Bletilla

Bletilla: a description of the orchid

Garden orchid Bletilla: flower photo

In general, the orchid is considered one of the most delicate and graceful flowers that exist in nature. It can grow well in natural, natural conditions, and can also grow in pots on windowsills, in personal plots, in a single planting, or become part of an incredibly attractive group planting, a whole flower bed. In this article we will tell you in more detail what the Bletilla garden orchid is. We will also mention how to properly organize the care of a plant, outline some significant rules for planting a plant and some other nuances and aspects of cultivating bletilla in modern conditions.

It is also worth immediately emphasizing that many types of orchids that grow in natural and even wild conditions have long been listed in the Red Book and are considered endangered species. In nature, Bletilla is not so often met on its way, so the plant is really appreciated as part of home and room, backyard and garden planting. The article will be useful not only for gardeners and florists without experience, but also for those who already have experience in cultivating orchids, but they are still aimed at finding new and interesting species, varieties and plantings.

Garden orchid Bletilla: flower photo

Bletilla (garden orchid) is a herbaceous and very bright flowering plant that includes about ten varieties. China and Japan are considered the birthplace of Bletilla, and at the same time, in general, the plants quickly spread to other territories, which made them incredibly popular and in demand. It is in Japan and China that the plant is most often found in the wild, natural habitat for itself, especially in mountainous and wooded areas, where orchids feel best.

In height, the Bletilla orchid bush can reach about seventy centimeters, the leaves are lanceolate, sometimes there are species with folded leaves that are pointed at the ends. The length of the leaves can be different - in some plants it can be twenty centimeters, and in some it reaches thirty centimeters. At about the very end of the spring period or at the beginning of summer, flower stalks appear from the false leaves formed. One bush can have from five to 12 peduncles, it all depends solely on the variety and type of Bletilla. At the tips, incredibly attractive and beautiful flowers then open, which just become the most important decoration of the planting, and due to which orchids are so appreciated among gardeners. The color of the flowers can be different, and it mainly depends on what type and variety the orchid belongs to. Orchids are usually found whose flowers are painted in lilac, pink, lilac, snow-white or yellow shades. There are also delicate orchids with creamy flowers that have a prominent three-lobed lip - the most important feature of orchids, which just distinguishes them from all other plantings and flower crops.

The pseudobulbs of the plant are slightly flattened, they can be located either protruding above the ground, or they can completely hide in the ground. Sometimes they can be round in shape, here also a lot depends solely on what type and to what variety this plant belongs. As a rule, if a gardener has decided to grow an orchid at home, then not every species or variety is suitable for this.Experienced gardeners recommend planting only one type of orchid at home - striped bletilla. In other words, gardeners and florists also call it the hyacinth orchid. Sometimes brown-yellow bletilla is cultivated, but it is much less common, and in general, not everyone is ready to grow it, since the plant is quite whimsical to care for, it can be very capricious, so it is still recommended to weigh your capabilities and understand whether the gardener will be able to grow this kind of orchid in indoor conditions.

If we talk about the color of the most common orchid at home, then usually hyacinth orchids can be purple or pink with a purple tint. The culture also takes root well in a winter garden, can grow and develop normally in open ground and in greenhouses. Some gardeners generally grow an orchid in small pots right on the windowsills, while observing some agrotechnical rules and requirements for the plant to feel as comfortable as possible. Thanks to the care and support of the gardener, the orchid just reveals its decorative features and characteristics, so that the florist always has a rather serious and big responsibility.

Bletilla: planting orchids and reproduction

Garden orchid Bletilla: flower photo

Of course, the question arises of how to properly plant the Bletilla garden orchid, and what rules in this process are necessary for compliance. In general, if you plant an orchid in an open area, then it is necessary to do it where winter is not characterized by anger or severity. Bletilla generally survives well without additional insulation, especially if the air temperature in the region does not drop below four degrees. If the winter is harsh, then the plant is best protected. To do this, you can insulate it with various materials, agrofibre, spruce branches. Or you can simply dig it up and move it to a warm and dry place exactly until spring comes and the weather stabilizes. Gardeners usually use this method if they have enough time to carry out everything they have planned, and if they do not neglect the rules for caring for orchids on their site. A garden orchid is a special flower that can not be often found on a personal plot, although this fact does not make it unattractive or unclaimed by modern flower growers. Seedlings must be purchased in nurseries, and you can also use the services of professional gardeners, because this increases the chances that the plant is already prepared for the conditions of future planting, and that some necessary caring activities and procedures have already been carried out with it.

