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, however, 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.
How do you plant and care for a lady's slipper orchid outdoors?
A lady's slipper orchid should be planted in autumn in a partially shaded location with humus-rich, fresh, moist garden soil. It is important to water regularly with soft water, fertilize every four weeks (March-August) and divide the clump every 3-4 years to maintain vitality and flowering.
Planting time is in autumn
For a lady's slipper orchid outdoors, choose a partially shaded location with humus, fresh, moist garden soil. The planting site should not be exposed to direct sunlight at midday. Plant your favorite Cypripedium variety here in autumn. How to do it right:
- Work the soil finely and enrich it with lava granules or perlite
- Dig a 10 cm deep planting hole
- Spread the root system flat, with the shoot buds upwards
- Cover the rhizomes with soil to a maximum height of 3 cm and water
Please do not press the soil down, just fill the planting hole loosely with the substrate.
Care program for outdoor areas – a brief overview
The following care will keep the noble lady's slipper orchid vital and he althy throughout the gardening year. Pay special attention to these measures:
- The soil should never dry out
- Use primarily soft water for watering
- Administer an orchid fertilizer (€7.00 on Amazon) every 4 weeks from March to August
- Do not prune in the middle of the season
From August/September, the above-ground plant parts begin to move in. Wait for this process as valuable nutrients are now transferred to the roots. Only then do you 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 coniferous twigs.
Tip
If you come across a wild lady's slipper orchid in the wild, respectful admiration and photography is permitted. However, the removal of wild species is strictly prohibited as the floral rarity is protected. Anyone who digs up the plant to plant it in the garden will be disappointed. Even with the best care, the magnificent natural beauties disappear within a few days.
Share every 3-4 years
Regular division of the clump contributes significantly to maintaining vitality and flowering. Therefore, dig up the roots every 3 to 4 years and rinse off the soil. Use your hands to bend the rhizomes back and forth until they can be pulled apart into several segments. At the new location, immediately put the root parts back into the ground.
