How to care for Cattleya orchids after blooming
A small tip for life, introducing how to care for Cattleya orchids after blooming and the key points of floral care during their flowering period. The following article will provide you with detailed answers.
Cattleya orchids have a relatively long flowering period. If purchased before the Spring Festival, they can usually bloom until the end of March or the end of April. However, some orchid enthusiasts may have bought their Cattleya orchids earlier, and the flowers naturally bloom and fade earlier, possibly wilting by the end of February or early March. After the Cattleya orchids finish blooming, they start to prepare for new shoots. Proper care will result in more new shoots, turning one pot into two, and allowing for more blooms next year. So, how to care for Cattleya orchids after flowering to encourage more new shoots? Mainly focus on the following three points.
Timely pruning and potting
After the Cattleya orchids finish blooming, promptly剪掉 the spent flowers and flower spikes to save nutrients and prepare for new shoots. If the bottom leaves are yellowing,剪掉 them as well. If the Cattleya orchid has few, robust plants and there is still space in the pot for new shoots to grow, there is no need to repot immediately, just pay attention to later care. If the Cattleya orchid has many plants, crowding the pot, or even with withered plants, it is necessary to repot after flowering to give the new shoots space to grow. Especially for Cattleya orchids bought this year, which are often in simple black pots, repotting after flowering is necessary. When repotting,剪掉 rotten roots, empty roots, and dead plants, then disinfect before planting in a larger pot.
Appropriately increase lighting
After the Cattleya orchids finish blooming and resume growth, it is necessary to appropriately increase lighting to promote photosynthesis, which is beneficial for new shoot germination and healthy growth. If the Cattleya orchid is still being cared for in a too shaded area, new shoots will not easily germinate, or if they do, they will be weak. However, under strong sunlight, the leaves of Cattleya orchids can easily turn yellow, so it is best to provide 30% to 50% shading or avoid midday strong sunlight, allowing direct sunlight in the morning and afternoon.
Appropriately increase watering
With the rise in temperature, the growth rate of Cattleya orchids accelerates, and the amount of water evaporation increases, so watering should be correspondingly increased. Otherwise, insufficient watering will not only fail to promote new shoot germination but may also lead to empty roots and yellowing and drying of old leaves. Watering should follow the principle of watering when the potting soil is dry and the water should be set aside to sit for a day or two before use. It is best to water in the morning during spring, avoiding rainy days and sudden temperature drops.
How to care for Cattleya orchids after blooming
Reasonable fertilization
If you want Cattleya orchids to produce more new shoots, fertilization is indispensable. If the Cattleya orchid has been repotted, you can add a balanced slow-release fertilizer to the soil during repotting, and after the potting is complete, just apply a little well-rotted organic fertilizer. If not repotted or no bottom fertilizer was added, when the temperature is above 15 degrees and the Cattleya orchid has resumed growth, you can apply a little nitrogen fertilizer to promote new shoot germination. Fertilize every 15 days, twice in a row, and after the new shoots have germinated and the leaves have unfolded, switch to a balanced compound fertilizer. Cattleya orchids are not very tolerant of fertilizers but do like them, so fertilizing should be frequent. Regardless of the type of fertilizer used, it should be kept away from the roots and away from the pseudobulbs.
Some orchid enthusiasts' Cattleya orchids do not produce new shoots after flowering, and the old leaves gradually turn yellow and dry. The main reason is that they have not been repotted, the roots cannot spread out, and lack nutrients. For Cattleya orchids bought this year that have not been repotted, it is recommended to repot them in the spring. Cattleya orchids are relatively easy to care for; as long as the pot is larger and some fertilizer is provided, they can usually germinate new shoots. However, the quality of care affects the number and health of the new shoots.
The above sharing on how to care for Cattleya orchids after blooming and the specific introduction of the key points of floral care during their flowering period is hoped to bring some floral knowledge to green plant enthusiasts.