Orchids don’t bloom? Do it: with these tips

Popular orchids for the windowsill show their most beautiful side in light to sunny locations. This applies to epiphytic Phalaenopsis, Cattleya and Dendrobium as well as to terrestrial Cymbidium, Pleione and Vanilla. If their leaves and aerial roots are not spoiled by the sun, the sensitive exotic women sense unfavorable conditions for their buds, flowers and seed heads. To be on the safe side, postpone the start of the next flowering period until the light conditions improve. You can remove the obstacle out of the way with the following measures:

• Change of location to a light to sunny window sill
• In summer ideally on the west or east side of the house
• In winter preferably on the south window sill
• To protect against sunburn with shading against direct sunlight

If all the light-flooded window seats are already occupied or if the sky remains overcast, compensate for the lack of light with artificial lighting. For this purpose, install a daylight lamp at a distance of 80 to 100 cm above the unwilling orchids. Set a lighting duration of 8 to 10 hours a day. An inexpensive solution are fluorescent tubes with dovetail reflectors in light color 865. In combination with normal room temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Celsius, the first buds and flowers are not long in coming.

Nocturnal temperature drop

Orchids that are rotten in bloom will get you going by lowering the temperature at night. Mainly Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium, Oncidium and Epidendrum as well as hybrids resulting from them respond well to the cold impulse. Allow the plants to breathe for at least 4 weeks after their last flowering period. If the buds are still a long time coming, lower the temperatures in the evening by a maximum of 5 degrees Celsius compared to the daytime temperatures. If you repeat the daily throttling for about 6 weeks, this measure promotes the new flower approach.

Increase humidity

Warm temperatures during the day and slight coolness at night are not always enough to make orchids bloom again. If the tropical plants continue to hesitate, there is usually a lack of the necessary humidity. Orchids only feel reminded of their habitats in the rainforest and let their buds and flowers sprout when the air humidity reaches 60 percent. In Central Europe you can achieve a tropical indoor climate with the following measures:

• Set up humidifiers in close proximity to orchids
• Spray lime-free, lukewarm water on the top and bottom of the leaves and the aerial roots every day
• The coasters fill with expanded clay balls and water

Special orchid pots are a practical and decorative solution for increasing the local humidity. The vessels have a platform for the culture pot. The cavity serves as a water reservoir and catches excess irrigation water. The evaporating moisture permanently brushes the leaves and creates a tropical microclimate.

Eliminate waterlogging

The misjudgment of watering requirements is one of the most common causes of orchids without flowers. As epiphytes, the exotic flowers regulate their water and nutrient balance primarily through their leaves and aerial roots. High up in the crowns of majestic giants of the jungle, orchids catch the rain drop by drop. A regular surge of water from the watering can exceeds the absorption capacity of its roots, so that waterlogging occurs in the culture pot. As a result, rot occurs, which ultimately leads to the failure of the longed-for flowering period. A common symptom of waterlogging is wrinkled, soggy leaves. Use the following strategy to get your orchid in a blooming mood:

• Plug the wet root network
• Completely remove old substrate
• Cut out the soaked, putrid brown roots
• Pour a 2 cm high drainage made of expanded clay into a transparent culture pot

Place the orchid in the new culture pot with a twisting motion. Then gradually fill in the pine bark substrate. So that the coarse pieces of substrate are evenly distributed, push open the container repeatedly. During a regeneration phase of 8 to 10 days in a bright, warm location, do not water the plant, just spray the leaves and aerial roots. Once the loss of root volume has been compensated for after a few weeks and the substrate will no longer be waterlogged in the future, the orchid will regain its flower dress.

Shorten fertilization intervals

The nutrient reserves in the substrate are usually sufficient for the growth of leaves and aerial roots. In order for orchids to bloom, they are dependent on a supplementary supply of fertilizer. Conventional flower fertilizer is not suitable for this purpose. Please use special orchid fertilizer, the composition of which is precisely tailored to the needs of epiphytic flowering plants. From March to September add the liquid fertilizer to the water every second time you pour it.

Orchid species without pronounced dormancy, such as Phalaenopsis or Dendrobium, continue to fertilize from October to February at intervals of 4 to 6 weeks. Orchids with a winter dormant phase, such as cattleya or lady’s slipper orchids, do not receive any fertilizer.

Cultivating Vanda orchids without soil

Vanda orchids are highly susceptible to root rot. Even coarse pine bark substrate is not airy enough for the root strands. Therefore, the species and varieties of this exotic genus are better cultivated without a substrate. So don’t be surprised if the flowering time is missing when you keep your Vanda orchids in pots. Free the demanding plant from its narrow container and remove all substrate residues. How to get the furious flowers going:

• Vanda orchid hanging up in a sunny location with shading in the summer midday sun
• Alternatively, place the root braid in a slatted teak basket and hang it up
• Temperatures: in summer 25 to 30 degrees; in winter not below 20 degrees Celsius

To prevent the weightless orchid from drying out, spray the leaves and roots daily with soft water. In addition, soak the plant in lime-free water for 30 minutes every 2 to 3 days. From March to September, add a liquid orchid fertilizer to the diving water every 14 days. From October to February you apply the fertilizer every 4 weeks. If your Vanda orchid has been given this feel-good care, it will bloom in all its splendor in spring and autumn.

Conclusion
There are good reasons for orchids not to bloom. The most common cause of the failure of the flowering period are location problems such as lack of light and insufficient humidity. Errors in the water and nutrient supply compel the exotic plants from the rainforest to keep their flowers under lock and key. If all framework conditions are in balance again, you can get your flowering going by lowering the temperature by 5 degrees Celsius at night. With these tips you can resolve bottlenecks in cultivation so that, contrary to all fears, your orchids will still bloom.