Orchid flowering management
This article explains the knowledge about orchid plants, orchid flowering management, and will introduce you to it together.
Orchids must be carefully controlled and managed from the period of bud formation to full bloom, and necessary artificial修饰 must be carried out, otherwise it is difficult to achieve upright and beautiful flowers. Moreover, due to improper management of light, temperature, and humidity, flowers of the same variety may become coarse and inferior during full bloom, with abnormal appearance, spirit, rhythm, and color, or excessive nutrient consumption due to prolonged flowering, affecting the normal development of leaf and flower buds in the future. This not only involves issues of daily cultivation and management techniques but also an artistic skill. The details are as follows:
I. After "立秋" (立秋 is the start of autumn in Chinese), most orchids start to bud. During the time of 立秋, most parts of China are still in the high-temperature period, with daytime temperatures generally around 32-35 degrees Celsius, high humidity, extremely hot and闷热, and orchids suffer greatly. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize shading, ventilation, cooling, and heat prevention in orchid cultivation. For orchids with buds emerging from the soil, insecticides should be sprayed once or twice to prevent thrips infestation as the first step in future management. After the orchids start to bud, weak plants, diseased ones, or those that develop autumn buds in late autumn should not be retained. Among the buds growing between the old pseudobulbs (老草后龙), only one strong and plump one should be selected to retain, and if there are flowers on the previous pseudobulbs (前龙), the buds of the previous pseudobulbs should be retained while the buds of the back pseudobulbs should be removed. Buds that grow obliquely or along the edge of the pot are also not suitable for retention. For valuable orchids, if there are too many buds, the strong ones should be retained and the rest of the thin ones should be removed, with 2-3 flower buds per pot being ideal. Too many buds can affect the quality of the flowers and excessively consume the nutrients of the mother plant, affecting flowering in the following year. Generally, orchids do not need to cut off flower buds.
II. After "白露" (白露 marks the end of summer heat in Chinese), the weather cools down and new grass has mostly grown. At this time, orchids can be exposed to more sunlight and a little more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer and multi-element organic fertilizer should be applied to accumulate more nutrients in the orchid plants, promoting full flower buds and vibrant flowers with good fragrance. The fragrance of flowers comes from sugar substances in the plant, which in turn come from elements like phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, it is important not to偏向 nitrogenous fertilizers during this season and to spray more phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, which is more beneficial for the robust growth of orchid plants without excessive growth, and also lays a solid foundation for the growth period in the following spring. For orchids that are kept indoors for winter, the room temperature should be controlled between 5-15 degrees Celsius. If the room temperature is too low, it will not provide the necessary warmth; if it's too high, it will also affect orchid dormancy. For winter-hardy orchids and black orchids, the room temperature should be slightly higher but not exceed 15 degrees Celsius. If the room temperature is too high, the flower stems grow slowly, the flower buds develop poorly, and formed flower buds can easily wither and die. For the more cold-tolerant spring orchids, they need about 3-4 weeks of temperatures around 0 degrees Celsius to complete the spring dormancy and vernalization process, after which they can bloom well. Therefore, controlling the room temperature at 3-8 degrees Celsius is most suitable for overwintering spring orchids. Pots with flower buds should be placed on a shelf near the glass window to receive more sunlight, while plain flowers can be kept in a slightly shaded environment. For early-blooming spring orchids, when the flower buds show the "chicken beak" stage, they should not be exposed to direct sunlight. Cold orchids and New Year's orchids are not affected. In late winter and early spring, if the indoor temperature and humidity suddenly rise, and the pot rim is covered with water droplets, ventilation should be strengthened in time. During the watering process, care should be taken to avoid water droplets entering the bracts, as this can easily cause rot. Because the air is dry in winter, the entire plant should be sprayed with water, especially when in bloom, as low humidity can cause flower buds to fall. Please be careful.
III. For spring orchids and Eulophia, it is advisable to retain 1-2 more flower stems, and for other varieties, a few more are also fine. Before the buds are ready to open, according to the height of the flower stems, the "lapping" of the three petals of the bud, the number of leaves in the pot, and the growth momentum, the weaker ones should be removed to retain the stronger ones.
IV. When moving out of the room, orchids with flowers should still be kept indoors until "惊蜇" (Jingzhe, the day when insects begin to stir in spring), after which they can be moved out. Every night, they should be covered with reed mats to prevent damage from late frost. When spring orchids are in full bloom, they should be moved back indoors for display, and the room should be kept ventilated and well-lit. If the temperature is not too low, the windows can be opened at night or the door left ajar. Flowers with small bracts should be placed in the shade during the day and moved to a sheltered place before night to prevent the petals from wrinkling. It is best to place Eulophia with flowers under the shade until "清明" (Qingming, a Chinese festival for honoring the dead). One week before "谷雨" (Gǔyǔ, the rainy season), when the flower buds have penetrated through four or five layers of bracts and are rapidly elongating, if it rains or has been raining for a long time, they should be moved to a sheltered place. After the rain, they should be covered with mats promptly. If they are exposed to prolonged rain or direct sunlight, the three petals may curl backward, the edges may burn, the petals may open widely, the color may turn yellow, and the plain lips may be more prone to this. To avoid these defects, it is necessary to set up a V-shaped cloth canopy to cover them. Therefore, orchid enthusiasts should note that before flowering, they can increase temperature and humidity, and when the flowers are about to open, the humidity should be adjusted to around 50-60%. Excessive moisture in the substrate and high humidity can promote the elongation and curling of the outer three petals, and water droplets on the petals can cause the flower stems to bend and sag, affecting the charm of the flowers. For Eulophia or other兰花 with multiple flowers on one stem, those without a humidifier can frequently spray water on the walls and floors or use a wet cloth to provide some humidity, which is beneficial for the elongation of the flower stems, the contraction and expansion of the petals, and can increase the petal size and make the flowers more beautiful. However, they should be managed similarly to spring orchids to achieve the desired bloom quality.
The above sharing of orchid flowering management (experienced orchid friends' experience) is for everyone's reference and operation.