How to care for a Phalaenopsis orchid after the flowers fade? Master these few key points
1. Prune the flower stem
After the Phalaenopsis flowers fade, prune away both the wilted flowers and the flower stem, which reduces the plant's nutrient consumption. Normally, the flower stem is cut off from the very base, which favors blooming the following year. Some growers, in order to enjoy the flowers again as soon as possible, leave 4-5 nodes on the flower stem, and after about 3 months of care this way, the Phalaenopsis can bloom again. However, this is not good for the following year's growth.
2. Repot in time
After the Phalaenopsis flowers fade, it needs to be repotted in time. When repotting, take the plant out of the pot, cut off any dead roots, and be careful not to damage the roots. When replanting, use broken pot pieces or expanded clay pebbles at the bottom of the pot to make a drainage layer, and make a growing medium by mixing coarse river sand, leaf mold and vermiculite in a 1:1:1 ratio, then mix in a small amount of decomposed and fermented sesame paste residue and 10 grams of sulfur powder. Sulfur powder not only acts as a fungicide but also lowers the soil pH.
3. Pay attention to fertilizing
After the Phalaenopsis flowers fade, you can apply a small amount of nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer as a top dressing, and ensure it gets light and ventilation, which favors the plant's growth.
The above is an introduction to Phalaenopsis propagation techniques and how to care for it after the flowers fade. If you want to learn more, remember to follow us!
How to care for a Phalaenopsis orchid after the flowers fade
After the Phalaenopsis flowers fade, if you want it to bloom a second time, simply care for it normally after cutting off the flower stem, but also note that after a long period of growth, its growing medium will deteriorate and needs to be replaced in time, otherwise the soil's air permeability will worsen, the roots will not be able to breathe properly, and it may rot and even die.
After the Phalaenopsis flowers fade, you can repot it in May. When repotting, pay attention to sterilization and disinfection, prune the roots, and place it in a cool, well-ventilated spot, which favors its growth.
Growing flowers and plants requires not only a certain amount of skill, but more importantly, your careful tending. The above methods for growing Phalaenopsis and measures for caring for it after the flowers fade are for your reference. For more about Phalaenopsis, please follow Four Seasons Plants Network!
What to do after a Phalaenopsis orchid's flowers fade
Once a plant's flowers bloom, they will always fade. So what should be done after the flowers fade? Today let's look at what to do after a Phalaenopsis orchid's flowers fade. What can be done after the flowers fade so that it blooms the following year?
What to do after a Phalaenopsis orchid's flowers fade
When the flowers wither, the wilted flowers must be cut off as early as possible, which reduces nutrient consumption. If the flower stem is cut at the 4th to 5th node counting from the base, it can bloom again after 2 to 3 months. But this consumes too much of the plant's nutrients and is not good for the following year's growth.
If you want it to produce good flowers again the following year, it is best to cut the flower stem off from the base. When the growing medium deteriorates, it should be replaced in due course, otherwise air permeability worsens, which causes root rot and weakens the plant's growth or even kills it. Generally, repotting in May, when new leaves grow out, is preferable.
Points to note when growing Phalaenopsis:
1. Growing medium: The common growing media for Phalaenopsis are mainly sphagnum moss and moss.
2. Temperature: When growing Phalaenopsis at home, the first thing to ensure is temperature. Phalaenopsis likes a hot and humid environment. During the growing period, the minimum temperature should be kept above 15°C, and the suitable growing temperature for Phalaenopsis is 16°C to 30°C. In autumn and winter, at the turn of winter and spring, and when winter temperatures are low, attention should be paid to raising the temperature. Generally, in a room with heating equipment in winter, this temperature is not hard to reach, but be careful not to place the flowers directly on the radiator or too close to it. When summer temperatures are on the high side, cooling is needed, and attention should be paid to ventilation. If the temperature is above 32°C, Phalaenopsis usually enters a semi-dormant state, and prolonged high temperatures should be avoided. Around the Spring Festival is the full bloom period; appropriately lowering the temperature can extend the viewing time, and at flowering the nighttime temperature is best kept between 13°C and 16°C, but must not go below 13°C.
3. Watering: Phalaenopsis originates in primeval forests, where there is a lot of mist and the temperature is relatively high. Phalaenopsis has no thick pseudobulbs to store nutrients, so if the humidity in the air is insufficient, the leaf surface wrinkles and becomes weak and limp. Therefore, Phalaenopsis should be grown and cared for in a ventilated, high-humidity environment. The suitable growing air humidity for Phalaenopsis is 50% to 80%. During the vigorous period when new roots are extending, water more; during the dormant period after flowering, water less. In spring and autumn, water once a day around five in the afternoon; in summer, when the plant grows vigorously, water once each at nine in the morning and five in the afternoon; in winter, when light is weak and temperatures are low, watering once every other week is enough, and it is best done before ten in the morning. If a cold wave hits, do not water; keep it dry, and resume watering after the cold wave passes. The principle of watering is to water when dry and let it dry between waterings: when the surface of the growing medium becomes dry, water thoroughly again, and the water temperature should be close to room temperature. When the indoor air is dry, you can use a sprayer to mist the leaves directly; it is enough for the leaf surface to become moist, but note that during the flowering period you must not spray water mist onto the flowers. Tap water should be stored for more than 72 hours before being used for watering.
4. Light: Although Phalaenopsis is rather shade-loving, the orchid plant still needs to receive some light, especially before and after the flowering period. Appropriate light can prompt Phalaenopsis to bloom and make the flowers vivid and long-lasting. Generally, it should be placed in a spot indoors with diffused light, and not exposed to direct sunlight.
5. Ventilation: The normal growth of Phalaenopsis requires moving fresh air, so when growing Phalaenopsis at home, ventilation must be good, especially during the high-humidity period in summer; good ventilation must be used to prevent heat stress, and it can also avoid infection by pests and diseases.
6. Nutrition: Phalaenopsis should be fertilized all year round, and unless low temperatures persist for a long time, fertilizing should not be stopped. Winter is the flower bud differentiation period for Phalaenopsis, and stopping fertilizer can easily lead to no flowers or few flowers. Spring and summer are the growing period, when a dilute liquid fertilizer can be applied once every 7 to 10 days; organic fertilizer is preferable, and a special nutrient solution for Phalaenopsis can also be used, but do not apply it when there are flower buds, otherwise the buds are prone to dropping early. In summer, when it grows leaves (that is, after the flowering period), you can apply nitrogen fertilizer and potassium fertilizer as a top dressing. In autumn and winter, during the flower stem growth period, phosphorus fertilizer can be used, but it should be dilute, applied about once every 2 to 3 weeks. The time for fertilizing is after watering in the afternoon. After fertilizing several times, use a large amount of water to flush the orchid pot and orchid plant, so that residual inorganic salts do not harm the roots.
The specific methods for what to do after a Phalaenopsis orchid's flowers fade have been introduced to you in detail here. After the Phalaenopsis flowers fade, cut the flower stem off at the base to reduce nutrient consumption. After reading these methods for handling a Phalaenopsis after the flowers fade, once your Phalaenopsis flowers fade, you can try handling it yourself!