What should be the roots of a healthy orchid or how to care for a flower at home?

It is known that the roots in the life of any plant play an extremely important role. Orchid is no exception.

However, plants of the orchid family are very peculiar and significantly differ in structure from those plants to which we are accustomed.

This is important to know and consider when caring for a flower.

In this article, we will look at how healthy orchid roots look and what problems can be.

Root system

We all know from school biology that roots serve to absorb water and nutrients from the soil. But how exactly do the roots do this? Let's take a closer look at the whole scheme of this process.

Absorption by the roots of water works on the osmotic principle. Osmosis is a mechanism by which water molecules move from a zone of high concentration (e.g., moist soil) to a zone of low concentration (plant root). Molecules move through easily permeable cell membranes.

The osmotic process occurs in the upper layer of the root, which is called rhizoderma. It is he who is responsible for the absorption of moisture. In most plants, for greater process efficiency, the roots are covered with microscopic root hairs.

Next, water and nutrients must enter other parts of the plant. The so-called axial cylinder is responsible for this - the root core, which consists of educational and conductive tissues and is responsible for transporting moisture to all other organs of the plant.

Before water absorbed by the rhizoderm enters the tissue of the axial cylinder, it is "filtered" through the exoderm - a protective layer formed from the dead cells of the rhizoderm.

This is a simplified diagram of the structure of the root of a typical plant. What should be the roots of a healthy flower from the orchid family, then we will deal with this?

Features

The type of root orchid system is somewhat different - this is due to the specific lifestyle of these plants.

1. Most orchid species do not root in the soil. They grow on stones or other plants that serve as their “supports”, and many varieties with long stems also wrap themselves around trunks and branches. You can find out why orchid roots grow up and why this happens here.
2. Since they do not take root in the soil, their feeding method is different - they receive moisture from the air (in tropical and subtropical forests - in the motherland of orchids - rains and fogs are common), and nutrients are extracted from litter (leaves, bark, humus ) In this case, part of the roots “burrows” into the substrate, and part remains on the surface, “engaged” in trapping moisture and often photosynthesis.That's right - the roots of most orchids are capable of photosynthesis and can act as leaves!

For these reasons, orchid roots do not need a developed rhizoderm with root hairs. Instead of her the root surface is covered with a special fabric - velamen. Strictly speaking, this is the same rhizoderm, only its cells are not living, but keratinized; velamena fabric is porous and resembles a sponge.

However, dead cells are not suitable for osmosis.

Photo

Below you can see in the photo how healthy roots from the orchid family look like:

How to get moisture?

This process is very interesting, and it is worth considering the points:

• during rain or fog, water enters the root surface and the dry membranes of velamen cells swell;
• on the inner walls of the cavities of velamen lamellas are formed - water strips;
• lamellas gradually merge under the action of gravity and surface tension;
• large "drops" are drawn inward and displace air.

From the cavities of velamen, water enters the exoderm. The exoderm of orchids is also unusual: it does not consist entirely of dead tissue, but has sections of living cells, the so-called "passage". "Skip" cells and deliver water to the axial cylinder.

Why is the roots of orchids so unusual and, at first glance, impractical velamen layer?

1. In most species, it has a lot of thickness and density, and protects the root from external influences.
2. Mushrooms and microalgae settle in velamen cavities, helping the plant process salts of phosphorus, potassium and other useful substances.

Reference! In a normal, dry state, the orchid root has a white-silver color, and when moistened (for example, immediately after watering) it becomes bright green. This occurs because when moistened, the velamen layer becomes translucent, and through it you can see the exoderm with chloroplasts.

How to care at home?

If an orchid appears in your home, you should know that it The root system requires special care:

1. The first thing to remember is that it’s not without reason that the roots of orchids are called “airy”. They vitally need air circulation.

   Therefore, in no case should you plant an orchid in dense soil, and even more so in ordinary soil - its roots will suffocate in the literal sense of the word. The soil should be moderately loose, and holes should be made in the walls of the pot.

2. If the orchid is planted in too dense soil, a velamen layer will not form on its roots. Accordingly, the normal way for the plant to absorb moisture becomes impossible. Watering an orchid in such conditions is virtually useless - no matter how much water you pour, the plant simply cannot absorb it. Water will stagnate in the pot, which naturally leads to rotting of the roots.

   Many gardeners say that in the case of an orchid it is much safer to underfill than to overfill - and this is quite justified, since in nature the roots of these plants are not used to being in constantly moist soil, and when the irrigation regime is violated, they quickly die. To avoid such an outcome, after each watering, the soil must be left to dry. Depending on the type of orchid and the properties of the substrate, this can take from two days to two weeks.

   Reference! For aerial roots, normal watering is of little use, so most often orchids are moistened by immersing the pot with the plant in warm water for about half an hour. This method of watering is much closer to the natural conditions in which the plant receives moisture.
3. Aerial roots are very fragile and easily injured. Therefore, if there is a need for a plant transplant, this should be done extremely carefully.

4. Do not forget that in most orchids, the roots are capable of photosynthesis. If you deprive them of sunlight, the plant will begin to weaken and hurt. Therefore, the orchid must be planted in a transparent pot.

Diseases and their treatment

An orchid is an exotic flower, and therefore, unfortunately, in unusual conditions for it, it easily becomes ill. AND most often problems arise precisely with the roots.

The main types of problems are rotting and drying out of the roots.

1. The roots of orchids in the vast majority of cases begin to rot due to improper watering. Many beginning gardeners make the mistake of watering the orchid too abundantly, because of which the water in the pot stagnates, and rot begins.

   However, in nature, orchids live in conditions of periodic changes in humidity and in the process of evolution have developed many effective protection mechanisms against drying out. Therefore, constant watering they do not need. Moreover, artificially arranged "periods of drought" stimulate the development of peduncles (for details on how to care for the orchid's arrow during the flowering period, read here). It is important to remember that during the dormant period (in each species it occurs at different times), the orchid needs to be watered less.

2. Drying of the roots can occur for two main reasons: lack of moisture or chemical burns due to too high concentration or improper selection of fertilizers. In the first case, the roots must be washed with soft water at room temperature and properly watered. In the second case, the plant will have to be transplanted into less aggressive soil.

In both cases affected roots that cannot be resuscitated must be cut off. To determine in which cases this needs to be done is quite simple:

• rotten roots become yellow-brown in color, become slimy to the touch, unnaturally flexible, which means that the root is empty inside, one shell is left from it, and it is no longer possible to restore it;
• dried roots turn yellow, become stiff and brittle (do not try to break them off - this can damage the stem; dried roots also need to be cut).

Important! When decaying, it is necessary to cut it alive, otherwise decay will quickly transfer to healthy roots. When drying, it is better to act more carefully, and treat the places of the slices with a weak solution of brilliant green.

Having decided to plant such an exotic flower as an orchid in your home, carefully study the features of its structure and life cycle. This will help you to avoid serious mistakes, and the time spent on the study will be justified by the magnificent flowering.

Watch the video: Orchid Care for beginners - How to water Phalaenopsis Orchids (May 2024).