SECRETS to Successful Blooming Orchids

Earthly Orchids | Beginner's Diary

Here are the Secrets for successful blooms!

1. Lots of indirect Sunlight

Orchids need a lot of bright and indirect light. If they are placed in direct sunlight, like the kind you would find around noon or early afternoon, then you’ll risk burning their leaves and causing the flowers to wilt. We suggest placing your orchids in an east-facing window that gets morning light. Light is the key element to growing amazing orchids and getting them to bloom year after year.  They like a lot of indirect light.  Find a spot near a sunny window, even on the windowsill.  If it’s direct light, morning light is best, but any sunny window should do.

2. Water Weekly

It is very important for you to know when and how to water your orchid. It's an essential part for the success of your orchid. Water orchids about once a week with lukewarm or room temperature water. When watering the orchid, try to pour it under the plants leaves. If you get the crown wet (the center part of the plant from which everything is growing) then wipe it dry with a paper towel. If the crown stays wet for too long, then it can lead to crown rot, which will kill the plant. 

3. Make sure you have the right planting Medium

Orchids grow attached to other plants in the wild, so never try to pot them in soil. Pot them in a loose bark. And then re pot them whenever the bark chips decay, which is usually between every one to three years. There are other potting mix available in the store, you can also use coco husk for example and others.

4. Fertilize! Feed your plant

Give your orchids a teaspoon of 20-20-20 fertilizer. We suggest using the fertilizer once every two weeks or at least once a month at half strength. This means you’ll have to mix it with an equal amount of water before pouring it under the leaves of your plant. I’ve been fertilizing my orchids weekly when I water them.  The difference has been incredible!

5. Have the right pot

When you buy potted orchids most are sold in pots without drainage hole so when you decide to transfer it to your favorite pot make sure it has enough holes for drainage, without proper drainage it's roots will rot and will cause your orchids to die. Orchids are air plants, which means their roots are going in search for air. Orchid pots have holes through out the pot so the roots have a place to shoot out. If the roots don’t have space to grow, you won’t get flowers and it will stunt the growth of your plant. They don’t need a lot of space, but they do need somewhere to go.  

REBLOOMING ORCHID

Have you ever been frustrated about how to rebloom your orchid? We will teach you how. Once your orchid has stopped blooming it will enter a stage called dormancy. This dormancy stage is a resting period where the plant has time to replace nutrients that were dispensed during the blooming process. This dormancy stage usually lasts about six to nine months. After that, your orchid will have the energy to rebloom again.

Here are three easy steps to make your orchid rebloom:

1. Once your orchid enters the dormancy phase and stops blooming, begin fertilizing it. A teaspoon of (20-20-20) Fertilizer. This should be done monthly or every 2 weeks.

2. Move your orchid to a cooler area where the temperatures are between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep your orchid in indirect sunlight at all times.  Do this until a new flower spike emerges.

3. Once a flower spike has emerged, give it a couple months for the plant to reach about 5’’. Once this happens, it is time to start supporting your spike! You can do this with a loose tie and a stake. If a couple months pass and you do not see a flower start to emerge, try moving your orchid to a different location. It might not be getting the right temperature or indirect sunlight that it needs.

Once it reblooms continue to water and care for your orchid, like you normally would and its bloom should last between 30-45 days. If you are lucky, your orchid may be able to bloom twice a year!

Planning to buy an Orchid? Visit www.earthlyorchids.com or call (805) 801-4472