The hairy crab claw orchid is bright green in color, with multi-branched stems that often hang in clusters. One branch is composed of several nodes, each node is obovate or oblong, and the joints are connected, like crab claws. Hence the name. So, how to raise Hairy Claw Orchid? Let’s take a look at how to grow Hairy Claw Orchid

Soil

It requires good drainage and ventilation, loose and rich in humus.

Temperature

The suitable temperature for its growth is 20~28℃. After autumn, it can be moved to a sunny place indoors for cultivation. It is better to maintain it at 15℃ in winter. Growth is normal around 10℃, but below 5℃, the growth is poor and may even suffer from freezing damage. Therefore, it should be exposed to sunlight on a clear day. On severely cold nights, large plastic bags can be used to cover the plants to prevent frost damage. At the same time, the temperature should be prevented from rising and falling, and the temperature difference between day and night should be prevented from being too large.

Light

Hairy crab claw orchid is a short-day plant. It can bloom from February to March under 8 to 10 hours of light per day. Shade should be provided from May to September to maintain a light transmittance of 50%, and sufficient sunlight should be given after October. In dry and hot summer, direct sunlight is not allowed.

Watering

The amount of watering should be controlled according to the season. Although winter is the growing season, due to the low temperature, it should not be too much. Just keep the pot soil moist and not too dry. Generally, water once every four or five days. The temperature is high in summer. Even if it is shaded from the sun, the pot soil is still easy to dry, so it is usually watered once every one or two days. The specifics will depend on the weather and the dryness and wetness of the pot soil. If conditions permit in summer, you can use a fine sprayer to spray some water on the leaves frequently, which can not only prevent heatstroke and cool down, but also make the plants grow well. There is a dormant period after flowering. At this time, the pot soil should be kept slightly dry. After dormancy, when new buds grow on the top of the stem nodes, normal watering can be managed.

Fertilization

Fertilization is mainly carried out from September to October in the autumn before flowering and from April to June in the spring after flowering. Apply 20 grams of decomposed human feces and urine every 7 to 10 days. Fertilization in autumn can be used to differentiate flower buds, mainly phosphorus fertilizer; after leaving the house in spring, fertilize once every half month to promote more branches and leaves, mainly nitrogen fertilizer; it is not suitable to fertilize in high temperature in summer, otherwise it will easily cause rot. Stop watering before fertilizing and allow the pot soil to dry out for better results. Avoid using strong chemical fertilizers.

The hairy crab claw orchid is a breeding precaution.

Reasonable fertilization. Although the hairy crab claw orchid likes fertilizer, it should pay attention to the reasonable combination of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Usually apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, especially When the flower buds have formed and are in large numbers, the amount of fertilizer should be continuously increased to prevent the flower buds from falling off due to unbalanced fertilization or lack of fertilizer.

Water Properly After the hairy crab claw orchid buds are formed, you must not water them with heavy water. The amount of watering should be controlled at 80% of the usual amount, and then increase the amount of water after the buds open. Otherwise, too much water during the bud stage will not only cause bud drop, but also cause root rot and even stem nodes falling off.

Reasonable lighting: In addition to the fact that the hairy crab claw orchid is afraid of being exposed to the sun in summer and needs to be maintained under a shade shed, it should see as much sunlight as possible in spring and autumn. In winter, it must maintain enough sunlight to ensure the accumulation of the plant's own nutrients. If it cannot Meeting the above conditions can also cause bud drop.

Suitable temperature: The most suitable temperature for hairy crab claw orchid is 15℃~25℃. In summer, when it exceeds 28℃, the plant will be in a dormant or semi-dormant state. In winter, the suitable room temperature is 15℃~18℃, and the temperature is low. At 15°C, buds may fall off.