How to prune a Phalaenopsis orchid after it finishes blooming? A detailed guide to leaf pruning methods
As is well known, Phalaenopsis orchids have been one of the popular Lunar New Year flowers in recent years, mainly because of their graceful, elegant flower form and delicate fragrance, and they can often be placed at home as a talking point when relatives and friends come to pay New Year visits. However, if you want to keep a Phalaenopsis orchid in this healthy growing state for a long time, the correct daily pruning method is crucial. Let us take a look below at how to help it be pruned correctly.
Pruning time
The best time to prune a Phalaenopsis orchid is usually in autumn and winter, because these two seasons are not its growing period; when you find the plant has stopped producing or is growing slowly, you can proceed with pruning. Try to avoid pruning during the growing period, namely spring and summer, as it can easily affect the plant's normal growth and flowering period.
Pruning the flower spike
After the flowers have bloomed and entered the withering stage, the flower spike will also lose its original drive and function, and at this point you can prune off the entire flower spike. The specific operation is to cut off the flower spike at a point about one cm above where it emerges from the soil in the pot. What needs attention here is that you must choose sharp scissors free of pathogen infection and cut it off in one go.
Pruning the leaves
In daily care, if you find leaves that are aging, yellowing, or damaged, you should consider pruning them, because if they are not cut off, they may hinder the growth of new leaves, ventilation, and light transmission. It is likewise important to choose sharp scissors, and never over-prune, so as not to affect nutrient absorption and photosynthesis.
Make sure the pruned areas stay dry
After pruning the flower spike and leaves, the cuts may be prone to pathogen infection, so be sure to move the orchid to a dry, ventilated
location, and at the same time you can apply some special healing agent to the wounds so that they repair as quickly as possible and to prevent infection.
Pay attention to handling branches
If you find that a Phalaenopsis orchid has developed branches, it is recommended to first prune the overly dense or unhealthy yellow branches; if the overall branching does not conflict with the overall form and the branches are healthy, you can choose to keep them.
In short, if you want to keep a Phalaenopsis orchid in this healthy growing state for a long time, you need to pay more attention to changes in the plant, and if a suitable pruning situation arises, you can choose to prune in autumn and winter. Secondly, when pruning the flower spike, leaves, and branches, try to find sharp scissors free of pathogen infection, so as to avoid causing unnecessary rot diseases.