Cutting off leaf

[Helen]

Originally Posted by Charles

Use powerdered cinnamon on the cut edges to avoid infection on the orchid. Put some on your finder and pack it into cut edge. You don't (can't, you'll see when you try it) want to use alot. A little will do.

When leaves are ready to come off, they will do so very easily. If you don't mind waiting, do that. It's always best to let the orchid do the deciding. Unless you are in a hurry before a show or some other event, wait.

Charles, what other kinds of things, if any, is cinnamon used for exactly?

[Charles]

Flavoring and cooking. It's also supposed to be good for you if you have diabetes.

Use cinnamon if the wound is still wet when you remove the leaf. It is used to close and protect the wound from infection. Think of it as a scab. It's made from bark. And it is nippy. If we were talking about people, the cinnamon would probably burn.

[cb977]

Cinnamon has been used for thousands of years for medicinal purposes Only the best for our 'chids

[Helen]

Thanks very much for cinnamon info. Love all these new tips!

[Shadow]

And I always wait till the leaf falls by itself and then I take off the rest of the leaf that remains on the stem.

[Helen]

Good tip...that's what I've decided to do too.

[Shadow]

One more tip - tear the remains on few thin parts and then take these parts off one by one. If you pull off the whole thing at once you can tear it away together with the roots.

[Helen]

That's very important advice...thanks again..

[Rhonda_in_FL]

When cutting fleshy leaves, like on phals, I use a razor blade. Sometimes scissors damage the leaf, bruising the remaining tissue.

On this specific question, I cut into the leaf about an inch or two from the edge of any yellowing area. The nice thing about phals is that those cut leaves will be gone soon enough through regular growth.

Incidentally, the cinnamon is only effective for a few moments. It seals the wound (cut) and provides some antibacterial protections. It only takes a little.

I also give root balls a quick dusting of cinnamon after I've removed and cleaned a plant prior to repotting. Gives all those little scrapes from unpotting a little protection.

[Helen]

I appreciate your valuable tips Rhonda, esp. with putting cinnamon on the roots! I'm always learning something new on this forum! By the way, I love your avatar. My little yellow leaf on my phal is a small one. The phal is one of 4 seedlings I bought last year and I just split it into 4 new phals...can't wait to see what I get. So, this leaf is probably one of the first seedling leaves anyway.