In terms of beauty, the terrestrial lady's slipper orchid is in no way inferior to its epiphytic counterparts. When it comes to winter hardiness, the tropical flower queens cannot hold a candle to a Cypripedium. Read here how to perfectly plant and care for the robust terrestrial orchid outdoors.
The lady's slipper orchid can easily be planted in the garden bed
Planting time is in the fall
For a lady's slipper orchid outdoors, choose a partially shaded location with humus-rich, freshly moist garden soil. The planting site should not be exposed to direct sunlight at midday. Here you plant your favorite Cypripedium variety in autumn. How to do it right:
- Work the earth into fine crumbs and enrich it with lava granules (€13.99) or perlite (€37.51).
- Dig a 10 cm deep planting hole
- In it, spread the root system flat, with the shoot buds upwards
- Cover the rhizomes with a maximum of 3 cm of soil and water
Please do not press down on the soil, just fill the planting hole loosely with the substrate.
Maintenance program for the field - a brief overview
The following care guides the noble lady's slipper orchid vitally and healthily through the garden year. Pay special attention to these measures:
- The soil should never dry out
- Use mainly soft water for watering
- Apply an orchid fertilizer every 4 weeks from March to August
- Do not carry out pruning measures in the middle of the season
From August/September the above-ground parts of the plant begin to move in. Wait for this process to take place as valuable nutrients are now being transferred to the roots. Only then cut the outdoor orchid close to the ground. Although the plant can withstand frosty temperatures down to - 25 degrees Celsius, we still recommend covering the root disc with needle brushwood.
tips
If you encounter a wild lady's slipper orchid in the wild, respectful admiration and photography is permitted. The removal of wild species, on the other hand, is strictly forbidden, since the floral rarity is under nature protection. Anyone who digs up the plant to plant it in the garden will be disappointed. Even with the best care, the magnificent natural beauties die within a few days.
Divide every 3-4 years
Regular division of the clump contributes significantly to maintaining vitality and flowering. Therefore, dig up the root network every 3 to 4 years and rinse off the soil. Bend the rhizomes back and forth with your hands until they can be pulled apart into several segments. Immediately put the root parts back into the ground at the new location.