymbidiums;
• Phalaenopsis.

The last option is one of the most common. But it is also worth noting that each group has its own varieties of mini orchids, which are often better known to gardeners than the names of the species themselves.

Mini Cattleya orchid

A very popular option are Cattleyas. This low-growing species is ideal for indoor growing. The Walker variety, which is part of this group, is especially popular. The leaves of the crop rarely grow longer than 10 cm. As for the flowers of such a mini-orchid, they are usually 8 cm in diameter.

Mini Cymbidium orchid

Other types of culture are no less known and in demand. A striking example is the Cymbidium mini orchid, the key feature of which is its ease of care. Many gardeners note that this culture weakens the pleasant and unobtrusive aroma. The appearance of such a plant is very attractive. It is sophisticated, refined, fragile. Its peduncle hangs down a little and is surrounded by narrow but long leaves. Flowers can be white, yellow, pink or cream. They rarely exceed 5 cm in diameter.

Popular Phalaenopsis

Mini phalaenopsis orchids deserve special attention: the varieties of this variety are very variable. These include Phalaenopsis Luddeman, Mini Mark and Phalaenopsis rosea. This group of dwarf orchids for home cultivation is united by an abundant and surprisingly long flowering period. These plants usually do not enter the dormant stage. The height of the peduncle can be about 30 cm, which is equal to the length of the leaves.

A real hit is the Mini Mark orchid, which belongs to the category of hybrid crops. The plant is distinguished by an orange-brown lip color and rich green leaves. The length of the plates varies from 10 to 15 cm. The attractiveness of this variety lies in the unusual color of the flowers themselves. The petals are literally strewn with unobtrusive specks of yellow, orange and pink.

Caring for the Mini Mark orchid at home is quite simple. The main thing to remember is that the plant is heat-loving. Ideal conditions for growing this variety are represented by a temperature range from +18 to +21 degrees. But the acceptable level is up to +32°C. Leading flower growers recommend creating conditions for the flower such that at night the temperature level drops by about 4 degrees compared to daytime. The plant is not picky about humidity levels.

Is a transplant necessary after purchase?

Mini orchids are often replanted after purchase, since not all gardeners can cope with keeping the culture in moss. If you decide to immediately carry out this procedure, it is recommended to use soil consisting of pure bark fractions. If you wait for the end of the store flowering, the necessary time may be missed and the plant will die. Some gardeners prefer a different option. They leave the plant in a “cushion” of moss. But in this case, you will need to strictly follow all the rules for caring for the crop.

Basic subtleties of caring for crops at home

Generally speaking, caring for a mini phalaenopsis orchid is quite simple. The main thing is to understand some rules. Dwarf culture needs sunlight, but it should be, although bright, diffused. Direct ultraviolet rays should not be allowed to hit the flower. Mini-orchids also need moderate temperature conditions.

Temperature conditions for mini orchids

Many gardeners are interested in how to care for a mini orchid and what needs to be done to ensure it blooms profusely. To begin with, it is recommended to achieve optimal conditions of detention. For this genus of plants they vary between 20-24 degrees Celsius.

The flowers of the crop may fall off if:

1. lighting is insufficient;
2. types of mini orchids are affected by frosty wind, draft, coolness;
3. the air temperature is set below normal by about 5 degrees.

The nuances of watering plants

It is equally important to properly organize watering of mini orchids, doing it according to all the rules. It all depends on the method of planting the plant and the temperature regime set in the room where the flower is kept. In any case, watering is done using a watering can. It is necessary to pour water into the substrate in a thin stream. It is recommended to carry it out carefully, gradually distributing it over the entire surface of the soil. When moisture forms in the pan, the irrigation procedure is completed.

The question of how to water a mini orchid correctly is very relevant among gardeners, but there is nothing complicated in this procedure. The same amount of liquid should be used each time for irrigation. The only relaxation may be in the summer, when there are some seasonal fluctuations. What are other features of caring for mini orchids at home?

During the procedure, you need to be careful and not allow water to get into the axils of the leaves and the growing point; if, due to carelessness, this does happen, the moisture should be immediately soaked with a dry cloth.

Humidity and fertilizing levels

When growing mini orchids at home, you should provide them with an optimal level of humidity in the room. Ideally, in a room this figure varies from 50 to 70%. For a young dwarf orchid this value may be slightly higher, and for an adult it may be lower.

