How to Make an Orchid Cactus Bloom
The deeply toothed, flattened stem of the orchid cactus has 6-inch-long flowers at the ends of the stems. Colors vary, depending on the cultivar, but will include red, pink, white and yellow. It usually takes an orchid cactus plant two to three years to mature and begin to flower. Daytime-flowering orchid cactus plants flower from April to June with the correct care, but the nighttime-flowering varieties flower from late in the summer until fall. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Allow the plant to become slightly root-bound in the container to encourage flowering. If you transplant the plant into a larger container, flowering will stop until the plant becomes root-bound again. Plants that are planted in smaller containers such as a 4- to 5-inch-diameter container will become root-bound more quickly than a plant potted in a 6-inch or larger container. If you need to repot the plant, do it in April. Use equal parts of coarse sand and peat moss potting mix for good drainage.
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Encourage flowering during the next spring and summer by placing the cactus in an unheated location during the winter for at least two weeks, but no longer than three weeks. The temperature should be between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The plant needs filtered light during this time. Only water the plant when all of the soil is dry.
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Feed the orchid cactus with an application of 2-10-10 (nitrogen-phosphorous-potassium) fertilizer at the end of February and during the last week of October to encourage flowering. From March to September, give the cactus an application of 10-10-10 or 5-10-5 fertilizer once a month. Never use fertilizer with more than 10 percent nitrogen, which is the first number listed on the package.
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Keep the soil moist, but don't water the plant until the top one-third of the soil is dry. Orchid cactus plants need direct sunlight to flower. The ideal window for the cactus is a west- or south-facing window. If you move the plant outdoors during the summer, place the container in a location with partial shade for about three weeks so the plant can get used to the bright light conditions.
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Keep the plant in a location with temperatures of approximately 50 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, except during the winter.
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