Читать книгу Orchids For Dummies - The Editors of the National Gardening Association, Steven A. Frowine - Страница 51

Picking out a healthy orchid plant is essential. Even in the best of circumstances, the orchid that you bring home will have to adapt to changes in its environment. A strong, robust plant has a much better chance of surviving this ordeal than a weak plant does.

Here’s a checklist of things to look for when you select an orchid:

 Look carefully at the leaves. They should be stiff, not shriveled or dehydrated. They should also have a healthy green color. Brown or black spots on leaves could mean disease, or they could be harmless; if you find spots, ask the grower about them.

 Look for any signs of insects. Most insects hang out on the new young growth, on the flower buds of the plant, or on the undersides of the leaves. Also check under the pot for snails or slugs.

 Examine the exposed roots on top of the potting material. The roots should be firm and light colored, not black, soft, and mushy.

 Watch out for plants infested with oxalis (which looks like clover). Oxalis is an annoying weed that spreads quickly and is difficult to get rid of after it’s established. The only way to totally get rid of it is to remove all of its roots when you repot. It won’t directly harm the orchids, but it can harbor insects and is a cosmetic distraction.

Make sure the plants are labeled. Labels will be important to you later if you want to look up information on growing your particular type of orchid.

Unfortunately, orchids purchased at home centers or grocery stores aren’t often labeled. You can ask the sales associate if they at least know the common name of the orchid. Otherwise, you can look through this book until you find the orchid that looks something like the one you bought.