Why does an orchid shed flowers and buds?

Indoor orchids are able to bloom all year round. But even unpretentious phalaenopsis still have pauses in flowering sooner or later. If the care is correct, you won’t have to wait long for the growth of flower stalks and the appearance of new buds. But even after the buds begin to grow, flowering is not at all guaranteed. At the budding stage, orchids are extremely sensitive and can shed their long-awaited buds in a matter of days. And too unexpected falling of flowers is not at all uncommon. The reason for dropping orchid buds is always the same – the wrong conditions of maintenance and care. And preventing them is much easier than overcoming the frustration of the consequences.

Why does an orchid shed flowers and buds?

Different reasons – one problem

The dropping of buds and flowers in orchids is a natural defensive reaction, indicating stress or a lack of resources. No matter how much disappointment the sight of yellowing and falling buds may bring, you should not consider it a tragedy. One of the most obvious signs and signals will help you quickly identify a problem and resolve it in a timely manner.

There are dozens of reasons why orchids may drop buds or already blossoming flowers. And almost always this phenomenon is associated with “emergency” factors – a change or selection of conditions and factors of care. With one exception: weakened and old plants shed flowers for quite natural reasons.

To find the source of problems, it is enough to ask yourself 6 basic questions:

  1. Have you changed the placement of the orchid and the conditions of keeping in the last weeks?
  2. What is the state of the substrate and is it and the container suitable for orchids?
  3. Does the lighting and temperature match the required values?
  4. Is the watering done correctly and how dry is the air?
  5. Are the feeding norms followed?
  6. Are there signs of pest or disease damage?

It is the answers to these questions that will prompt not only the possible culprit in dropping the buds, but also the next steps. No matter what stage of budding and flowering the orchid is, you need to respond to such a signal as quickly as possible and without panic.

1. Pests and diseases

As with any indoor plant, at the first sign of problems, it is worth immediately excluding the most dangerous and requiring drastic measures factors – infection with pests or diseases. A careful examination of the plant itself, all the leaves, roots, buds will help to find traces of mealybugs, rot, etc.

If there is the slightest suspicion, the plant should be immediately isolated and measures should be taken – from washing and biological agents, the use of insecticides and fungicides to an emergency transplant with pruning of damaged roots.

If there is the slightest suspicion of infection, the orchid should be immediately isolated and measures takenIf there is the slightest suspicion of infection, the orchid should be immediately isolated and measures taken

2. Moving and relocation

Not a single orchid at the flowering stage likes changing conditions, even rearranging from one place to another on the same window sill or turning in relation to the light source. Stability is the main secret of long-term flowering of any orchid. And if it is not there, the first reaction of the plant to sudden changes is dropping the buds. Even more stressful is the transfer of a blooming orchid from a flower shop to an “unfamiliar” house or rooms of different functionality.

No matter how you soften the transition, the plant will still notice it. This is a natural process of adaptation that requires hands-off, not transplantation, finding a new place and further aggravating the problem. All that is needed is time and patience: as soon as the plant gets used to it, the whole process of development and the next flowering will proceed as it should.

Also read our article 7 Tips on Basic Orchid Care for a Newbie.

3. Problems with the soil

Orchids require a special substrate. But even when choosing a special soil for orchids, consisting mainly of large fragments of the bark, it is worth remembering that without regular transplantation, such a substrate will sooner or later be depleted and deteriorated.

If other causes are excluded, immediately check the soil for signs:

  • seals, insufficient air permeability;
  • traces of mold and rot both on fragments of bark and on the walls of the container.

If the transplant has not been carried out for more than 3-4 years, the mass of roots almost completely hid the substrate, then the orchid can shed its buds due to depletion and lack of soil.

Be sure to make sure that the plant has enough air: are the holes for its circulation closed, is the container suitable for growing, because even phalaenopsis will not grow in any pot that comes to hand.

To prevent the special substrate for orchids from depleting and deteriorating, they need to be transplanted regularly.To prevent the special substrate for orchids from depleting and deteriorating, they need to be transplanted regularly.

4. Lack of light and extreme temperatures

During budding and flowering, orchids of any kind need more light than during other phases of development. And lighting stability is the key to their long-lasting bloom. In autumn and winter, if the plant was not transferred to a lighter window sill or measures were not taken to provide additional lighting, dropping the buds can be considered a natural reaction to a lack of light. And if transferred – to the direct sun.

Orchids that love lower temperatures at night do not respond to small temperature deviations. But if the plant is standing in a draft or experiencing a temperature shock – it will be in extreme cold, or vice versa, in the vicinity of heating devices – problems cannot be avoided. Any sudden changes are contraindicated already at the stage of peduncle development, and even more so – budding. Dropping the buds is the first of the reactions.

In both cases, it is necessary to adjust the conditions to preserve the remaining buds and normal development until the next budding.

5. Excess watering

Orchids in the flowering stage prefer to reduce watering. Even a long delay in subsequent watering rarely causes the buds to drop (although it can affect the overall flowering time). Any excessive, too frequent watering not only increases the risk of plant loss from rot, but also causes a disruption in growth and development, which affects, among other things, the dropping of buds.

Even such hardy orchids as phalaenopsis, which thrive in living rooms, do not tolerate too dry air during budding and flowering, shedding their buds. The operation of heating systems for them must be compensated for at least by spraying.

Heating systems for hardy orchids must be compensated for at least by sprayingHeating systems for hardy orchids must be compensated for at least by spraying

Read also our article How to water an orchid at home?

6. Excess fertilizer

It is better not to feed orchids at all than to feed incorrectly. Any excess fertilizer – both high concentration and too frequent feeding – causes burns and growth disorders that cannot be compensated for.

When leaving, you need to strictly follow the rules for alternating the frequency of fertilizing in different periods of growth and development, using standard fertilizing only at the stage of active vegetation, and not budding and flowering.

7. Old and weakened orchids

Orchids have been pleasing for many years, and it would seem that the only sign of their aging is an increase in size. But orchids also age, especially varieties that stimulate the holidays in flower centers. The maximum age of indoor orchids is from 7 to 12 years. They can begin to lose the ability to bloom as early as the age of five.

Even if the orchid tirelessly pleases for almost a dozen years, sooner or later a moment will come when the old plant will not be able to bloom with the same success. The inability to “hold” the formed buds and flowers on old plants is a natural process. And usually it is preceded by the formation of children – on the shoots or at the outlet, with which the old plant can be replaced.

If in previous months the orchid suffered from improper care or maintenance conditions, was weakened for some objective reason (falling, careless handling, etc.), the plant will not necessarily recover without releasing peduncles. Rather, on the contrary: suffering from stress factors, orchids often in a hurry release flower stalks – sometimes several pieces.

But weakened plants simply do not have enough strength for all the buds. And dropping part of the ovaries or drying them out is a completely natural reaction. The process of “energy saving” is especially noticeable if the orchid has suffered from sunburn and has not been transplanted for a long time, with a lack of space for root development.

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Anna Evans

Author ✓ Farmer

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