How to manage orchids during the flowering period? An experienced orchid grower shares his experience

From the emergence of the flower bud to full bloom, orchids must be carefully controlled and managed, with necessary manual shaping, otherwise it is difficult to achieve upright blooms with elegant form. Moreover, the same variety, due to improper management of light, temperature and humidity, can produce coarse, inferior flowers at full bloom, with abnormal spirit, charm and color, or because the flowers remain open too long and consume too many nutrients, affecting the normal development of leaf buds and flower buds later on. This involves not only routine cultivation and management techniques, but also a kind of artistic skill. It is detailed as follows:

1. After "Start of Autumn," most orchids begin to form flower buds. During Start of Autumn, most regions of our country are still in a period of high temperatures, with daytime temperatures generally around 32-35 degrees, high temperature and high humidity, unusually muggy, and the orchids suffer greatly. Therefore, orchid growers must still regard shading, ventilation, cooling and heat prevention as top priorities. For those with flower buds emerging from the soil, spray insecticide once or twice to prevent thrips invasion and secure the first hurdle for normal management later. After the orchid forms flower buds, if the orchid plant is weak, diseased, or produces autumn buds in late autumn, none of these should be kept. Among the flower buds produced between the old pseudobulbs at the back, it is best to select and keep only one strong, plump one. If the front pseudobulbs (the new pseudobulbs of the previous year) have flowers, it is better to keep the flower buds of the front pseudobulbs and remove those of the back pseudobulbs. If they are crowded, crooked, or grow on one side along the pot rim, none should be kept. For precious orchid varieties, after the flower buds emerge from the soil, if there are too many flower buds, keep the strong ones and remove the rest of the thin, small flower buds; per pot, it is suitable to keep 2-3 flower buds. If there are too many flower buds, it will affect the flower quality. It will not only make that year's flowers bloom poorly, but also consume too many nutrients from the mother plant and affect the next year's flowering. For ordinary orchids, the flower buds generally do not need to be cut off.

2. After "White Dew," the weather turns cooler, and most of the new plants have grown. At this time, the orchids can receive more sunlight, and a little phosphorus-potassium fertilizer and multi-element organic fertilizer should also be applied, so that the orchid plants store more nutrients, prompting the flower buds to be plump, and when they bloom, they are full of vigor and have good fragrance. The fragrance of the flowers comes from sugar substances in the plant body, and these substances in turn come from elements such as phosphorus and potassium. Therefore, note that in this season, fertilization should not be biased toward nitrogen; spray and water more with phosphorus-potassium fertilizer, which is more beneficial for the orchid plants to grow robustly rather than leggily, and at the same time also lays a solid foundation for the next spring's growth period. For orchids brought indoors to overwinter, the room temperature should be controlled at 5-15°C. If the room temperature is too low, it cannot serve the purpose of protecting against cold and keeping warm. If too high, it will also affect the orchids' dormancy. However, for overwintering Cymbidium kanran and Cymbidium sinense, the room temperature should be kept slightly higher, but must not exceed 15°C. If the room temperature is too high, the flower stem grows slowly, the flower buds develop poorly, and it is easy to cause the already formed flower buds to shrink and even die. For the more cold-tolerant Cymbidium goeringii, 3-4 weeks of low temperature around 0°C are needed to complete spring dormancy and vernalization, and only then can Cymbidium goeringii bloom well. Therefore, for overwintering Cymbidium goeringii, controlling the room temperature at 3-8°C is most suitable. Any potted orchid with flower buds should be placed on a stand near a glass window to receive more sunlight; plain-color flowers can be grown in partial shade. For early-blooming varieties among Cymbidium goeringii, once the flower bud reveals the "chicken beak," it must not receive much direct sunlight. Cymbidium kanran and Cymbidium sinense are not affected. In late winter and early spring, if the indoor temperature and humidity rise sharply and water vapor droplets cover the outer sides of the pots, ventilation should be strengthened in time. During routine watering, especially avoid water droplets intruding into the bracts, otherwise it can very easily cause rot. Because winter is dry, the whole plant should be misted. Especially when in flower, if the air humidity is too low, the flower buds easily drop, so please pay attention.

3. Before Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi open, keep 1-2 more flower stems; for other types, slightly more is also fine. Before the buds are ready to open, according to the height of the flower stem, the "joining opening" of the three outer sepals, combined with the number of leaf clusters in the pot and the growth vigor, remove the weak and keep the strong.

4. When taken out of the room, any with flowers should still temporarily remain indoors, and may be moved out only after the "Awakening of Insects" solar term; cover with reed blinds every night to prevent damage from late frost. When Cymbidium goeringii splits its buds and unfolds its petals, move it back indoors for display, and the room should maintain ventilation and light. If the temperature is not too low, open the vent window or leave the door half open at night. For any small buds that show close to the body, place them under a shade frame during the day and move them to a dew-sheltered place before night, otherwise the petals are prone to wrinkling when they bloom. Flowering Cymbidium faberi is best placed under a shade frame overnight only around "Pure Brightness." About one week before "Grain Rain," the flower bud reveals four or five layers of bracts and rapidly shoots up and elongates. At this time, if there is rain or prolonged rain, it should be moved to a rain-sheltered place, and after the rain, shade with a curtain in time. If exposed to prolonged rain or sunlight, the three outer sepals are prone to curling backward, shoulders dropping, sepal edges scorching, the petals propping open, the flower color turning yellow, and plain lips are even more susceptible to this. To avoid these defects, a V-shaped cloth awning must be set up to cover them. Therefore, friends growing orchids in the orchid room should note that before flowering, temperature and humidity can be increased, but when the flowers are about to open, humidity should be lowered and controlled between 50-60%, and that is sufficient. If the substrate is too wet and the air humidity too high, it will prompt the three outer sepals to elongate and curl; if water droplets accumulate at the tips of the petals, the flower scape will bear weight and droop, affecting the spirit and charm of the flower posture. For Cymbidium faberi or other orchids with one stem and many flowers, when the buds are in small rows, friends without a humidifier can often spray water on the walls and floor or wet cloth curtains with clean water, trying every possible means to provide a certain amount of moisture, so as to help the flower stem elongate and help the contracted base and flared tips of the petals and the petal width all increase and fully expand, making the flower color pretty. But when they open, they should also be managed in the same way as Cymbidium goeringii, so as to obtain the ideal flower quality.