Add some to the edges of the pot, and then gently transfer your orchid into the resulting hollow. Sterilize a sharp knife or razor blade with rubbing alcohol. I have to begin removing blight-infected leaves from the toms (and perhaps also from eggplants). Carefully remove the old potting mix from around the orchid roots. Prepare the orchid pots. Soak Your Potting Mix On the day of repotting, gather all your materials together. Once the orchid comes out, separate the roots to remove the old growing medium. Gently un-pot your orchid. One freshly sterilized scissors per plant. – Seal the cut with powdered cinnamon to prevent fungal disease. Fill the pot with the potting mixture till the part over the stem or the rhizome. To clean orchid leaves, you can use a damp cloth to wipe them down. The FDA has approved it as a safe antimicrobial agent. Sterilize a pair of scissors/pruners with Hydrogen peroxide 3% and snip off the bad roots one by one. Wash all the debris from the roots and stem. Let the roots dry overnight. Soak the roots to remove more dirt and make the roots flexible; Add some new orchid mix in the new pot so the orchid growth will be level with the rim. Give your plant a clean cut by removing the old stems. I clean the new pot if some chemicals or substances may have adhered to the pot’s wall. If you want to keep your orchids for a longer period of time, you can keep them in an airtight container with a tight fitting lid. Using a 10% bleach solution to disinfect and sterilize your gardening tools is both easy and inexpensive. Cut the air roots clean. Set up a separate pot for every single newly sprouted pseudobulb with a live eye. Crown rot. It will not only make your Orchid plant clean and fresh but will also increase the vitality and long life of the plant. Removing the Orchid from Its Old Pot. It does not matter which technique you use to trim your Orchid. Hydrogen peroxide is an orchid-safe disinfectant. Trim the roots using a pair of heavy garden scissors. If you have a healthy orchid with at least four leaves on its pseudobulb and a keiki growing from its axil, you can easily propagate it. Because it does remove microbes from the surfaces of instruments, Hydrogen peroxide is safe to use when sterilizing scissors, razor blades, or other pruning material for orchids. Step 2: Scissors or knife. Pour a small amount of liquid disinfectant into the bowl or cup. Sterilize your scissors or pruning blades. Step 4: After all the rubbing alcohol is removed from the blade, turn on your stove and run the knife through the fire for 10 seconds. Take the orchid out of its pot. And not just that; it’s also important to sterilize the scissors/knives/ pruners when you use them on your orchids. Always sterilize before and after use. Same with pots if you reuse them; give them a good wash with hot water and soap before using them again. Rinse well with clean water. All you need is a 3 or 5-gallon bucket, water and bleach. The leaves of the orchid should be level with the top of the pot. STEP 3. Trim off any bad roots with sterilized scissors. The remedy for dehydrated orchids is simply watering my orchids. Cut the Stems from the Base. This will keep the air out and the humidity in. How do you sterilize orchid bark? Rinse them with lukewarm water. Wait till the mixture cools down to room temperature, then drain it. Place the Orchid in the New Pre-Cleaned Pot or Old Pot. Remove any dead leaves and roots A plastic bucket. Rinse the roots with lukewarm water. Despite reblooming orchids or encouraging new root growth, you will be doing the following actions to care for an orchid after the booms have fallen off: -Cut the flower spike back. First, tip a bit of your potting mixture into the pot, until it is about a third to halfway full. Fill the new planter with the soaked potting medium and place the plant so that the base is right at the top of the medium. Pour some hot water into the pot and add some dishwashing soap. This properly sterilizes your tool and makes it … Add a little portion of the potting mix to … You can clean the scissors with very hot water and soap, rubbing alcohol, or bleach solution. When the roots are exposed, cut away the dead roots with a pair of sharp scissors or a knife. Drain the materials and then transfer them to the orchid pots after they have cooled. Pieces of terracota or styrofoam peanuts. So be sure to cut the damaged leaf at the base, or the point where it joins the rest of the plant. However, if you prefer a complete new stem, shooting from the base of the plant, cut as low into the stem as possible without damaging the leaves or roots. Boiling water may work too, but could rust metal tools if you’re not careful, and using a flame may blacken the tool. 3 Main Reasons Why Orchid Leaves Droop. Check the roots for signs of rot and discoloration. The root system should be at least 2-3 cm long. Check to see that the orchid is clean and