After an orchid blooms, it enters a period of dormancy where all the flowers fall off. To encourage reblooming, you can cut away the old stem and hold up repotting until after the final flower has fallen. Once the flowers have fallen from the spike, there is the general orchid care process.
To get your orchid to rebloom, identify the proper lighting, watering schedule, potting specifics, and temperature preferences for your orchid. It’s essential to give the plant enough light to photosynthesize, which in turn gives the orchid enough energy. Repot your orchid once every one to two years or as needed when the soil breaks down. Fertilize regularly with orchid-friendly food and keep water from building up in the bottom of the pot.
To avoid damaging the orchid’s leaves, delay repotting until after the orchid finishes blooming, trim dead spikes, provide sufficient humidity, and reduce ambient temperatures slightly when necessary. Regularly prune dead flowers to encourage new growth and place the orchids higher to prevent damage.
Another helpful tip is to ensure that the night temperature is lower than the day temperature and use a fertilizer formulated for orchids. Feeding an orchid the right fertilizers can stimulate it to grow faster and bloom sooner.
After blooming, water wisely, give the orchid the right light, be careful with fertilizer, and be patient. Remember to remove the dead flower spike, repot the orchid, provide regular care, and lower the temperature.
📹 the amazing secret of orchid fertilizer (Fast and Easy)
The amazing secret of orchid fertilizer (Fast and Easy) In this video we are talking about orchid fertilizer that is making orchids …
Does milk help orchids bloom?
Orchids are low-maintenance plants that don’t require much fertilizer, and too much can harm them. However, using milk as a fertilizer can provide essential nutrients for their growth and blooming. Milk contains several key nutrients found in most fertilizers, making it a popular choice for houseplant owners. To care for orchids, use an empty milk container and use the resulting milk-water mix as fertilizer. Orchids grow on trees, where their tangled roots absorb nutrients from particulate matter floating through the air.
When kept indoors, their potting material breaks down, depleting nutrients. Fertilizing helps supplement these nutrients, but improper fertilization can cause more harm than good. Here are some tips for using milk safely to care for your orchids:
- Use an empty milk container and use the resulting milk-water mix as fertilizer.
- Keep the potting material clean and dry to prevent nutrient depletion.
- Avoid using excessive fertilizer, as it can harm orchids.
What makes orchids happy?
Orchids are a beautiful indoor plant that can double as home décor. They can live for up to 15 years under the right conditions, and there are about 25, 000 species to choose from. One of the easiest to grow is the moth orchid (Phalaenopsis). To ensure orchids flourish in your home, give them at least six hours of bright, indirect light from a south or east-facing window. When caring for an orchid, keep in mind their light, soil, water, and fertilizer needs. These requirements should be met to ensure the orchid’s growth and maintenance. Remember to consult with experts like Bruce Rogers, Melinda Myers, and David Horak for expert advice on orchid care.
How do you stimulate orchids to bloom?
To ensure optimal growth and development of orchids, it is essential to provide them with indirect sunlight, maintain a consistent temperature of 60-75°F, water sparingly, fertilize them every two weeks with a balanced fertilizer, and regularly prune dead flowers.
Why are my orchid buds taking so long to bloom?
Orchids have natural stimuli that signal the end of their growth season and the time for blooming. Some orchids are temperature sensitive, triggered by natural cooling in the fall, and others are light sensitive. Temperature-sensitive orchids are triggered by the fall’s cooling, which signals the end of the growth period and the need for a bloom spike. However, plants grown in homes with constant temperatures may be hesitant to bloom. Light-sensitive orchids, grown in homes with lights on after dark, may have their natural cycle disrupted.
If these plants are allowed to summer outdoors, they will sense the shortening days and begin the bloom cycle. For more information on orchid care, visit our informative pages on Phalaenopsis Orchid Care and our directory of orchid care articles.
Why is my orchid growing but not blooming?
Orchids require adequate light to produce flowers, and insufficient light is a common cause of failure to rebloom. Leaf color indicates the amount of light, with a grassy green color indicating sufficient light for blooming. Orchid DealWire offers free access to orchid vendors’ special promotions and exclusive savings, ensuring the plant receives the necessary amount of light for successful blooming.
What to feed orchids to make them bloom?