With regard to the soil composition, the Bletilla orchid is completely unpretentious, it can grow equally well in acidic and neutral soil, and can also grow either in self-prepared soil, or in a substrate that is sold in gardening stores. But if, nevertheless, the gardener is aimed at ensuring that the culture demonstrates all its decorative potential, blooms perfectly and magnificently, then it is best to plant garden orchids in alkaline soil. In order to make the ideal mixture for planting bletilla, mix lime and sand, humus and turf in equal proportions to obtain a uniform soil mixture. In terms of its properties and composition, such a soil is perhaps the most suitable and favorable, and for planting in pots or containers, a ready-made substrate is also ideal, which is just intended for planting garden orchids.

Bletilla is a very delicate and graceful flower, prefers to grow in partial shade, since direct sunlight can cause burns to the plant and noticeably spoil its external characteristics.If the orchid is planted in an open area, then it is recommended to choose areas where strong winds or drafts are not felt, as well as places where a shadow can form at noon, which will just protect the plant from direct sunlight and, accordingly, from negative effects. Tubers should not be planted under awnings, and there is also no point in planting orchids in areas where sunlight does not penetrate at all, since in this case the plant will generally refuse to show growth or development trends, will lose its decorative features and features, and become very weak and practically inconspicuous ... So it is worth finding a middle ground - the site should be lit in the morning and evening hours, during the day it should be in partial shade, should not be too much ventilated (especially if we are talking about drafts). If we talk about the cardinal points, then the southwest and southeast sides are perfect for landing. If you plant flowers on the south side, then it is worth creating additional shelters and screens for them that will shade the plants on especially hot and sultry days, then the plantings will be protected from negative influences.

Of course, there are also several basic rules for planting a plant, which should be followed in order to get a decent planting and a decorative orchid flower bed. Among the landing rules for Bletilla, the following stand out:

• the tubers are recommended to be planted immediately after they have been purchased. Usually the planting time is set at the end of spring, when the frost recedes and the plant is completely safe. Also, at the end of spring, the risk of recurrent frosts is reduced, which also plays a very important role in the growth and development of culture.
• there are also some more experienced gardeners who recommend mulching the soil before planting an orchid. This advice is significant enough, but at the same time it is not necessary to follow it, since the orchid can feel quite comfortable without mulch
• the soil must be prepared in advance, and also moistened to 50-60%. A small depression is made in it, which is from five to seven centimeters, planting material is placed in it (or rather, a straightened root system), and then carefully sprinkled with soil. Between the bushes in group plantings, it is recommended to leave a distance of 15 to 20 centimeters, no less, since the plants should feel comfortable, should not touch each other when growing, and should in no case shade each other, since such a form of shading can lead to the fact that orchids generally lose their decorative features and characteristics, become faceless, pale, the quality of flowering will noticeably decrease. When the flower is just sent to the soil, it is worth watering it very carefully, the water for this must be settled, at room temperature. After all such procedures, it is recommended to leave the flower alone, so that it adapts and takes root in the new conditions, and so that there are no difficulties if the gardener suddenly begins to interfere with the general condition of the plant.

Bletilla Orchid is a flower that has its own character. At the same time, they are not too capricious or finicky, so it is worth following the most elementary rules for caring for a plant, and then the result in the form of a magnificent, bright and aesthetic flowering will not be long in coming. In summer, at high air temperatures, it is worth watering the bushes in such a way that between waterings the soil dries out by 60%, no more. The most important thing for a grower to follow in this case is to prevent stagnation of moisture in the soil, as this can negatively affect the root system of the plant - it will begin to rot, various harmful bacteria will begin to develop in it and, as a result , very soon the plant will get sick and die, and it will be impossible to save it. The flower also does not tolerate dry periods in the best way, but it can still survive in drought, if we compare the consequences for the plant itself with the consequences that can be after waterlogging and waterlogging of the soil.

When rainy periods come, it is better to significantly reduce irrigation, they should not be so frequent, because natural precipitation makes up for a lot. In winter, watering stops altogether, since the plant is in a state of complete dormancy, and any intervention can only cause some harm. You can mulch the soil from time to time, as well as remove weeds, which do not always have a good effect on plantings. In addition, weeds can provoke the development of various diseases, which is also extremely undesirable for plants. Weeding should be carried out very carefully, because the root system of the orchid is located very close to the soil surface, and because of this it is easier than ever to damage it. Mechanical damage to the roots leads to the fact that the plant begins to slow down in growth and development and, accordingly, this will affect the external decorative features of the plant. It is also important to remember the rule: when watering, in no case should moisture be allowed to get on the deciduous part or on the flowers, because otherwise they will be damaged, the sun can burn them even more, even if the weather is not hot at all.

