How Many Times Does the Oncidium Bloom in a Year?
As a charming fairy among the orchid family, Oncidium is deeply loved by horticulture enthusiasts for its unique flower shape and elegant fragrance. Many flower friends often encounter two core issues during the maintenance process: whether the number of blooms per year is fixed, and how to scientifically care for the plant after the flowers fade. This article will focus on these two issues for detailed analysis.
Detailed Explanation of Oncidium Bloom Cycle
Annual Bloom Frequency and Influencing Factors
Oncidium is a typical single-blooming plant per year, usually blooming around October under normal maintenance conditions. However, the actual blooming time may fluctuate by 1-2 months due to regional climate, with warmer southern areas possibly blooming as early as September, and northern areas possibly delaying to November. Light intensity is a key factor affecting blooming, and it is recommended to maintain 4-6 hours of scattered light exposure daily, with shading treatment required in summer.
Techniques for Extending the Bloom Period
Although the natural blooming period lasts only 2-3 weeks, it can be extended to about 40 days by precisely controlling temperature (18-25℃) and humidity (60-70%), and by regularly applying monopotassium phosphate (diluted 1500 times, once every 10 days).
Three-Part Care Routine After Oncidium Blooms
Key Steps for Pruning and Shaping
A systematic pruning needs to be done within 3 days after the flowers fade: ① cut the flower stem 3 cm above the base ② clean the yellowed leaves ③ check the status of aerial roots. Use a disinfected scissor to make a diagonal cut and apply carbendazim powder to the cut surface to prevent infection.
Scientific Fertilization Plan
It is recommended to adopt a "3+2" nutritional supply mode: apply a balanced NPK fertilizer (20-20-20) weekly for the first month after blooming, and switch to a high-potassium fertilizer (15-15-30) in the second month. Be especially careful to stop fertilizing 6 weeks before the winter dormancy period.
Overwintering Environment Control
Maintain an overwintering temperature of 10-15℃, use a double-layer sunshade net plus a humidifier combination to keep the air humidity above 50%. Rotate the pot 45 degrees every two weeks to ensure even light exposure, and keep the substrate slightly moist (water content about 30%).
Mastering the growth rhythm of Oncidium requires patient observation and practice. It is recommended to establish a maintenance log to record data such as temperature and humidity changes and fertilization cycles. With 3-5 years of continuous maintenance, you will be able to accurately control the plant's growth rhythm and cultivate high-quality, repeatedly blooming orchids.