Post-Blooming Care for Phalaenopsis Orchids
The editor will tell everyone about the topic of Phalaenopsis orchids, focusing on the post-blooming care of these orchids. Next, the editor will introduce this topic to netizens.
Some orchid enthusiasts believe that Phalaenopsis orchids bloom only once and have little care value after flowering. In fact, with proper care, Phalaenopsis orchids can bloom normally in the following years.
1. Remove the flower spike. After all the flowers of the Phalaenopsis orchid have withered, promptly cut off the flower spike from the base to reduce the consumption of nutrients in the plant.
2. Maintain proper temperature. In the northern regions, the Phalaenopsis orchids should be kept warm during winter. First, cover the pot with a plastic film to control water and stop fertilizing; second, place the covered pot in a sunny indoor area to increase the temperature of the microenvironment through sunlight.
3. Change the pot early. After flowering, the Phalaenopsis orchid should be repotted as soon as possible, but no later than mid-April.
4. Watering skillfully. Watering is crucial in the care of Phalaenopsis orchids. Based on personal experience, from the removal of the flower spike after flowering to before Labor Day, the potting soil should be kept moist, generally watering thoroughly once a week. After Labor Day, water thoroughly every 4-5 days and spray the leaves with water during the high noon temperatures. It should be noted that the water in the north is alkaline, which can easily cause the potting soil to become alkaline, so it is advisable to water with a small amount of ferrous sulfate solution every week or so.
5. Ensure sufficient light. Place the orchid in a well-lit area before mid-May; after mid-May, due to strong ultraviolet radiation, avoid direct sunlight during the noon hours, and provide partial shading during the summer.
6. Prevent diseases and pests. Spring is the season with a high incidence of diseases and pests in Phalaenopsis orchids. In case of diseases or pests, in addition to strengthening water and fertilizer management and ensuring good ventilation, leaf spot diseases can be treated with broad-spectrum fungicides such as benzalkonium chloride. Soft rot diseases should be treated differently; bacterial soft rot can be treated with a 72% agricultural streptomycin solution diluted to 1000 times, while fungal soft rot can be treated with benzalkonium chloride, carbendazim, or thiophanate-methyl. For scale insects and aphids, if the number is small, they can be manually removed; if the number is large, use a 40% omethoate emulsion diluted to 1000 times for control.
The above shares the complete content on the post-blooming care of Phalaenopsis orchids. Green plant enthusiasts can refer to these suggestions.