5 Tips for Pruning Indoor Orchids

5 Tips for Pruning Indoor Orchids

5 Tips for Pruning Indoor Orchids

It's not hard to prune your indoor orchids. Take a couple of minutes to get rid of old leaves and you will have a healthy, happy and beautiful plant.

1) You can prune your orchid's leaves throughout the year or you can do it once a year, usually during the winter and fall. Orchids do not normally bloom in the late fall and winter so it's a good time to prune leaves but not such a good time to prune back dead blossoms and stalks. For that, see number 3. If you think that there are diseased leaves on your orchid you will need to go to number 2

2) Leaves that are yellow or have yellow spots surrounded by black rings should be removed. They are diseased, and have either a bacterial infection, or in the case of the leaves with the black rings, a fungal infection. You should remove them whenever you see them, not waiting until your normal pruning time. If you have too many leaves on an orchid that are too close together, you might want to remove a couple to give the orchid better air circulation.

3) Remove the ends of bloom stalks. There are a couple of different points of view on where on the stalk to do this but the bottom line is that it needs to be done. If the stalk is brown and dead and you want to get rid of it, cut it back to about a inch above its bottom. If you are hoping for a keiki, or another blossom on the same stalk, cut the stalk just below the old blossom and right above a node. Remove dead blooms when they wither by snipping them off at their bases.

4) Always use sterilized tools. Whether you use a pruning shears, a household scissors, a knife or a razor blade, it is necessary to make sure that the tool is not infected with either a bacteria or a fungus. All plants can get these but orchids are particularly susceptible to infection. A mixture of bleach and water or holding the blade over a flame will kill any unwanted cells on the blade. It's also a good idea to use latex gloves when you prune your orchid. Change the gloves between plants and re-sterilize your cutting tools between plants.

5) Every couple of years, after you've pruned away dead blooms, flower stalks and diseased leaves, take a look at the roots of the orchid. Carefully remove the orchid from its pot, disturbing the roots as little as possible and remove as much potting medium as possible. If any of the roots look brown or mushy, remove them with your sterilized tool. Then repot the orchid in new potting material in a pot that is slightly larger than the pot it was removed from.

As you can see, pruning an orchid is not an ordeal. Just follow the steps above and 1,2,3 (4, 5) you will be done!

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