How to Get Dendrobium to Bloom

Keep the dendrobium orchid in a room with nighttime temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit and 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit during the day. Keep plants away from heating and cooling vents and drafty doors. Plants should never be placed by cold windows during the winter months.

Place the orchid near a window with a southern exposure, but with filtered light. A window with a sheer curtain will work the best. If the light level is too low, the dendrobium will not flower. If the leaves are a dark green, it is a sign that the plant is not getting enough light.

Set the dendrobium orchid container in a drainage tray filled with gravel. The tray will catch the excess water during each watering. The water will provide the moderate humidity needed around the plant.

Water the plant once a week when the soil is damp, but do not let the plant soil dry out completely. If the plant is in a clay container, it may need water twice a week because the clay container is porous and will absorb the water. Add enough water so that it starts to trickle out of the bottom of the container, then stop. Once the plant is mature, the soil can dry out between each watering.

Use a 30-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer diluted in half once a week during the growing season if the plant is growing in bark. Use 20-20-20 fertilizer if the orchid is growing in soil, and use 10-30-20 fertilizer diluted in half once in fall as a flower booster. Stop fertilizing the dendrobium orchid when the growth stops. Don’t start fertilizing again until new growth starts.