debris-free. before moving on to Continue Reading. I also spray them with Hydrogen Peroxide 3%, but that’s optional. how to sterilize bark for orchids . Effective and cost-efficient is a simple water and hydrogen peroxide solution that you can mix at home as you need it. How to Disinfect Orchid Cutting Tools - Just Add Ice Orchids You can easily soak your scissors/pruning shears in a 50% solution of bleach too. Make sure you trim the air roots right close to the stem and make sure you don’t harm the stem. Orchids are prone to disease, so clean your scissors with a mixture of bleach and water. Before using the scissors, sterilize it by wiping it with some rubbing alcohol. As old and dead stems are removed, the plant will be focused more on developing new stems and growing new spikes. Mix rubbing alcohol with a few drops of liquid dish soap in a spray bottle and spray the leaves to damage the pests, similar to insecticidal soap. First, fill 1/3 of your container with water and then fill the rest of it with pebbles. I can tell that my orchids are dehydrated if I spot dry media. Orchids love a snug fit for pots, and if the pot is new, I find it helpful to use a 1-2 inches larger pot. Then, spray the roots with 3% hydrogen peroxide. When repotting an orchid, just let the aerial roots be as they are. There’s no need to stick them inside the pot with the other roots. If the orchid is very root bound Gently Squeeze the sides of the pot to encourage the roots to release. In the case when the bark is needed immediately, the processing is carried out immediately after sorting. The lower 1/3 of the bulbs should be below the planting medium, and the medium should be about 3/4″ below the rim of the pot. Use sharp scissors (that have been sterilized) to cut off any brown or rotting roots. Remember that exposing the plant to open wounds could introduce fungal diseases. Using a clean pot, add your pre-moistened commercial orchid bark mix to allow for proper drainage so that excess water can flow out. You can do this with a 10% bleach solution and allow the tools to air dry. In the winter, reduce the water level to 1/4 th of the container. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice into a bowl. Orchids are sensitive to germs and bacteria. Put the orchid in a clean pot. This can be done under a lightly-running faucet. .Be sure to rinse the leaves thoroughly afterwards to remove … Use aluminum foil or sterile cotton gauze (easily available at the med store) to wrap the scissors. Snap the stick, you’re glowing. Step Seven: Plant Your Orchid Again. You can use one pair on the first orchid and after you are done with that orchid, put those gardening shears to soak in the disinfecting solution of your choice. Then, while the first pair of gardening shears is being disinfected, you can use the second pair of gardening shears to prune the second orchid. Close the beaker with a cotton or foam stopper. Wash the leaves with soapy water to remove and damage the pests. Fill the pot and place the plant. Choose the ideal orchid to grow hydroponically. (Not everyone likes harsh chemicals) 1) Sterilize scissors. (1/2 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of water is a good ratio for cleaning gardening tools and equipment). If you have a stem that needs to be removed before placing it in the fridge, cut it off just below the stem with sharp scissors. After the orchid is out of its pot, use your fingers and a clean pair of scissors to clean up the roots. Soak it properly and rub it on your blades. Orchid pot. Check out Methods for dying orchids blue at home and Dyed Orchid Care. While your orchid is out of the pot and free of any medium, it is time to check for decay. The water shouldn’t be so hot that it can scald your hands. The aim is to remove … 1. Make sure that you can make way for rising steam at the bottom and top so don’t completely close the wraps. Use a bleach solution or rubbing alcohol to sterilize scissors. There are approximately 30,000 species of orchids, and tens of thousands more human-made hybrids. Be sure the soil is tight and firm around the bulbs. Should you see any dead or rotten roots, use clean scissors to clip them off. Then, cut below the keiki where the roots meet the parent plant. Step 3: Clean up the roots. Not only do sterilized tools and hands help keep orchids healthy, … You can also carefully deadhead the plant, however, spent flowers may just fall on their own. – Make a cut about 1 or 2 inches above the base of the orchid’s stem using a sterile knife or scissors. Leave a few centimetres of roots as an anchor for the plant in its new pot. Choose an ideal bowl. You can do this by digging around the base of the orchid plant with a pencil or knife to loosen the root ball. Dip the cloth into the disinfectant and squeeze out any excess liquid. Instructions: First, sanitize. But sterilization of pruning scissors is very important. Again, be very