How to care for and water orchids when they bloom?

Orchids are famous for their elegant posture and fragrant aroma. Proper flowering period management can not only make the orchids bloom beautiful flowers that year, but also lay a good foundation for lush growth in the next year. Here’s how to care for and water orchids when they’re blooming:

1. Dry and wet balance

Orchids are extremely sensitive to soil moisture during the period from stemming to flowering. Soil that is too dry can cause the roots to shrink and prevent the flowers from fully opening; soil that is too wet can cause root rot and disease. Therefore, it is very important to maintain the soil in a "neither dry nor wet" state. When watering, give appropriate amount of water when the soil surface is slightly dry. In high temperature or low humidity environments, mist to increase humidity and lower temperatures, but avoid spraying water on the petals while the flowers are open.

2. Lighting adjustment

The growth direction of orchid leaves and peduncles is affected by light. To maintain the beauty of the plant, the position of the flowerpot needs to be adjusted regularly to ensure even light. Especially during the growth period of the scape, the light angle should be adjusted to prevent the scape from tilting to one side.

3. Bud thinning management

Too many flower stalks and buds will consume nutrients for the plant, affecting the quality of the flowers and growth in the next year. Excess flower stalks should be thinned out in time, healthy flower stalks should be retained, and weak flower buds should be removed to ensure that the remaining flowers get sufficient nutrients.

4. Flower protection

Flower shoulder protection: Avoid excessive humidity or excessive watering during the flowering period to prevent the flowers from falling off.

Summer heat avoidance and sun protection: For orchids that bloom in early summer and autumn, they need to avoid direct sunlight and increase the environmental humidity to prolong the flowering period.

Winter protection: For orchids that bloom in winter and early spring, they need to be kept warm and avoid damage from cold winds and frost.

Prevent accidental damage: Protect tall flower stalks from wind or human damage, and prevent them from being eaten by insects and rodents.

5. Timely removal of residues

Remove the dead flowers and stalks promptly after flowering to reduce the plant's nutrient consumption. For tall flower stalks, you can cut them off when the flowers are fully open and put them in a vase to promote the growth of new buds. For single or dwarf scapes, remove the flowers from the base after they fade.

6. Reasonable fertilization

Orchids require a lot of nutrients from bud formation to flowering, and should be supplemented in stages. Before the sprouts emerge, apply potassium dihydrogen phosphate and cake fertilizer water every month, and spray borax and rice vinegar. During the bud formation period, use potassium dihydrogen phosphate and rice vinegar spray to maintain the flower color and fragrance. After flowering, apply "confinement fertilizer" in time, and apply cake fertilizer water and bone meal ash once every half month to increase nutrient supply . Fertilization should be stopped in midsummer.

Through these meticulous management measures, the orchid can not only show its best condition in the current year, but also provide sufficient nutritional reserves for healthy growth in the following year.