Regardless of the origin of the mini orchid, the plant needs feeding. It is recommended to use them at intervals of 2-3 weeks. For dwarf flowers of this type, you should use special compounds that can be purchased in specialized stores. To carry out the procedure, the fertilizer should be dissolved in water. A pot with an orchid is immersed in the resulting composition. At the same time, the soil will be saturated with valuable and useful substances, which will later pass on to the root system of the flower.

About some problems in growing

When growing such a plant, gardeners may encounter several problems. So, the question often arises, why does the phalaenopsis mini orchid dry out with proper and systematic care? Usually this disease is associated with an excess of sunlight or waterlogging of the substrate. Wrinkling and darkening of leaf plates, on the contrary, indicates a lack of moisture.

If a mini orchid does not bloom, there may be several reasons. Every gardener will probably discover some flaws during the cultivation process. Lack of flowering is often associated with:

• lack of sunlight;
• the presence of drafts in the room;
• insufficient air humidity;
• an excess of fertilizers containing nitrogen.

Caring for flowers in glass

What should be the care for a mini orchid in glass, which also happens? The use of flowerpots made of such material is acceptable, but it has a number of features. In such a situation, the use of drainage is a prerequisite. It is poured onto the bottom of the flowerpot; the layer thickness should be at least 3 cm. An additional plastic container is fixed onto this “cushion”. It is in it that culture will be contained. Then water is poured into the pots, the level of which should be slightly above the drainage. But plastic containers should not be exposed to moisture. The attractiveness of this method of growing dwarf orchids is that the water constantly evaporates, creating an optimal level of humidity.

Reproduction of dwarf orchid

The process of propagation of dwarf orchids deserves special attention from flower growers. How does this happen in this type of plant? Usually the vegetative method is taken as the basis. In this case, a baby mini orchid is used, which is separated from the flower. When a new shoot appears, it is carefully removed. Then the planting material is immersed in a greenhouse that has been previously prepared. You need to spread wet sphagnum moss in it. Usually, to obtain a full-fledged adult shoot, you need to wait, this takes about 1 year.

Many gardeners are concerned about the question of how to properly replant a mini orchid after purchasing a flower. However, it is necessary to change the place of residence of the plant in subsequent periods. It is recommended to update the container every 2-3 years, since during this period the bark decomposes. The soil loses the necessary breathability properties.
The root system of the flower receives very little oxygen and nutrients, which can ultimately cause the death of the plant. A mini orchid is also replanted if the pot is full of roots.

Where is it recommended to start the process of changing the “place of residence” of a culture? First you need to prepare everything you need for the plant. For this reason, the question often arises as to which pot is best for a mini orchid. It is worth mentioning right away that a container that is too large and spacious is not needed. The container should be a little tight for the plant. This will ensure an optimal degree of soil breathability. The container should be transparent.

Subtleties of the process of transplanting mini orchids

When pots for mini orchids have been selected, you can proceed to the process of transplanting a dwarf orchid. It is recommended to start by removing the old substrate or moss. The root system of the crop must be thoroughly cleaned. To make it easier for the soil to move away from it, you need to immerse the flower in water for just a few minutes. When moisture saturates the moss or substrate, you need to carefully separate all excess from the roots.

When thinking about how to transplant a mini orchid correctly, you should pay attention to the condition of the root system. If some areas are affected by salinity, they should be removed. There is no need to direct aerial roots into a pot. As for the optimal transplant time, it can be anything. The flowering process is not a reason for refusing to change containers and substrate. When all the preliminary work has been completed, the dwarf orchid is immersed in a container and covered with new soil.

Many gardeners are interested in how a mini orchid is transplanted into a closed system and what features this process has. In this case, the container can be made not only of glass. Some gardeners successfully use plastic containers. The main feature of such pots is the absence of drainage holes. In this case, the soil will be represented not just by moss or bark. It will be necessary to create a multilayer system.

Growing dwarf orchids in a closed system is usually used to resuscitate and restore damaged plants that have damaged root systems.

Mini-orchids compare favorably with standard indoor orchids, which are familiar to many gardeners, not only in terms of the length of the peduncle, but also in the size of the flower. There are currently a great variety of main types of miniature indoor orchids. Some of them resemble ordinary indoor violets in height.

general characteristics

This group of orchids includes epiphytes that grow in the tropical forests of the equator, as well as lithophytes that naturally live on rocks. Such plants become decorations for decorating various camellias and malachite boxes.

