How do you use the flower spike of a Phalaenopsis orchid to grow plantlets after it finishes blooming?
Want to make a moth orchid (Phalaenopsis) that has already bloomed flower again? As long as you master the right care methods, you can not only improve the success rate of reblooming, but also possibly get the surprise of a "mother and child on the same plant."
Flower spike:After the flowers fade, only a flower spike that is still emerald green is worth cultivating; if it has turned yellow and shriveled, just cut it off. The best place to prune is above the 2nd-3rd node counting up from the spent flowers1cm, cutting through and keeping the healthy part with buds.
Sheath:The buds are usually wrapped in a transparent membrane, and this membrane will hinder the growth of new shoots. Beginners are advised to use pointed tweezers, and after disinfecting them, gently grip the edge of the sheath; those with experience can carefully scrape it open with a fingernail.
Care:Move it to a cool, ventilated place, avoiding direct sunlight and strong drafts.2Strictly no watering or misting for 2 days; you can use a cotton swab dipped in carbendazim powder to apply to the wound to reduce the risk of infection.
Encouraging buds:After the wound heals, use a spray bottle to mist lightly every morning and evening, keeping the buds moist but not waterlogged; or1crushed aspirin tablet mixed with500mlof water to make a solution, and spray it1time a week; the salicylic acid in it can effectively promote cell division.
Temperature:If you want the flower spike to bloom a second time, keep the temperature at18-22°C, placing it in an area indoors without heating or opening a window at night to cool it down. If you want to cultivate a new plant, maintain a warm environment of22-28°C, such as an air-conditioned room or a spot near a radiator, but be careful to avoid sudden temperature changes.
Transplanting:When the small moth orchid has grown2or more healthy white roots longer than3cmand2-3new leaves, it can become an independent plant. The specific steps are as follows:
1.Disinfection: Wipe the scissors with an alcohol pad, and prepare fresh sphagnum moss or a special orchid potting mix (sphagnum moss+bark mix).
2.Separation: Cut close to the base of the mother plant, minimizing damage to the mother plant's root system.
3.Potting: First soak the new plant in a carbendazim solution for5minutes to sterilize, then after it dries, plant it in the potting mix, water thoroughly to settle the roots, place it in bright, indirect light for the first two weeks to acclimate, and just keep the potting mix slightly moist.
In short, if you just care for it carefully according to the above methods, perhaps before long you will see a new flower spike emerging from the old flower spike, or the moth orchid blooming again.