How to care for orchids after blooming
Main content introduction: Related experience on how to care for orchids after blooming and the management methods of orchid cultivation. If there are any mistakes, please feel free to correct them!
After entering spring, most of the orchids we raise have bloomed. After the flowers fade, it's the stage for them to grow new buds. So, how can we make the orchids grow new buds quickly and robustly after blooming? If you don't know how to care for them, make sure to do three things early after the flowers fade, so the new buds will grow abundantly.
1. Dealing with spent flowers
After the orchid blooms, many friends choose to cut the flower stem from the bottom. If the operation is done properly and there is good indoor ventilation, it's less likely to cause problems. However, if the operation is not proper, it can easily lead to rotting of the stem and blackening of the lower buds. Since the wound is prone to infection if the humidity is a bit high, and watering from the top can cause black rot if the water reaches the center of the stem. The correct way to handle spent flowers is simply to remove them and keep the flower stem intact.
Keeping the stem will naturally cause it to dry from the top down. Once it's completely dry, you can gently pull it out without damaging the roots or causing rot. Can we cut it off? Yes, you can, but leave the stem a bit longer to prevent it from rotting downwards. As long as there are no spent flowers or growing points on the stem, it won't consume the nutrients from the roots. It will only slowly dry out and send all the nutrients back to the rhizome, which is beneficial for the growth of the orchid.
2. Repotting and dividing plants
After the orchid has finished blooming, we generally need to repot and divide the larger plants. It's not suitable for multiple plants to be crowded in a small pot. Either move them to a larger pot or divide the plants, turning one pot into several. The method of repotting is simple: remove the soil from the roots and trim the dead and rotten roots. Cut through the connection between two plants with a sharp knife and apply some carbendazim or wood ash to the wound to prevent infection. You can also use a cigarette butt to cauterize the wound. Then let it dry for one to two hours before planting the roots in water. The benefit of repotting is that the new soil has abundant nutrients and allows you to check the roots, deal with any bad ones, and then plant them, which promotes faster root growth. It's recommended to repot orchids every one to two years.
How to care for orchids after blooming
3. Supplementing fertilizer
If your plants are small and have not been repotted, and are still growing in the original pot, you need to supplement fertilizer in time. If you have repotted, there's no need for fertilizer during the acclimatization period. Wait about a month after planting to fertilize. During the growing season, choose a balanced multi-element fertilizer with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. For example, the multi-element general nutrient solution we know. You can also make your own fermented soybean cake fertilizer and water it regularly, which is also very good for root and bud growth. Fertilizing should follow the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently, ensuring two to three times a month with a moderate concentration. This way, the thick roots can absorb nutrients quickly, and as long as there's sufficient nutrition, new buds will continuously emerge from the bottom. Continue using this fertilizer until summer arrives, and stop when you see the new seedlings stop growing.
If you care for your orchids at home and follow the three steps mentioned by Xiaoqi after the flowers fade, they will quickly recover and grow new seedlings, which will be very large by summer. In summer, with high temperatures, they grow slower, and most orchids will slowly differentiate flower buds. If you want to fertilize, try to supplement phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, such as monopotassium phosphate once a month. This way, the orchids you grow at home will slowly grow flower buds in autumn and can bloom again in winter or spring. Orchids are relatively difficult to care for, but with the right techniques, they are quite easy to cultivate. During the growing season in spring, ensure adequate watering. Generally, if you stick your finger into the soil surface and feel no moisture, water it thoroughly. Place it in a well-ventilated area and create a scattered light environment. This way, most orchids will grow quickly in your home without any issues.
The above sharing on how to care for orchids after blooming and the management methods of orchid cultivation are for reference by green plant enthusiasts, hoping to solve your problems in green plant and flower management.