The importance of Orchid Pruning

Orchid growing is a great past time and many people are getting right into it.One aspect of growing your orchids that should not be disregarded is orchid pruning. Pruning your orchid plant is not a difficult task and yet for some strange reason, a lot of novice orchid growers fear doing this. The task of orchid pruning should not be a fearful task. For reasons that are mysterious, a lot of novice orchid growers fright using scissors to prune their orchids. It is with high hopes that this article will take away the fear associates with orchid pruning. There are three main reasons why we should do orchid pruning and this article will tackle each in clarity.

Orchid pruning is a must and all orchids have to be pruned during certain stages in their lifespan. Honestly, nothing unsafe will happen to your orchid if you don't prune it but it will not stay fit and bloom pretty flowers.
Before you start pruning your orchid plant, it is crucial that you consider the cleanliness of your chosen tool. Always uncontaminated/disinfect your scissors/secateurs before and after each pruning. Using a mild bleach solution to wash them is a great way to start.

Three important Reasons Why We Prune Orchids
For shape and vigor
Orchid leaves do not usually need to be pruned but if the plant starts to become disorderly, prune them with a pair of scissors. This also has the effect if causing a much stronger re - growth. All that you need to do is to simply shape the plant as you desire but taking into account not to remove the flower stalks. Three pruning sessions should be done if your orchid plant is in a very untidy state. Do not prune your plant in a single go. If you are confused on what to do, always remind yourself on your objective for the orchid plant.

Getting rid of any dead material
Dead or lifeless objects can be a source of infection for your orchid thus you need to remove them. The simplest way to term this is “Plant Cleanliness”. Pruning needs to be done consistently all year with special focus given to the period of winter.

To foster beautiful flowering
This aspect of orchid pruning is very reliant on the orchid type you choose to grow. The are some orchid varieties that bloom only once a year while there are some that bloom many times in a year. It requires patience and technical knowledge to get the best flowering from your orchids. As a golden rule, it is advisable that you prune the dying flower stalks after flowering to about an inch from the base. The purpose of doing this is to leave a growth point for the next set of flowers. This is usually done when the flowers have died and the stalk is developing a color of yellow and is wilting.

So that's a wrap. Understanding these 3 rules will surely help you overcome your fright of orchid pruning. Pruning can become straightforward and not fearful if you only follow the 3 guideline mentioned in this article.