An orchid does not require anything complicated and unimaginable in leaving. It is just necessary to observe some nuances. Here, for example, what to do with a peduncle after all the flowers showered? Cut it off or not?
“It's like cutting off a hand!” - say one and patiently wait for the peduncle to dry. Others cut as soon as the last flowers began to fade. Which option is correct? Let's try to figure it out.
Firstly, the flowers themselves should be carefully picked, as soon as you notice that they have begun to fade. This will allow the orchid to spend energy only on blossoming flowers.
Once ceased to please you with its flowering, you can safely remove the peduncle. However, if the tip is green, more flowers may appear. Within three months, "wait for an answer." True, this design will not look too presentable: on a long whip there is a lonely flower.
If the tip of the peduncle has turned yellow or withered, waiting for a new flowering from it is useless.
So, we will cut it. Now we are faced with another dilemma: under the root or not. Here are 2 options for the development of events at your discretion.
- If you cut at the outlet, the orchid will begin to store up strength for the next flowering.
- Trim only the top. Each peduncle has "sleeping buds." Usually there are three or four. Purely theoretically, if the peduncle does not begin to dry out, lateral peduncles may develop from them. The key word is "can." Trimming the flower stalk above the "sleeping buds" does not guarantee you their active growth.
So, in my opinion, it is better to cut at the outlet itself.
Sometimes an orchid releases a peduncle directly from a growth point. No panic! All is well, this is not a sign that she is dying. No one can say where such a fallacy came from, but many believe it. I would generally say that you are very lucky with such an orchid - it will create side outlets that can be planted, or it will have “babies” on this peduncle. We will talk about this in the next article.
And now we’ll deal with top dressing
To feed an orchid or not during flowering? Roughly speaking, you can never feed her at all. Orchid is such a unique plant that this flower receives all the trace elements necessary for growth from the environment without outside help!
This is a theory. In practice, if a plant receives balanced fertilizer, it blooms more often and more abundantly, and the flowers are larger and brighter. We, in fact, because of the flowers and love her. So feed regularly. But not during the flowering period! This will provoke a drop in flowers or reduce the flowering time. Do not “feed” the orchid immediately after flowering. She should rest a little and gather strength. Fertilizing during this period will cause your exotic flower to produce the flower stalk again, but you are unlikely to get much pleasure from it. Flowers will be small and few. In addition, the plant can simply become ill after such a rough intervention. So better be patient. Wait until the orchid enters the stage of active growth, then fertilize. But only with special fertilizer for these flowers.
As you can see, there is nothing complicated in caring for an orchid! Feel free to buy a beauty in the online store of indoor plants and enjoy the abundant flowering.