How to care for phalaenopsis orchids after blooming
A bit of knowledge to share with you on how to care for phalaenopsis orchids after blooming and related knowledge on post-blooming maintenance. Let's take a look with the editor!
Now we are gradually approaching the end of the blooming period for phalaenopsis orchids, and most of them have their flowers fading. However, if you keep the flower spike, it will continue to grow buds from it, and these buds will eventually bloom again. Many orchid enthusiasts choose to keep them to bloom again, but actually, this method is not correct.
Because the phalaenopsis orchids we buy are grown in sphagnum moss, and when we take them home for care, it's hard to keep up with watering and fertilizing. If we force them to bloom all the flowers, and then make them bloom again, their roots can't handle it. Insufficient nutrients will completely consume the energy of the whole plant. The best way to handle phalaenopsis orchids after blooming is to cut off the flower spike. How to prune it?
Leave about 5 centimeters from the base of the flower spike, try not to exceed 5 centimeters, then cut it off. After cutting, you can apply a little bit of fungicide and bactericide on the wound. After pruning, you can consider repotting it. When repotting, remove all the sphagnum moss, as it's not suitable for indoor cultivation due to poor ventilation and its high water retention, which can easily cause root rot.
After removing the moss, rinse the roots with clean water, cut off the rotten and dry roots, then repot with new soil. You can use granular soil like tree bark or peanut shells, or you can use granular peat soil. Try not to plant directly in soil. Choose a pot with many drainage holes and good breathability. You can also use a ceramic pot, but not too large, preferably one size larger than the original pot or about the same size.
How to care for phalaenopsis orchids after blooming
Plant it directly, water thoroughly, add some root-promoting solution and bactericide, then place it in a place with scattered light, and let it recover normally. If we handle it properly, it will recover very quickly, usually within a week. After that, we can gradually increase the light exposure and return to normal care.
Caring for phalaenopsis orchids after blooming is very simple: let it grow more leaves. We need to ensure proper watering and fertilizing. When watering, water thoroughly when the soil surface is dry, ensure good ventilation, and avoid direct sunlight. Provide scattered light, and make sure it gets 2-3 hours of scattered light every day. If there is good ventilation and plenty of light, you can mist it to increase the humidity of the air. Choose a fertilizer with a high nitrogen content but also containing other elements, such as "Flower More No. 10," applying it 2-3 times a month, following the principle of applying thin fertilizer frequently and not too high in concentration.
By ensuring proper watering and fertilizing, and reasonable exposure to light, it will grow new leaves quickly. The more leaves it grows, the larger the plant will become, and the roots will fill the pot. When autumn comes, we can supplement it with phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and it will quickly grow a new flower spike and bloom again in winter.
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