How to Trim an Orchid Spike

All orchids belong to the Orchidaceae family and require precise lighting, air, drainage and nutrition conditions for growth. With the right care, they produce bright, long-lasting tropical flowers. Orchid flowers grow on long spikes, which produce several buds, or joints, and may produce new flower and stalk growth. When flowers fade and fall off, it's possible to trim this spike in a number of orchid species to encourage new growth and blooming in the same season.

Pruning shears
Fertilizer

Instructions

- 1
  Trim the spike after all the old flowers fade and fall off for all orchids. Trimming the spike before the flowers fade damages present blooms and future growth.
- 2
  Cut healthy Phalaenopsis and Dendrobium spikes to 1 inch above the next unused growing bud. If possible, leave the last used bud on the spike to provide space for healing. The orchids may rebloom from the spike in the same season.
- 3
  Cut Oncidium and Cymbidium orchid spikes to their base. These orchids produce one flush of blooms per spike, and must produce a new spike for repeat blooming.

What Do I Do Once the Orchids Have Fallen Off the Stem?

How to Identify Yellow Phalaenopsis Species

Orchids