In order to obtain a healthy, complete and attractive culture that will have abundant and lush flowering, special attention should be paid to the question of feeding the culture. When the weather is warm, standard, universal fertilizers are applied to the soil. You can also use special fertilizers that are just designed for the treatment of orchids. Dilution of fertilizers is carried out in accordance with the instructions, since if something is done wrong, this can lead to the plant receiving the wrong amount of substances, and this will only cause even more damage to the orchid. As for the frequency of dressings, they should usually be carried out once every three weeks, but at the same time focusing on the general state of the planting, on its age and stage of development. When autumn comes, feeding is reduced, and then completely stopped. It is worth resuming fertilization already with the onset of spring, just at this time the plant will begin to wake up gradually, it will need to be supported after a long and harsh winter.

If the Bletilla orchid grows in a region where winters are too long and harsh, then it is better not to plant orchids in such areas in open ground and space at all - it will freeze and die. If in the region the minimum air temperature is about -10 degrees, then in this place the orchid will be able to take root, but nevertheless it is better to additionally insulate the root system for the winter, otherwise there is a high probability of freezing, and this, in turn, will lead to the fact that the plant will lose its decorative features and characteristics. Flowering can become very poor and pale, and the orchid itself will become completely unattractive. By the end of September, it is necessary to cut the orchid almost at the root, and an insulating layer is installed on top. It consists of hay and dry leaves, as well as sawdust and cardboard, needles, which perfectly retain heat in plantings, making them stronger and more resilient. Plants should be opened only when the temperature at night does not drop below zero degrees. If the frost is delayed, then it is best to keep the orchids under cover, and if you do not open them in time, then the plantings can freeze and die.

There are some pests that can wreak havoc on the Blethille garden orchid. Among them, snails and slugs are especially distinguished. But at the same time, it is quite easy to deal with them, it is enough to use special means and preparations, which are based on metaldehyde. Periodically, Bletilla orchids can also be attacked by aphids, specially purchased drugs can be used against it, which are excellent, but you should be careful with them, because first of all these drugs are poisons that can cause too much damage to human health. In general, the orchid differs in that it is quite resistant to attacks from parasites, so that it is not so often exposed to them.If we talk about diseases, then they develop from the fact that the plant can be excessively waterlogged, because of this, diseases such as black rot and gray rot develop. In order for the plant to recover faster, it is recommended to reduce watering and treat the orchid with fungicides. In this case, it is highly likely that after a short amount of time the plant will return to its original state, feel great, and generally recover.

Bletilla orchids usually propagate with seeds. But at the same time, many gardeners say that reproduction with the help of seed is a very painstaking and lengthy process, so not every gardener has enough strength and patience. It is easier to propagate orchids at home by dividing adult mother bushes.

Garden orchid Bletilla: flower photo

In the spring, a more mature bush should be examined for several new pseudobulbs. They are carefully separated and planted separately. First, planting is carried out in a closed space - in boxes or containers, and the environment must be stable and warm so that the plant feels comfortable. When the very first shoots appear, the bushes are already planted in open ground, they can quite successfully adapt in it, it is important just to periodically examine them and monitor their general condition.

Garden orchid Bletilla: flower care

Breeders and more experienced gardeners give some tips and tricks that are exactly related to how best to grow the Bletilla orchid, and what rules should be followed in order to get a complete and excellent plant. Among the main tips, it is worth highlighting such as:

• it is strictly forbidden to spray a flower, as it absolutely does not tolerate dampness in this form, and its decorative properties are guaranteed to be lost from this, especially if the gardener abuses such procedures
• Bletilla orchid is very negative about sudden temperature changes, and therefore, if suddenly the climate is not stable, then it is best not to plant the plant in open ground, but place it either in greenhouse conditions, or simply in some room where the orchid will feel much calmer and more comfortable. It is important to remember that a lot depends on the location of the plant, so this aspect should be taken with all care and responsibility.
• if the Bletilla orchid is located in the sun, in direct sunlight, then this can lead to the fact that the leaves of the plant begin to turn very yellow, become covered with yellow or brown spots, which will speak of only one thing - a burn has occurred
• if the gardener noticed that the bush has withered or began to wither, then this may just indicate that the gardener is too abusing moisturizing procedures in the care, and moisture has accumulated in the soil, has reached the root system
• if the plant, on the contrary, does not have enough moisture, then it will begin to lower the leaves, and this will just say that it is necessary to bring in moisture so that the Bletilla garden orchid begins to feel more vigorous and better
• if the plant is located in full shade, then it will not show any tendencies in growth and development at all, so in order to obtain a result, it is worth changing the location of the plant as a whole
• if the Bletilla orchid is located in a pot, then it should be transplanted, which should be assigned annually, preferably in the spring.