Why Won't My Phalaenopsis Orchid Bloom?

Location

• Consider where the orchid is located. If you've been growing it near a gas stove or an area where someone has been smoking, move it to a new spot. Outdoor orchids near garages or an area where cars are started can also be a problem. Fumes from all these sources can cause lack of flowering or early blossom drop. Try a few different locations to see what works.

Temperature

• Check the thermostat in your house. Phalaenopsis needs relatively cool temperatures to produce flower spikes. Chill them at temperatures of 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night and between 65 and 75 degrees during the day for eight weeks to initiate bloom. After buds form, raise nighttime temperatures to 55 to 60 degrees.

Watering

• Water phalaeonopsis when the potting medium is dry, but not bone dry. Run it under cool tap water until water drains freely from the drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. Never let the pot sit in standing water. If you do, the phalaenopsis will not only not flower, it will die.

  If the air near where your phalaenopsis is growing is very humid, plug in a small fan nearby to keep circulate the air. High humidity and still air can allow bacteria and fungus to develop, which in turn inhibit flowering.

Fertilizing

• Fertilize phalaenopsis with one-half teaspoon of 20-20-20 fertilizer each time you water during the growing season. Reduce that to every third watering when the plant has finished blooming. Too much fertilizer will cause a burst of leaf growth, but fewer or no flowers.