Why your orchid isn't blooming: what to do, basic rules

Orchids are delicate flowers that require special care, both in the garden and at home. Gardeners are often surprised by the orchid's reluctance to bloom, and many try to force it to bloom at home. To understand what to do if an orchid isn't blooming and how to get it to bloom, you need to understand the specifics of this flower's care and flowering. Orchids bloom for quite a long time with proper care.

When is the flowering time?

The time it takes for the flowers to bloom depends on the orchid variety. Specific features:

1. The first flower stalks appear when the plant reaches 1.5 to 3 years of age. This age is determined by the number of shoots. At 2 years of age and older, at least 8 new branches appear.
2. Flowering lasts for 3 months.
3. Flower stalks appear 2-3 times a year.

If your orchid isn't blooming, it needs proper care, including timely watering and lighting. To determine if your orchid is ready to bloom, pay attention to its appearance, roots, and leaves. Signs of readiness include:

1. The roots are strong, white or yellow, and turn light green after watering. Young plants turn bright green, while older plants turn pale green. If the roots darken, reduce watering.
2. The leaves are green, dense, and smooth, with no dry tips. When new leaves appear in the rosette, the orchid has entered the growing season.
3. A healthy seedling produces a green shoot once a year, on which ripe buds appear.

Evaluation of cultivation conditions

For an orchid to bloom, special conditions must be created:

1. Substrate – high-quality soil should consist of sand particles, agroperlite, pine bark, peat and coconut fiber.
2. Fertilizing - you can fertilize a planted plant only with a special composition, with a reduced nitrogen content and a high phosphorus content. Liquid fertilizers should be applied before the orchid has released a flower stalk.
3. In terms of lighting, the flower requires a large amount of diffused light - if the rays shine directly on the leaves, they can burn.
4. In summer, orchids bloom at temperatures of 15 to 30 degrees Celsius, and in winter at -20 to 23 degrees Celsius. To maintain the correct temperature, you can take the plant out onto the balcony at night.
5. Watering requires special attention – at the beginning of the rainy season, water the orchid carefully, as this is when roots and leaves begin to develop. Overwatering should also be avoided, as this will lead to rot.

If the roots have rotted, they should be cut off, coated with activated charcoal, and replanted in new soil. Phalaenopsis plants fail to bloom due to improper care. This may be due to:

1. Expecting too early flowering.
2. Incorrect irrigation system.
3. Air that is too dry or too humid.
4. The temperature regime is out of control.
5. Lack or excess of light.
6. Damage by pests and diseases or lack of timely treatment.

To avoid these problems, it is necessary to regularly inspect the flower and quickly correct any defects found, and feed the orchid if necessary.

Is it necessary to artificially stimulate the plant?

To delight your plant with vibrant blooms, it's worth providing it with artificial growth stimulation. This can be done when the plant is completely healthy, i.e., has strong rhizomes and leaves.

You can make orchids bloom in one of the following ways:

1. If you have been unable to get the orchid to produce a flower stalk for a long time, you can prepare water heated to 40-45 0C and leave the flower in it for 30 minutes.
2. Another method is a hot shower. The water temperature should be comfortable for your hands to avoid burning the foliage and roots. Water the plant with a very warm shower for several minutes.
3. To simulate drought, move the plant to a room with a temperature above 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), double the intervals between waterings, allowing the roots to dry completely. The pot should remain in a warm room for 4-5 days, or even 7 days in some cases if the room is well ventilated.
4. Similar to the rainy season, the water for this procedure should be at a temperature of 35 degrees Celsius. Watering should be repeated for 3-4 days straight, using a shower. After this, watering should be stopped completely until the roots dry out. Once they are dry, resume watering as usual.

You can feed the orchid with chemical preparations, which include succinic acid and cytokinin paste.

Why doesn't it produce buds or grow leaves?

Sometimes, an orchid fails to produce a flower stalk and blooms for a long time, failing to produce new leaves or buds. Phalaenopsis orchids are particularly prone to this capricious behavior. In this case, to ensure proper blooming, you can do the following: create all the necessary conditions for the flower's growth and development.

Important rules for flowering:

1. For flowering, the “right age” must come – about 3 years, when the plant is fully strengthened.
2. It is better to grow in transparent plastic containers - this will provide sufficient lighting.
3. You should not move the flower from place to place, if necessary, it is better to move it to a place with good lighting and humidity, so that the orchid has not stopped blooming.
4. It is not recommended to leave it in a draft, as it will not produce flower stalks and will not enter the flowering stage.
5. It is recommended to spray the flower regularly with a spray bottle.

Compliance with all conditions will make the Phalaenopsis orchid bloom at home.

If an orchid isn't blooming but is only producing roots and foliage, it's most likely in a dormant period. This period lasts from 1.5 to 3 months. If only leaves and roots are growing, for example, phalaenopsis varieties, then it is better to move the flower to a room with lower temperatures.

How to make a Phalaenopsis orchid bloom:

• adjust the watering regime;
• move to a room with average humidity and temperature;
• If the orchid does not bloom, but only the leaves and root system are growing, you will need to create a stressful situation for the development of the flower stalk

For an orchid to bloom, it needs sufficient humidity and light.

How to make an orchid bloom

If a phalaenopsis isn't blooming, it can be stimulated to initiate primary or secondary growth. Orchids should be kept in one location indoors. Frequent "moving" can harm the plant and destroy the newly released shoot. It's best to keep the plant in a container with transparent walls to improve light absorption.

What are the consequences:

• restructuring of the cellular system of leaves;
• In the poorly illuminated part of the leaves, photosynthesis increases, which can also cause harm;
• Constantly turning the pot will result in the buds not hatching, but the leaves will continue to bloom.

Seasonal daylight hours should also be taken into account. During the fall and winter, it is recommended to avoid hypothermia and use LED lamps. Daytime and nighttime temperatures should differ by no more than 5 degrees.

To encourage a Phalaenopsis orchid to bloom again, use mineral fertilizers and water treatments. Fertilizing follows this schedule:

• a tablet of succinic acid is dissolved in 500 ml of water;
• spray and pour the residue under the roots;
• after stressful situations for the flower, Epin is used, the flower should be sprayed with it;
• kidneys can be awakened with a special paste

If your orchid has stopped blooming, you need to ensure it receives optimal watering. If it's not blooming, adjust your watering schedule.

The new irrigation system looks like this:

• remove the flowerpot from the stand;
• place in a bowl of water for 3-5 minutes;
• let the water drain and put it back in its original place.

This procedure is necessary for the orchid to bloom. It will help stimulate growth if the roots were damaged during repotting. These steps will revive the repotted plant. They will also help if the orchid has become dormant in its original location.

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Even if an orchid doesn't bloom after repotting, such watering will definitely trigger the flowers to bloom. Orchids thrive on sunlight. Orchids bloom well indoors if given adequate light. However, it's important to remember that placing pots on south-facing windowsills is not recommended, as this can burn the foliage. To ensure proper photosynthesis, keep the orchid in the dark at night.

Providing proper lighting:

• using phytolamps;
• ordinary fluorescent lamps covered with foil;
• choosing the right window.

To ensure year-round blooming, orchids need at least 10-12 hours of light per day. For safety, when using lamps, you can set a timer to turn them on and off at specific times. Windows should be draft-free.

The orchid amazes gardeners with its luxurious beauty and abundance of colors. Its difficult care and capricious nature don't diminish its popularity among gardeners. Vitamin- and mineral-rich fertilizers protect it from diseases and pests, while watering and sunlight will brighten any window, garden bed, or flowerbed.