The NYBG Senior Curator of Orchids recommends using a balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20 in powder form to provide all the primary nutrients needed for flowering plants. These nutrients include nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), secondary nutrients, and trace nutrients. Nitrogen aids in vigorous growth and dark green color, while phosphorus promotes root development and flowering. Potassium is essential for overall hardiness and disease resistance.
Some orchid growers use high-nitrogen fertilizers like 30-10-10 to grow more leaves before switching to a balanced formula. However, it is important to remember to change over well before the spring bloom period for optimal results.
How do I encourage new buds on my orchid?
The pruning of the above-mentioned node has been observed to stimulate additional growth and the subsequent flowering.
How to encourage an orchid to grow a new stem?
Orchids bloom during late fall, winter, and early spring due to exposure to lower temperatures and shorter days. Proper care can help them rebloom during these months without much help, especially if cold winters are experienced. However, keeping your home warm during winter may hinder their reblooming. Position your orchid close to windows or move it to a colder room to induce blooming, but avoid exposing it to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). Depending on the orchid species, you may be able to induce blooming outside its regular period.
Orchids need a recovery period between flowerings to stay healthy and strong. It’s not realistic for these plants to be constantly flowering. Be patient and focus on providing the orchid plant with the necessary conditions, as it will reward you with beautiful blooms.
Does coffee help orchids?
It is possible to place potted orchids in one’s garden, but it should be noted that they lack the same macro-organisms as potted ones.
How do I get my orchid to spike a new flower?
To obtain a new orchid flower spike, place the plant in a lower room temperature (55-65°F) at night or in a window away from a heater. This method works best in winter when homes and windows aren’t as warm. Wait for a month for the spike to grow, which will look like a root with a knobby end called a “mitten”. Once it starts spiking, return the orchid to its normal growing location with a moderate room temperature of 65-75°F and bright, indirect light.
Support the spike with a stake and a loose tie once it reaches about 5″. If no new spikes are produced after a couple of months, try moving the orchid to a different location. Continue watering and fertilizing the orchid, but don’t move it around to avoid twisted flowers and an arching effect. The Phalaenopsis can usually grow a new flower spike or two annually.
How to speed up orchid growth?
Orchids are not withered or dying, but they go through cycles of flowers, producing beautiful and delicate flowers. When an orchid’s bloom fades, it’s important to provide it with the optimum conditions to induce a beautiful bloom. These include bright, indirect light, an airy potting mix, consistent fertilization, and humidity.
Light is a crucial factor for houseplants, and orchids thrive in bright, indirect sunlight. Replicating these conditions in their native tropical habitats can help your orchid grow faster. Optimize your watering routine, regulate temperature, stimulate with fertilizer, and repot your orchid when necessary.
Regular fertilization and humidity are also essential for orchid growth. By ensuring that your orchid receives the right amount of light, you can encourage it to grow faster and fill your home with its captivating flowers. Repotting your orchid when it’s not reaching its full potential can also help it reach its full potential.
📹 How to make Phalaenopsis Orchids have more flowers! – Orchid Care for Beginners
Have you always dreamed of having a ton of flowers on your Phalaenopsis Orchid? Well here is how I get my Orchids to make so …
This article is sponsored by rePotme, check them out here go.missorchidgirl.com/repotme87 They also provided products like pots, clips, some of the stakes and fertiliser I used in this article. Check out our entire Orchid Care for Beginners Series! youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxo6tXzj__mZzIrS7nCGjI6NEwWCwvuya
I am currently living in a sea of blooms. It’s the first thing I see when I wake up, the last thing I get to enjoy before going to bed and always surrounding me while I work. Being surrounded by all this colour really is a wonderful experience, a little joy that calms my brain. I am so proud of my indoor jungle and when it comes to orchids, I could’t have done it withou you – thank you!
