‘One easy trick’ to ‘enormously’ encourage orchids to ‘rebloom’

Once thought to be a finicky and tricky houseplant to grow, many people are discovering that some types of orchids are, in fact, very easy to grow and care for. While they may be easy to grow and care for, many people still wonder how to make an orchid bloom. After all, if an orchid won’t flower, then it is missing the element that makes these plants so desirable. If gardeners are asking, “how to make my orchid bloom or rebloom,” keep reading for some expert tips.

Plantsman Graham Rice at the Royal Horticultural Society said: “Orchids are extraordinary plants, and deserve to be looked after so that they provide many years of gorgeous blooms.”

So, how can you get orchids to rebloom? Gardeners can of course start by growing the different types of orchids in the conditions they like best. 

Some orchids are difficult to coax into bloom more than once, especially for those growing them in the house. 

However, the expert advised: “There’s one easy trick that helps enormously – make sure that the temperature at night is lower than the day temperature.

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“It doesn’t take much, but lowering the heat by 5ºC (10ºF), usually in autumn, will often kick plants into flowering. 

“Moving them to a different room in the house may be all they need but it makes a huge difference to most of the orchids we grow in the home.”

Mark Bennett, gardening expert and qualified horticulturist, from Gardener Report agreed that the reason for orchids not blooming is often because the temperature is too high at night. 

He said: “Orchids require the temperature at night to be cooler than the day, to trigger growth of a new flower spike and to stimulate blooming. If there is no contrast in temperature between day and night then orchids do not flower.

“After a few weeks of cooler night temperatures a new flower spike should emerge which means the orchid can bloom again.”

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The gardening pro also noted that to “promote flowering” it is important to recreate the levels of light that they would typically experience in their native environment.

Mark explained: “This means avoid placing orchids in rooms with north-facing windows, as whilst the orchid may still be able to flower in these conditions, it is less likely to re-bloom or flower to its full potential.

“Whilst some filtered light is well tolerated, it is however important to avoid direct sunlight for too long as the orchid leaves are sensitive and can scorch yellow or brown if exposed to too much sunlight.

“This too can cause stress to the plant that can cause existing flowers to drop or prevent the orchid from flowering.”

Another tip to encourage orchids to rebloom is to cut back spent flower spikes. Once the orchid has displayed its flowers on a flower spike they usually do not display flowers again on any node that has already flowered on the same spike.

Sometimes the flower spikes turn brown or yellow partially or all the way down the spike back to the base of the plant, in which case the flower spike cannot produce a new side shoot or more blooms.

According to the expert, this does not necessarily indicate the orchid is dying – particularly if the rest of the orchid looks green and healthy – however owners should cut any flower spike back that is turning brown or yellow back to the base of the plant.

He added: “This should help to stimulate the growth of a new flower spike which has the potential to display more flowers.

“If the flower spikes are still green but are not flowering then cut the spike about half an inch (2 cm) above the node or emerging shoot. Orchids often grow a new shoot from an existing flower spike which has the potential to display flowers.”

Unsurprisingly, not giving orchids enough fertiliser prevents flowering. The most common houseplant orchids are epiphytic, which means that they grow on trees in a tropical forest and they attain a lot of the moisture and nutrients they require from the air around the roots and loose aggregate (such as tree bark and moss) around them rather then from the soil as with most houseplants.

Orchids can often exhaust the available nutrients from the potting medium particularly if they are in the same pot for too long which means the orchid does not have the required resources to produce more flower spikes or display flowers.

Mark advised: “So for orchids to have all the available nutrients they require for flowering, it is important to use a specialised orchid fertiliser that comes in a spray form, applied to the ariel roots and the potting medium.

“It is important to use a specialised product that contains all the nutrients the orchid requires at the right concentration to display blooms.”

The expert warned against using ordinary houseplant fertiliser, as he said that it is likely to burn the roots. He advised: “Always use a customised product and apply the fertiliser every four weeks in the spring and summer to increase flowering.”

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