When an Orchid Ends Blooming, What to Do to Promote Future Blooming?

Reblooming

• After you snip away faded flowers, you can inspect the green nodes from which flowers previously emerged to see if any contain fresh buds. These look like tiny bumps on the nodes. Some orchids, such as the Phalaenopsis, rebloom a second time in a single season from the same stalk, with the buds typically forming low on the stalk. You can prune the old spike to the point at which you spy small, new buds, or just above a green node, and wait for them to blossom in 8 to 12 weeks.

Pruning After Flowering

• Once an orchid's flowers are spent for the season, use a sterilized blade to remove the spike close to its base. You'll know it's time to prune an orchid after flowering when the stalk loses its green coloring; indicates that the orchid will no longer produce flowers from that spike. Removing most of the spike gives the orchid a chance to grow a fresh flower spike in time for next year's blooming.

Temperature Drop

• Although orchids appreciate warm, humid environments that mimic conditions in the rainforest, they require cooler temperatures in autumn or winter to initiate bud development. This typically means temperatures in the 50s Fahrenheit at night, with temperatures at least 10 degrees F warmer by day -- comfortable in a home environment. The change in temperature helps orchids enjoy a natural day-night cycle and change of seasons, which encourages blooming at natural times.

Bloom Booster Fertilizer

• When it's time for orchids to bloom -- typically between December and April, depending on the type of orchid -- switch from a balanced fertilizer to a bloom booster formula. This fertilizer should have extra phosphorus, the nutrient responsible for flowering. In an N-P-K fertilizer, the phosphorus (P) content should be higher than the nitrogen (N) or potassium (K) content, such as the ratio found in a 10-30-20 blend. Dilute the fertilizer to 1/4 strength and apply weekly to promote healthy blooming.