I received my first orchid (a phalaenopsis) in September last year with a beautiful flower spike with half the buds open. After the blooms ended around January (I’m in the southern hemisphere), I stuck it on my TV cabinet. It seemed happy without water for months on end but gradually one leaf got slightly droopy. I found out later why. The entire core of the potting medium was sphagnum moss! I decided it was time to learn to care for my orchid so I came to YouTube and found you! After perusal your articles I searched shops to find the right pot and potting medium. I bought multiple products to get it right. rePotme wasn’t available in my area. Within three days of repotting I had a new leaf! Voila! I will be buying more orchids this winter. I’m really looking forward to it. Thanks for your fabulous articles! 😘
Thank you so much for answering my questions about aerial roots and repotting! I’m now going to watch your other articles on orchids. This is my first orchid, which was blooming when my daughter gave it to me. The blooms became spent, but the two leaves were very beautiful! My daughter thought the plant was dying because all the flowers died and she believed once the flowers were spent, the plant was DONE and she threw it in the kitchen’s garbage pail! Thankfully, I had something to discard and saw the plant. I immediately took it out and no damage had occurred!!!!! I am going to repot it, which lead me to your website and your wonderful help! Thank you SOOOOOOO much—-Debi
I’m in sw Florida, zone 10a. My kid bought me a Mystic Blue Phalaenopsis in 2022. It’s now 2 years later, mid April. My plant is just now allowing me it’s first stems/spikes since I got it. It was flowering when I got it, of course. I assume it will be white, not blue. I’m guessing you were talking about people whose didn’t cut their stems all year long. I did cut my stem 2 years ago as it all started dying back. I’m just grateful I didn’t kill her during those 2 years, lol. I’m so excited to finally get to see her Bloom again! Thank you for all you do to educate us fledgings. Hugs!
That is so true about the stress, I bought a mini orchid with lots of buds and was so happy to see a new flower stark starting to come out. When I got it home, after a few days, some of the buds started to dry up and the new flower stark just tried up. So disappointed. I had just given up on orchids and decided to try again, and this happened!! I’m so grateful for your website because you give us a better understanding of this plant and what to look out for. Update, after a couple weeks the rest of the buds opened up.
You are a wonderful teacher. Your plants are beautiful as well as yourself. What I have learned is orchids are way to fussy for me. I have a lovely back enclosed porch very well lit with morning to late afternoon sun where i can keep them out of the direct light only problem it gets cold at night so I have to take them in,now I learn I am stressing them out when I move them. The list goes on and on. They are beautiful now that they are new and budding out but when they stop and I cut them back I will be done. If they grow fine but no more fussing. Thanks so much for what you do but a beautiful plant is not always a happy owner. Carol
Thank you for this article! I’m new to orchids and I have done quite a few things wrong but with your guidance as the orchid guru with the best articles on YouTube I hope that I will become a good orchid mama. Seeing you has only increased my enjoyment of your articles. Long life and good health to you 🙏🙏😀
I have enjoyed your orchid articles for several years now. You have helped me so much with all that goes into growing and maintaining my orchids. Best of all, I finally get to see your beautiful face. What a treat that was as I watched your article today. Thanks for sharing your immense knowledge of orchids. I look forward for more to come!
What a pleasant surprise to see your pretty face! I had you pictured with blonde hair but it’s just good to see you. I have learned so much from you and am nursing my first phalaenopsis orchid which we received in Oct of 2021 from a neighbor. It is a giant bloomer and had 10 huge blooms and I cut it back and it produced another 6 blooms. It’s April and I am perusal the flower spike grow every day. I sit it outside in the winter here in Phoenix and it gets a lot of reflected light on the east side. Thanks for all your education on orchids and I tell everybody that asks to watch your articles.
First it is so nice to see your face! Second, I have always killed orchids I have felt like the orchid serial killer. I love orchids my mom loved orchids and could make the thrive. She died last year and I was determined to have orchids to remember her with I bought some very pretty ones after Valentines. I have now kept them a live and they are thriving and it is almost mid April!!! As sad as this is it is a record for me lol. This is all because of YOU!!!! I have even re-potted them!!! Thank you so much for the information you have shared and help you have given me!!
Hey Danny! Ur articles are so inspiring and awesome! Finding ur website completely changed the way I wanna care for my orchid hobby. At first the IDs of my phals weren’t the most important thing for me, but you totally changed it. I’m so happy to find out all the names of my flowershop nameless orchids and I can’t wait to find them all out! The orchid at 8:37 is one of my favourite ones, so I’ve spent a lot of time finding the ID and I got lucky yesterday! It’s called Phalaenopsis Younghome Chocolate (big lip), I hope I was able to help here :’3 keep up ur great work!
Finally Danny is revealing her beautiful face my gosh she’s my idol for the longest time, 9 years ago I was started my orchids. Don’t hide your face again Danny your so beautiful like the orchids. I love perusal your orchids article all the techniques/ideas with your orchids are applied to my Phals and yes its proven effective. Yeah for Danny’s face reveal, she’s my idol!
