How to Make Orchids Bloom Lots of Flowers

Keep orchids in non-soil growing foundations such as peat moss, wood chips or orchid potting mix, to give their roots complete drainage and access to air. For these canopy flowers, air is more important than water or nutrition. Their roots will rot and die if they're kept in close, thick soil.

Give orchids 2 inches of water every seven to 10 days, and always allow the orchids to dry slightly before watering again. Never allow the orchids to sit in standing water, as the roots will rot and fail. Don't over-water or water too frequently.

Put orchids in spots where they'll get bright, indirect light, partial sunlight or full artificial light. Orchids do best in north- or south-facing windows, where they get indirect morning light but no direct light. They'll burn in bright, direct light but do well under halogen and fluorescent indoor lighting. Orchids that don't get proper light won't bloom.

Keep orchids at the proper temperature. Although these are tropical flowers, they do best in temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and the low 60s Fahrenheit at night. Orchids need about 50 percent humidity in the air.

Feed orchids with orchid-specific fertilizer once a month. This supplies the nutrition the plants need but will burn the orchid if supplied too often. Mix fertilizer per the directions on the label, and add it to an orchid's watering.

Maintain these conditions through the bloom, which happens in late fall to early spring, depending on the species. When flowers fade and die, cut the orchid shoot back to just above the first unbloomed joint, or bud. With the proper care, a new shoot and set of blooms will grow from this joint.