Orchid Question: When the flower has bloomed and then starts to dry up should i clip it off or let it fall off?
Dear Kathy,
Most of us may be too busy to monitor our orchids as much as we'd like to. Occasionally, an orchid bloom will dry on the plant since we didn't have enough time to pinch it or the bloom may just fall off the orchid. I like to pinch the dead blooms from the plant, before they have fallen off the orchid. You should always remove the dead flowers not only on plants but flower bouquets too. You don't want anything dead near you, not to mention it makes the rest of the flowers look prettier when you remove the dead flowers. So, if you see a dead or wilting flower, clip it off with scissors or pinch it off with your fingers. I use my fingers, unless the bloom just falls off on its own.
I water my orchids with filtered water. I have a 75 gallon aquarium and when I find an orchid in my house that is feather weight from not watering, I will dunk it in the aquarium and soak the growing media. It's a little tricky when the orchid is grown in bark! All other orchids are watered using a watering can and purified water. I use the aquarium dunking technique only on very dry orchids and my fish don't seem to mind.
Here are some photos of orchids in my home. I am lucky because orchids re-bloom in my house and my opinion is, if your home feels comfortable to you (temperature, tone) it will feel comfortable to your orchids. So drum-roll please, here are the photos of orchids in my home that have re-bloomed on their own, woohoo.
Phalaenopsis Taisuco Elfin re-bloomed!
Cut cymbidium orchid stem from my garden
Dtps. Taida Salu Alisan has bloomed for nine months!
More beautiful orchids that are not in my home :)
Dtps. Taida Salu "Alisan" the red phalaenopsis
Dendrobium Nobile (no name - grown in Calif0rnia)
Pink phalaenopsis orchid (purple phalaenopsis are common, pink ones are not)
Phalaenopsis Nobby's Amy FS5-11
Phalaenopsis Sogo David - a real standout color combination
Phalaenopsis striped flower
Teacup orchid
Gdlra. Pacific Truffle "Surrogate Star"