Awesome article and finally nice to see the person behind those hands we used to. My Phylanapsis orchids are just producing more leaves and no spikes yet. In one plant, the leaf size is nearly 40cm and it is dragging the pot down ( I had to add support). I have 8 plants, oldest one is 10 year old. What should I feed them to flower ?
Muchas gracias Danny! Like always great explanation, I been see your articles for years, and always learn a lot from you, I been thinking about put together 2 or 3 phalenopsis toghether but a was afraid! But this year I willbecause of you! I’m so happy to see your face, my husband and I think you are so beautiful; it’s nice to meet you
Hello Dani! This is the first article that I’ve actually seen your adorably sweet face! Usually just hear your voice and see you from about your shoulders to your waist. Your hands more than anything. 😂 Thank you for your articles. I’ve learned a lot from you! May not sound like it when I tell you the luck I’ve had. Received my first orchid (Phal) for Mother’s Day in 2021. It did ok for a while but I didn’t repot it and I also think I may have been watering it too often. Also where I live the seasons change and go from one extreme to the other for summer and winter. It’s almost like we don’t have a spring or fall some years. So I have learned that makes a difference in how often I need to water, etc. Anyway, I ended up managing to kill the first one. I was so sad. Probably could have saved it but didn’t realize it at the time. I bought a second one after I lost the first one. Now I’m in the process of trying to save the second one. And so far the third one is doing well. Mistake I made with the second one is not repotting it. The third one I just purchased a couple months ago. Weather was still extremely cold here in Kentucky, USA. But the orchid was in full bloom. Didn’t make much sense to me. I need to get it repotted soon before I end up with a repeat situation again. I’ve had such a hard time finding the right media to repot them in where I live. Covid didn’t help matters any and made even everyday items much harder to find. I don’t have a debit card and wasn’t working either so money was an issue as far as even trying to order the things I needed online.
Hi Danny! I just wanted to add my experience about mixing different fertilisers amd explaining one of the possible scientific reason why it is very often not a good idea. My situation: I need three fertilisers (one with Calcium, one with Magnesium and one with everything else) to grant my plants all the nutrients they need, however since the one with Calcium and the one with Magnesium are not developed to be used together, if you mix them together you actually get insoluble salts that immediately create micro salt-deposits and of course they become not absorbable by the plants! So yeah, different fertilisers -> different fertilising sessions
I saved 5 out of 11 orchid plants (they are growing new beautiful leaves and spikes when before they were rotting and quite sick) thanks to perusal your articles. The rest did not make it sadly I got them too far gone. I have to say it is intimidating. I still dont think I know what I am doing😞 I live in tropical climate and winter here is hot, we just get rain everyday. I dont know how to tell the cycles of the plants and when its safe to cut the spikes. I am limited here with orchid fertilizer and sustrato so I hope I am using the right things. Does rice water work to get blooms? I wish I could send you pictures of my plants to get your opinion🤣
Hello Danny, I saw a article short where the person started a new orchid with a stem cutting. Is this true and if so, do you have a article about how to do this? Your article about repotting helped me tremendously. Also is there a recipe that you have for making your own potting mix rather than buying the commercially made type? Thank you for all of your help.
I have a Phalaenopsis that my “snowbird” neighbor gave me when she left in the spring (from Florida). She bought probably last Nov/Dec. It is my first orchid ever. When it finished blooming (June?) I cut off the spikes and I guess I’ve been giving it good care because it is very healthy with 6-7 leaves with 2 new leaves during the summer and it has healthy roots. Since I’m in Florida and it’s pretty hot still (between 75-80 in the house), I’m not able to give it any cool nights until maybe November/December. I can leave it on a screened porch during the cool nights. The humidity in the house usually does not go below 35-40 and lots of time it is higher. My question is, how long after the cool-down period do flower spikes appear?
I watched a article on propagation from flower spikes. I clicked on it because I’m the suggestions it said you were subscribed. My daughter and I made three starts and they’re growing! I never would’ve clicked on it had it not been for you being mentioned. Ky anytime I see it hear orchid hacks is suggestions I cross check with Danny. You should get some bracelets saying “WWMOGD” ( what miss orchid girl do) made😅. I’d buy one for sure!
