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What to do after the orchid has faded, how to care, how to prune
The orchid is an incredibly beautiful flowering plant. But at the same time she is quite capricious, and if you do not know the intricacies of care, then after buying the flower will never bloom again. The plant needs special care before, during and after flowering. If you are just starting to get acquainted with this tropical beauty, you need to know what to do after the orchid has faded. In the absence of proper care, the flower may die.
What to do after the orchid has faded?
Plant care during dormancy
How to care for orchids when they have faded? The process is no different from the rest of the life of a flower. The care is as follows:
- watering. The number of waterings during this period must be reduced. At the same time, do not allow the substrate to dry completely, but you cannot fill the resting orchid either. The earthen lump should always be in a state of light moisture;
- ensuring the required level of air humidity. Orchids are native to the tropics, so they prefer to grow in high humidity conditions. Indicators should reach the level of 50-80%. To get the desired effect, the plant must be periodically sprayed with a spray bottle. You can pour water into the pan, but so that the roots do not touch the liquid. Otherwise, the land will be waterlogged and the risk of root rotting will increase;
- adequate lighting. Orchids love the sun, but plants need to be protected from direct sunlight. It is best to place the flower on the eastern or southeastern windows;
- disease prevention. The plant must be periodically inspected and, if necessary, treated with pest control agents.
It is necessary to reduce the number of dressings. In some cases, the plant will need to be transplanted. A sign will be the roots sticking out of the lower holes of the pot, and the rapid drying of the earthen substrate.
How to prune a faded orchid
So, the peduncle remained naked: there are no buds and buds on it. Do I need to prune an orchid if it has already faded? Yes, this is a mandatory procedure. If this is not done, the plant will bloom again. This weakens the flower considerably and the orchid may die. It is best to harvest the stem in October – November.
Pruning can be done with house scissors, but it is best to use a garden pruner.
The instrument must first be disinfected, for example, use a chlorhexidine solution.
Before you start pruning, you need to assess the condition of the plant stem. Once flowering is complete, it can either dry out or continue to grow. If the peduncle begins to dry, then pruning must be abandoned. Let the flower draw out the nutrients from it.
Wait until the stem is completely wilted. During this period, it can turn yellow, turn brown, or acquire a bright purple color. After that, you can cut it off, leaving a centimeter stump at the base. Only wilted parts of the stem are allowed to be cut: this will help the plant save energy.
If you remove the peduncle green, then the orchid will bloom next time only after six months.
The cut stem may be hollow. Water may get into it during watering. In the future, this can provoke rotting of the orchid’s bark system. To prevent the plant from dying, you need to carefully fill the hole with beeswax.
Sometimes dormant buds form on the stem. In this case, the pruning is performed a little higher – about one and a half centimeters. It is important to remember that leaving part of the old stem can slow down the formation of a new peduncle.
Now you know what to do with the stem when the orchids have faded. Follow these rules, and the tropical beauty will delight you with exquisite flowers more than once.