Post-blooming care methods and daily cultivation techniques for Phalaenopsis orchids

Once the Phalaenopsis orchid has basically finished blooming, first cut off the withered flower stalks, gently take the orchid plant out of the pot, remove the surrounding old potting medium without damaging its young fleshy roots, use scissors to cut off old roots, rotten roots and yellow leaves, let it air dry slightly, then wrap the roots with soaked fresh sphagnum moss and repot it. Be careful to spread the roots out evenly and not let several roots press against each other. Its optimum growth temperature is 25°C to 28°C during the day and 18°C to 20°C at night; growth stalls above 32°C in summer and below 10°C in winter. High temperatures above 32°C are very unfavorable for Phalaenopsis, as they push it into a semi-dormant state and affect flower bud differentiation in autumn. Normal flower bud differentiation can only proceed smoothly below 18°C. It should be placed in a location with 70% shading in summer and 50% shading in spring and autumn, with relative air humidity maintained at around 70%. Water once every 1 to 2 days in summer and once a week in winter; watering is best done in the morning during the day so that the moisture can dry completely before night, and the leaves and leaf stalks do not carry standing water overnight, to avoid causing disease. When newly repotted, the growing medium should be kept relatively slightly dry and watering controlled, which can promote the sprouting of new roots and prevent old roots from rotting. During bud formation and blooming, the plant needs more water; as long as the room temperature is not too low, whenever the surface of the growing medium turns white and dry, supplemental watering should be given. In summer, it should be placed in a well-ventilated location, with crushed stone on the ground and frequent spraying to raise air humidity. For mature plants that have bloomed, after each flowering season, apply supplemental fertilizer balanced in the three major elements, and in autumn apply phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, preferably a special fertilizer for orchid plants. To prevent leaf diseases in Phalaenopsis, spray captan 500-fold solution once every 10 days to prevent the occurrence and spread of anthracnose and brown spot disease.

Household cultivation of Phalaenopsis is relatively simple; division can be used, and some varieties can sprout and root on the flower stalk, which can be cut off and planted separately. Some larger plants will grow many aerial roots; you can cut off the upper part with 2 to 3 aerial roots and plant it in another pot, and the remaining stem base will, after some time, grow new shoots to form a new plant. After the new plant has grown several aerial roots, division and planting can be carried out again in spring.