Amateur gardeners are partial to miniature plants and love mini-orchids for their inherent compactness, as well as abundant and long-lasting flowering. In addition, the babies are distinguished by their bright colors and ease of care. However, one should take into account the fact that many of these indoor plants require special conditions that should be created for normal existence in a living space.

Varieties and description

The following varieties and types are especially popular among flower growers in our country:

Ascocendes

They are hybrids of “Ascocentrum” and orchids from the genus “Vanda”. Such types of plants for indoor growing are represented by “Ascocentrum” and “Ascocenda”, which are characterized by long and frequent flowering. Flowers can be monochromatic or bicolor. There are varieties with a uniform appearance of mottling on the petals. The flowers are collected in racemes, and the leaves range in length from 4 cm to 15 cm.

Dendrobiums

Among the existing mini-orchids with a height of up to 18 cm, the variety "Moniliforme". Its height does not exceed 15 cm. The color of the flowers is white and pink. The flowers have a pleasant and delicate aroma. The popularity of the variety is due to its absolute unpretentiousness and fairly simple care.

Cattleya

Among the most popular mini-varieties, a low-growing variety is of particular interest for home cultivation. "Walker". The flowers reach 8 cm in diameter, and the rounded and long leaves do not exceed 10 cm in length.

Phalaenopsis

Mini-varieties are characterized by long and abundant flowering periods. Mini-"Phalaenopsis" do not enter the dormant stage. The leaves are no more than 30 cm long, and the peduncle can be about 30 cm high. The category of the most common “Phalaenopsis” includes "Mini Mark" "Phalaenopsis pink" And "Luddemann's Phalaenopsis".

Oncidium

Among the most famous mini-varieties among gardeners, they have proven themselves well for growing at home. "Oncidium sinuous". The bulb of the plant has bright green leaves with a length of no more than 15 cm. The flowers are medium in size, and their diameter is 3 cm. The panicle inflorescences look very impressive.

Cymbidiums

Mini-plants of this type are easy to grow at home. According to external data, such a plant is characterized by grace and has a hanging peduncle, which is framed by long and narrow leaves. Flower colors are pink, yellow, cream and white. The diameter does not exceed 5 cm. There is a subtle and pleasant aroma.

Often mini-varieties have leaf colors reminiscent of malachite. This unusual malachite shade perfectly emphasizes all the beauty and grace of the bright flowers of an indoor miniature orchid. These plants should be transported carefully and care should be taken that the small and rather fragile stem does not break.

How to care for a mini-orchid "Phalaenopsis" (video)

Features of cultivation

Growing mini-plants belonging to the orchid species is not very difficult. As a rule, even beginners and amateur gardeners can grow such plants at home. To avoid problems with the plant and minimize the risk of death of the orchid, the following rules should be followed:

• Transplantation is carried out only after the plant has already bloomed.
• Planting soil must be of the highest quality and match the type of plant being grown.
• Since various types of orchid indoor plants have significant differences in their growth and development cycles, their care is completely different. In care and growing technology, you should focus on classic, standard-sized and similar types of indoor orchids.
• Miniature indoor flowers are very responsive to proper care and are rarely affected by all kinds of pests and pathogenic microorganisms.

Rules of care

The rules and requirements for caring for mini-orchids are similar to those for standard types of indoor orchids. Particular attention should be paid to watering the plants. For irrigation, you can use ordinary tap, settled water, which is 4 °C higher than room temperature. To soften it is recommended to add acid. But at the same time it is necessary to regulate the acidity of the substrate.

Excess lime is reduced with a piece of peat, which must be immersed in water for irrigation for several days. A good result is obtained by watering the orchid with boiled water, which has been left to settle for two days. You can use rain, snow, or melt water.

Mini-orchids are also responsive to immersing a flower pot in a basin or other large container with water. With excessive and frequent watering, even during the growing season, the root system of the plant can rot and the plant die.

You should also read the material in the article in which we talk.

How to replant a mini-orchid (video)

Along with indoor miniature orchids, it is good to plant small species of ornamental plants, which can be represented by moss, selaginella, biophytums, helxina, clover and oxalis. Such plants will not only serve as decoration for a flower pot and basket, but will also help create a special microclimate that is beneficial for the orchid. These variants of companion plants consume excess moisture and serve as a kind of indicator for watering.