Orchids are considered to be some of the most beautiful and whimsical flowers in home gardening. They look great in any home, they are pleasant to give and receive as a gift, and the variety of shapes and colors of these indoor plants allows you to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes. Florists appreciate orchids for their unpretentious care and long-lasting bright flowering. But it also happens that we cannot wait for the bloom from our beloved orchid. What to do? Is it possible to somehow stimulate the flowering of these beautiful plants in indoor conditions?
How to make an orchid bloom? 6 useful tips
Contents:
The main conditions for the regular flowering of orchids
It is easy to assume that the long absence of flowers, when this does not apply to the dormant period, indicates problems in the care of orchids. Therefore, if your orchid does not want to bloom, first, make sure that you provide it with exactly the conditions that it needs to feel comfortable.
The first is high humidity… But at the same time, you should not get carried away with too frequent watering and spraying, as this can lead not only to the rejection of flowering, but also to rotting of the roots.
Water it regularly, but in moderation, throughout the year. In summer, orchids need more water, and they should be watered approximately every five days, in winter – once every 7-10 days is enough.
Second – illuminance. In their original growing environment, orchids choose places where there is enough light, but without direct sunlight. Considering that the flower gets used to its place and does not like permutations, it is worth initially thinking well about where to place the orchid in the room: so that the sun does not burn the flower in summer, and the plant receives enough light in winter.
The third condition is temperature. Orchids grown at home are heat-loving plants, so you should take care of a comfortable temperature for them and a minimum drop in this parameter.
The ideal room temperature for these subtropical plants is between
+ 19 ยฐ C to + 24 ยฐ C. It is recommended not to lower the temperature below 17 degrees at night. The daily temperature difference is normally at least seven degrees. Orchids really don’t like to stand in a draft.
Lack of moisture, like waterlogging for an orchid, is destructive
How to make an orchid bloom?
What could be more pleasant and joyful when, after so many worries and worries, your exotic beauty finally opens up her iridescent inflorescences? But, unfortunately, it also happens otherwise. Even with perfectly correct care, orchids periodically “act up” and stop blooming. What to do in such cases?
Here are some tips on how to make these beautiful plants delight you again with their lush blooms. Naturally, in any case, it must be borne in mind that each type of orchid has its own duration of the dormant period they need. But, if you are sure that the dormant period has passed, and there is not the slightest hint of flowering, you should try to do the following.
1. Limit watering
When proper care is keeping it from blooming, try shock therapy: stop watering the flower for a longer period, perhaps even about a month, and then restore it to normal moisture. This does not apply to humidity. Air humidity should be maintained constantly by placing a cup of water next to the plant.
2. Provide additional lighting
If for some reason your orchids are located in a poorly lit place, and we are talking about the winter period, then they require additional lighting. Plants need light for photosynthesis, the formation of various organic compounds in its cells.
Can be used, as an additional, fluorescent lamp lighting. An important condition for the lamps used is that they should not heat up. Otherwise, they will heat the leaves, and this is unacceptable. Increasing the distance between the lamp and the plant will lead to a decrease in illumination.
Phytolamps are considered the most suitable for additional illumination of plants. A red and white LED lamp is suitable for orchids. It provides the required light spectrum, and its pleasant white, slightly pinkish light also serves as a decorative function.
The duration of the illumination of orchids should be 10-12 hours.
Read more about choosing phytolamps for indoor plants in the material Correct phytolamp – choosing a lighting device for supplementary lighting of plants.
3. Lower the temperature of the content
A decrease in temperature is another stressful situation that stimulates the appearance of flowers. To wake up the orchid and resume flowering, place the plant in a colder environment (+12 to + 15 ยฐ C) for several weeks.
You can try to lower the night temperature for the plant by making the daily temperature drop of 6 degrees. In the summer, put the flowerpot on the balcony or garden at night, and in the winter, put it in an unheated room. By these actions, you will stimulate new flowering, and the orchid will soon delight you with lush buds.
It is very important to choose the right container in which the orchid will grow.
4. Replace the pot
It is very important to choose the right container for the orchid to grow in. Most often, orchids are grown indoors in plastic pots. It is very important that these pots are transparent, which makes it possible to observe the presence of moisture in it and the dryness of the soil.
But it also happens that the orchid does not want to take root in such a pot. Even orchids of the same species often have individual characteristics and require a different approach. For example, the roots of some plants can be especially sensitive to excess moisture, poor evaporation and insufficient ventilation of the roots in plastic, they rot there.
If this is the case, try transplanting your orchid into a perforated wooden basket with wicker walls. This is a great compromise between a plastic pot and a block. Numerous holes in the basket will provide excellent air circulation to the roots, which will save them from spoilage.
Read about the rules for planting orchids on a block in our article Rules for planting orchids on a block and in a substrate.
5. Check the composition of the fertilizer
Choose your fertilizer carefully. The best mixtures for orchids are those that stimulate the formation and growth of strong flowers. These are fertilizers based on potassium and phosphorus.
6. Give the orchid time to adapt.
Have you just bought your orchid with beautiful flowers, but at home the plant began to lose flowers and buds abruptly? Then it is probably a reaction to altered living conditions. This may be due to insufficient sunshine or altered water and feeding quality.
Let your orchid get used to the new conditions, observe it, changing its location in your home, choosing an individual watering regime and keeping temperatures.
Most importantly, remember that most of the types of orchids that you can buy in retail chains are hybrids, and you can never say anything categorically specific about them. Each plant has its own unique characteristics and, accordingly, requires an individual approach to its content.
Observe each plant, communicate with it, select the optimal conditions for each flower in your home and then it will turn into a beautiful tropical garden. Good luck!
