The orchid has become a very fashionable plant in our homes. Let’s see how to care for its leaves.
A plant of tropical origin, the orchid is not always able to grow well without knowing the right tricks.
Orchid – a fashionable plant
The orchid plant is increasingly a popular gift for many occasions. This is why our homes are populated with these exotic and beautiful plants, which we often fail to take care of . Orchids, although they don’t require a lot of water, do need some precautions to grow healthy and well.
Their state of health can be recognized especially by the appearance of the orchid leaves, which must be shiny, beautifully bright green and fleshy.
How to have healthy and strong leaves
In order for orchid leaves to be healthy and strong, they should be cleaned with a certain periodicity. In fact, as with all surfaces, thick layers of dust can form on its leaves . If the dust remained on the orchid leaf for a long time, it could lead to diseases, although not visible to the naked eye, it could even attract lice. The most common parasite for the orchid remains cochineal. Diseases and parasites can cause the plant to die quickly, for no apparent reason.
There is an easy method to quickly and effectively clean the leaves of your orchid: use wet wipes , which are used when changing newborn babies. Make sure to buy ones that contain as few chemicals, perfumes and more as possible. Disinfectant wipes used, for example, to clean parts of the bathroom are not recommended because not only are they too fragrant, but they can be too rich in chemicals.
Using wipes not only removes the dust from the leaves, but the leaves immediately appear shinier . Alternatively, you can use a solution made up of water, a few drops of lemon and some moisturizing oil such as almond oil. This solution must be transferred over the leaves using a cloth.
To keep the leaves healthy, they must be dusted and cleaned both above and below at least once every two weeks .
In addition to cleaning, another important measure to ensure that the leaves are many, green and plump is that they receive a lot of light for most of the day . We are not necessarily talking about direct, but indirect light, better when it is shielded by a curtain. Contrary to popular belief, orchids actually get most of their light from their leaves and not their roots. Be careful though. Direct sun, especially in summer, can cause yellowing of the leaves. The optimum temperature is actually between 18 and 29 degrees.
