How to Pinch Off Dead Flowers From Orchids

There are several reason why you should remove dead orchid flowers from your plant. Without any dead flowers, your plant will look healthier and fuller. The dead flowers also sap nutrients from your plant. An orchid will produce more flowers if you remove dead growth. It is also a good way to stop a disease before it overtakes your plant. Deadhead your orchids regularly as part of your plant maintenance regimen.

Garden snips, if needed

Examine the plant for dead or dying flowers. Pay careful attention to any flowers that look diseased. Flowers that have strange splotches or streaks of colors, curled petals or are less intense in color than other flowers may be exhibiting signs of disease.

Hold the stem of the orchid in one hand and grab the dead flower with your other hand. Pull forward gently on the flower. Spent flowers will come of quite easily. Diseased flowers may need a bit more force to remove, if they are still living. Do not bend or crack the stem in the process of removing the flower. Use garden snips if needed.

Dispose of the spent flowers in your compost bin or garbage. Do not allow the spent flowers to sit on the soil of your orchid. Any flowers infected with a viral or bacterial infection should not go into a compost bin. Place infected flowers in a plastic bag and dispose of them immediately to avoid spreading disease to other plants.

Check your plant regularly for spent flowers. A good time to check for spent flowers is during watering.