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FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions About
Orchids
The American Orchid Society
receives hundreds of
orchid-related questions each
month in a variety of media:
telephone, fax, e-mail, and yes,
even through the mail. Director
of Conservation Ned Nash, who
has answered the majority of
these queries, has gathered the
most frequently encountered
questions here.
WHERE DO I CUT THE
FLOWER SPIKE WHEN IT IS
FINISHED?
The simple answer:
When most orchids have
finished blooming, the spike
should be cut of with a sharp,
sterile blade as close to the
base of the spike as is
practical. Of all of the
more commonly available orchids,
only phalaenopsis (the moth
orchid) will re-bloom from its
old spike. Phalaenopsis will
generally re-bloom given a
little extra care. The spike
should be cut between the scar
left by the first flower and the
last node (swollen, jointed area
on the stem). One of the lower
nodes will then initiate a new
spike that will generally
produce flowers within eight to
12 weeks. Younger or weaker
plants may not re-bloom. It is
also a good idea to cut the
spike off entirely by midsummer
to allow the plant to grow
strongly to produce next year's
bloom.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I
WATER?
The simple answer:
Once every four to
seven days depending on season
and dryness of the home.
Allow the plants to approach
dryness, gauged by pot weight or
by the pencil trick (the point
of a sharpened lead pencil, when
inserted into the medium, will
darken with moisture if the
plant has enough water), and
apply sufficient water so that
it drains freely through the
container. Never allow any
potted plant to sit in its own
water. Flowering plants may
require more-frequent watering
to make up for the greater
burden of the flowers. Plants
will require less water when not
in active growth (generally
winter months), and more while
growing (generally spring and
summer months). Increased
frequency of watering will not
make up for a poor root system.
If roots are not plump and
alive, repotting may be called
for, or the plant may have been
recently repotted by the vendor,
in which case it will require
raised humidity to compensate
for the lack of supporting root
uptake. Last, plants with
thinner, softer foliage will
generally require more water
than those with harder, more
succulent leaves. Plants with
pseudobulbs (such as dendrobiums
and cattleyas) generally need to
dry out more between watering
than do those without (such as
phalaenopsis).
DO ORCHIDS NEED TO BE
FERTILIZED WHILE THEY ARE IN
FLOWER? WHAT FERTILIZER SHOULD
I USE?
The simple answer:
Yes, if anything,
flowering plants need extra
fertilizer. Your plants
will need to be fertilized with
a product appropriate to the
medium in which they are grown.
In general, plants in a
bark-based mix will need a
fertilizer high in nitrogen
(usually in a 3-1-1 ratio),
while a balanced fertilizer will
do for all others (usually a
1-1-1 ratio). If in doubt,
fertilize with the same balanced
fertilizer you use for your
other container plants. Orchids
will do far better with too
little fertilizer than with too
much. The old adage, "feed
weakly, weekly" is appropriate.
Fertilize every week with a
dilute solution.
WHEN SHOULD I REPOT?
The simple answer:
When fresh rooting
activity is expected (generally
in the spring) or is very
evident, generally every one or
two years. Fresh rooting
activity is best shown by the
succulent green root tips on
plump white roots. Often, the
main flush of rooting come from
the base.
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