careful to not clip away any healthy roots — repotting orchids does not need to be a traumatic experience! Prep Work. 2) … If some of the growing medium clings to the roots, do not worry. Step 2: Cut Off the Dead Roots. It’s also important that you don’t just cut your plant anywhere, since it might damage your orchid plant further. It’s important to always remember to sterilize the scissors/pruners before AND after using them to cut orchids. Most gardeners know that it is important to disinfect pruning tools (pruning shears, saws, loppers, etc.) When water gets into the crown of the orchid’s root system, it can lead to a severe problem called crown rot. If scissors or pruning shears are contaminated then, there is a chance of the spread of viral diseases during the pruning process. Sterilize your scissors or your knife before cutting off dead roots. Prune mature orchids once a year during their dormancy period, after the blooms have faded. Garden Myth: Sterilizing Pruning Tools with Bleach. Use a scouring pad and the soapy water to scrub the insides of the pot. (3 to 4 layers at least) Wrap the scissors in an open position so the steam can penetrate all surfaces. At some point, you’ll want to sterilize it with dilute bleach and with hydrogen peroxide. Leave healthy white or green roots. Spread the orchid on a mesh screen to fit evenly in the dehydrator. Handle the air roots with caution while managing them inside or outside the pot. Let the plant air-dry for a few hours before repotting it in fresh potting medium. Under Watering the Orchid. Take this chance to tidy the plant up by removing old, dead leaf bracts, dead flower stems and trimming damaged leaves. Sterilize both your shears and the new pot in a diluted solution of 5% bleach and water to kill any harmful bacteria. Setup: Work with at least 2 scissors; one scissors will stand in sterilizer solution while I work with the other scissors. ... My moth orchid has had blooms for 11 of the 12 months of this year, absolutely incredible that a little plant can bloom so long. -Add fertilizer. Carefully remove the orchid from its old pot, releasing it root by root. It is as effective as rubbing/isopropyl alcohol, and probably more effective. Using your sharp, sterilized scissors, clip off any roots that are brown, blackened, or mushy. Using clean scissors or a knife, cut the top portion of the stem back to one inch above a node to encourage a new stem section and more blooms. Wash your working surface with a clean cloth and the bleach solution to sanitize it. 7. Remove the old potting medium. Place it in a warm location in bright, filtered light for at least six hours per day or under a grow light for 14 to 16 hours daily. Remember to wash your hands before handling the roots too to avoid the same issue. McKesson Antiseptic Hydrogen Peroxide 3% is a no-nonsense product that, when diluted in water, effectively sterilizes snipped orchid roots before replanting. The next step is to cut off the dead roots of your orchid plant. This is my favorite method for sterilizing orchid pots and repotting tools when I repot my orchids. Soak them for 10 minutes, then wash thoroughly with sterile water and let dry out of direct sunlight on some paper towels -- do not use cotton balls as this will introduce fungus into their environment too early. Then, lift the scissors out and rinse with a damp cloth. The pathogens and insects in the plant will be killed by doing this. Wipe dry with a clean towel. While you are sterilizing your orchid pot (s), you should also take this opportunity to sterilize your gardening scissors and any other tools you may be using. Use Rubbing Alcohol: Wipe the blades with a cotton ball saturated with rubbing alcohol. Monitor the seeds as they develop into protocorms, which are the tiny seedlings. Place the orchid roots inside and backfill the container with new soil Trim off decay and repack the roots. Resting. Put the orchid bark in a container and pour boiling water over it. Step 4: Place the orchid in its new pot. And to end this article, hydrogen peroxide is also used in glow sticks. -Move your orchid to an area with cooler temperatures. For more detailed instructions on how to use the above methods, check out this post. -Check for repotting time. Clean out all the bad (dry/soggy) roots once you’ve gotten to inspect them. Check all around the roots of the orchid. Examine the roots. Place the orchid in the pot so that the new growth is level with the top of the pot. Water the orchid. Use the tweezers or your fingers to clean out the old bits from deep in the roots. rceremi Says: If the leaves are dirty or covered in dust, you can use a small amount of dish soap on the cloth to help remove the dirt. Step 1: Carefully remove the orchids from their pot, making sure that you don’t damage them. This can be done two ways: Put the solution into your reservoir and run it through the towers and the system*, or.