Miss Danny I have a question that I haven’t found an answer to it yet… WHEN should we start to fertilize new orchids from flowershop….cause they are allready filled with hormons and fertilizers, blooming boosters and so on….when can I start to give them fertilizer again…do I wait for a few months maybe a year? So I don’t over do it?? 🤔
Hi Danni, thanks again for the new article style, loving it! Where do u get all those gorgeous phal? I’m not usually a fan of them, but yours are so lovely! Not to mention all ur other orchids! I know ur not in the US, but do u, or anyone else, know of a good place? I probably don’t need anymore until I get my greenhouse, but I can’t help myself, lol. BTW does anyone know of a good orchid greenhouse company?
On the subject of fertilizers, I believe that Organic really IS better. When orchids are growing in nature, they receive ONLY Organic fertilizers. I switched to organics in the 1970’s and I have never looked back! I have grown plants professionally and have also acted as advisor to gardeners of all types. If you stuydy more in depth, you will find that beneficial bacteria, assist the plant in many ways. Extensive reasearch has been done on this subject.
Hey Danny! I need help with a couple of my phalaenopsis orchids! I know it’s a long shot, but I already tried a few orchid Facebook groups, and I still don’t have an answer. I noticed those white spots on two of my babies – both currently in bloom. I don’t see any living moving creatures. Could it be some sort of fungus? Ot just too much of a drought and cold air? In addition the ends of the leaves of one of them are turning dark. I changed the medium in the beginning of the winter and cleaned up the root systems of both plants, as they were in a suuuper bad condition. Both of the orchids practically remained without any roots. The roots are now looking pretty great with new ones growing constantly. I made sure they have enough drainage and aeration and I water them only when needed, making sure the water has drained completely. The spots can’t be cleaned with alcohol, I’ve tried that without any success. They seem more of a physical injury, rather then the result of some sort of pest. I was thinking that it might be the stress they were in after I cleaned their roots in the beginning of the winter. I usually wouldn’t do that, but I could tell they weren’t feeling great. However I see a see-through spot appearing in a new leaf as well, which shouldn’t be the case now with spring coming. So maybe some sort of a virus or a bacterial infection? I have pics but I don’t think I can share them here. 🙁
I have been following you for a couple years and use repotme products. My Phalaenopsis are falling over and hanging over the edge of the pot to the point that they are pulling out of the media. Pots are 4″ in diameter and the plants are large, green and appear healthy and growing. I’m getting ready to repot some of them. Should I go to a smaller pot, tuck air roots in to the media, move to a brighter location, don’t worry about it? I’m a little worried about their condition.
I once potted one pink phalaenopsis and one yellow one in the same large pot. The pink one had bloomed twice before when potted on it’s own but when I potted it up together with the yellow one, it turned white the next time it bloomed????Is that normal? They had both bloomed before in their original colors purchased several years before after they were potted together the pink one changed to white the next time it bloomed. The yellow one stayed yellow. Any ideas? Esther
Could you please do a article where orchids stages can be identified in places where there really isnt autumn spring or winter? I live on the equator. Humid as can be, warm always.. winter is just more rain.. we have lots of cloud cover. If my orchids are on the balcony which has a ceiling.. could that harm them? They are in the shaded part of the balcony.
Ok one more question, I swear. I have a phal that has 2 different flower patterns from one plant on 2 different spikes, wish I could show u a pic. They are both purple but the pattern and shade are different. Will I ever be able to get them to do it again? I bought it like this and it has kept going since the fall and keeps branching with new flowers and I don’t want to cut them cause I’m scared it will never happen again😢.
😢😢😢I have some bad news for you Dani I have killed my orchids both of them n I have done everything I thought right n I repotted them n they got crown rot but they don’t smell like it they don’t have any kind smell n the roots look good n the leaves look good until just a few days ago the leaves started turning yellow n I made sure that they were watered properly I’m so sad 😞 😢I could only the stick fertilizer n it was the orchid kind n being on a fixed income it makes are for me to get the right stuff to take great care of them but next time I will do better bc this will not defeat me bc I love all plants n it breaks my heart 💜 when I can’t keep them alive please help me out here thank you 🙏 😊
I’m super confused… Cut off the brand new or young flower spikes, that grew and flowered in Spring and are still flowering, at the start of Summer? All those amazing flowers that we wait for, cut them off? Then what?! Does this force the plant to start over from scratch during Summer (very resource hungry) or live flowerless until Spring next year (seems sad)…only to cut them off again shortly after they have grown and bloomed? I really don’t get this at all. I can’t make any sense of it. A article just on this topic could be good. Will be mportant to cater for most of us growing according to natural seasonal weather, not under lights or equatorial.