The correct way to prune the cluster or raceme (the stem from which the flowers grow) of the orchid depends on the variety of the plant, while to prune damaged leaves and roots, the method does not change for all varieties of orchids. Pruning methods for some orchid varieties are described below.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Pruning the Oncidium Cluster
Step 1. Wait for the flowers to wilt
You should only prune orchids after the flowers have completely wilted. The bunch should also (but this does not always happen) show signs of yellowing.
Orchid flowers usually stay in bloom for about eight weeks, then wilt
Step 2. Find the base of the cluster
Follow the cluster until you see the point from which it emerges from the pseudobulb. The point will be more or less between the pseudobulb and a leaf.
The pseudobulb is an enlarged portion of the stem, with an oval or bulb-like shape. It is usually found above the ground surface
Step 3. Cut the cluster as close to the pseudobulb as possible
Hold the bunch straight and steady with the hand you don't use to cut; with a sharp scissor cut the cluster very close to the pseudobulb.
Be careful not to cut the pseudobulb or your fingers. You can leave up to 2.5cm of cluster if you want
Method 2 of 5: Pruning the Phalaenopsis Cluster
Step 1. Wait until the flowers have all wilted
Never prune a cluster if it still has live flowers. In order not to risk damaging the plant, you should also wait until at least the tip of the bunch begins to show signs of yellowing.
Warning: this type of pruning must be done on mature orchids, which have reached a height of at least 30 cm
Step 2. Locate the inactive bud
Observe the bracts along the cluster, positioned about 13 cm from each other. The bud is located just below the largest bract.
- This bract should widen and take the shape of a shield.
- When you cut the orchid just above this bud, a portion of the cluster is also removed containing the hormones that prevent the bud from growing. This pruning causes the bud to start growing again and in a few weeks you should see a new cluster sprouting. The new bunch has all the potential to flourish.
Step 3. Do the pruning
Grab the bunch with the hand you don't use to cut, keeping it straight and firm. With the other hand, cut the cluster 6 mm above the large shield-shaped bract, using sharp scissors.
Method 3 of 5: Pruning the Cattleya Bunch
Step 1. Wait until the flowers have wilted
When all the flowers attached to the cluster have withered, the cluster itself will also begin to turn yellow.
Step 2. Find the bud sheath
You should see the cluster sticking out and rising vertically from a large green section of the plant called the sheath. If you point a light behind the sheath, you should be able to see the underside of the cluster.
- The bud sheath will be green or brownish in color. The color of the sheath is not necessarily an indicator of the health of the plant.
- The sheath protects the buds both when they are immature and during their flowering. When the flowers and the cluster have wilted, the sheath will still remain active.
- Make sure the sheath is not fresh. You should understand this because the flowers or the cluster are visible. If you can't see them, gently squeeze the sheath to check for fresh buds inside.
Step 3. Find where the sheath and stem meet
Follow the stem down and locate the sheath where the pseudobulb is. The sheath and its cluster emerge from the pseudobulb, usually protected by one or two leaves.
Remember that the pseudobulb is simply a portion of the stem that pokes directly above the surface of the soil. It is wider than the rest of the stem and has a bulb-like shape
Step 4. Cut the bunch at the height of the sheath
Hold the top of the sheath and the bunch with one hand. Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut the sheath and cluster as close to the base of the leaves as possible.
Do not cut the leaves or the pseudobulb
Method 4 of 5: Pruning the Dendrobium Cluster
Step 1. Wait for the flowers to wilt
The flowers must come off or have a floppy appearance. The bunch begins to turn yellow or brown.
Step 2. Remove the cluster, but not the stem
The cluster starts at the tip of the stem, directly above the leaves. Hold the cluster steady and make a clean cut at the base of the cluster, using a sharp tool.
- Do not cut the stem.
- In most cases, the stem is green, while the cluster is brown or brown-green.
- The cluster has no leaves, and based on this, you should be able to determine where the stem ends and where the cluster begins.
Step 3. Cut off too many stems only when you need to repot the plant
A healthy orchid usually has at least three mature stems, although not all of them will continue to bloom. The best time to remove stems that no longer bloom is when repotting the orchid.
- The stems gather energy and produce food for the rest of the plant, so it's important to keep them until they are completely dead.
- When you prune the stems, choose those that are yellow and leafless. After removing the plant from the pot, cut the horizontal rhizome - the horizontal root attached to the dying stem. Remove the portion attached to the shriveled stems before transplanting the orchid into a new pot.
Method 5 of 5: Pruning of Leaves and Roots
Step 1. Tick off the blackened leaves
Check your orchid leaves regularly for blackheads or other signs of deterioration. Use a sharp, sterile tool to cut away the damaged leaf parts.
- Never cut a portion of the leaf that is not damaged.
- Leave healthy leaves intact, even if all others are damaged.
- Orchid leaves turn black for several reasons, including disease caused by bacteria or fungi, too much fertilizer or too much water, exposure to extreme temperatures.
- You can remove leaves that have yellowed and limp, but only if they give way easily and peel off immediately when you pull them.
Step 2. Cut off dead roots when transplanting the orchid
When you remove the plant from the pot, check the roots. Trim away any that are damaged or dead, using sharp, sterile scissors or shears.
- Damaged roots have a brown color and are soft to the touch.
- Be careful not to cut the healthy roots. Identify dead or dying roots and cut them carefully, avoiding damaging healthy roots.
- To check if a root is dead, first cut off a small piece of it and examine it. If it looks fresh and white, don't cut off the rest of the root, as it means it's still alive. If the bit is brown, soft, or rotten, keep cutting away all of the dead root.
Step 3. Leave the healthy parts alone
No matter what portion of orchid you are pruning - cluster, leaves, roots - only cut off the visibly dead or damaged parts. Removing healthy orchid parts can damage the whole plant.
- The sole purpose of pruning an orchid is to remove the dead and non-productive parts, so that the plant can receive a greater amount of nutrients. Pruning the healthy parts will not improve an orchid's growth in the following season.
- Orchids use a repair process where the dying parts continue to nourish the healthy parts by transferring nutrients to them. For this reason, avoid pruning any part of the plant until it shows visible signs of death.
Step 4. Pruning should be done during the plant's rest period
Usually, the orchid enters the stasis period towards the end of autumn.
An orchid pruned during its growth cycle can suffer shock and suffer permanent damage
Advice
- Use a sharp tool to prune.. Many people cut the bunch with a disposable razor, but you can also use shears or a sharp knife. For the roots, scissors or shears are needed.
- Sterilize pruning tools after using them. Fungi and bacteria can easily spread among orchids. Sterilize the blades by washing them with warm soapy water.
- In the literature, the orchid pseudobulb is also called a "knot".
- Arrange the used razors correctly. Wrap the razor blades with masking tape before throwing them in the bin.
- Recognize the difference between the cluster and the stem. The cluster is the portion of the orchid directly attached to the flowers, while the stem is the unproductive part of the plant, from where the leaves arise. You need to prune the bunch, but not the stem.
