My Orchid Stopped Blooming
Orchid growers can be let down when the orchid that once bloomed so beautifully fails to bloom again. The solution is to go back to basics and correct any fault in growing conditions that might have developed over time. Remember that not all orchids bloom with the same frequency. Some might only bloom once a year. Don't compare one orchid to another species. Read up on your orchid variety to see how often it should bloom. Make sure you are feeding and watering correctly before you troubleshoot the blooming problem. Does this Spark an idea?
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Temperature Drop
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One of the first two things to check is the temperature range your orchid is experiencing. It will not flower well if it does not experience a drop in temperature of around 10 degrees Fahrenheit every night. Measure the temperature in the room during the day and do whatever you must to reduce the temperature at night. Place the plant near a window. If it is summertime, open the window at night so the cooler air will surround the plant. Control the temperature in the room with a thermostat, adjusting air conditioning or heat to the desired levels for the orchid.
Enough Light
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Orchids need sufficient light or they cannot bloom. Place them in windows where they will get good indirect light for most of the day. If your windows don't let in enough light, get a fluorescent light for your orchid. Hang it about 18 inches over the plant and leave it on all day. Turn it out when the sun goes down. Light needs for different types of orchids are not the same. Though they all need indirect light, some need more than others.
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New Pot
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Once cause for failure to bloom may be as simple as the need for a new pot. If you have not repotted for a couple of years and the orchid doesn't bloom, try repotting. Repot orchids anytime from the end of January through the end of June, but at no other time. If you pot at the wrong season, the orchid may skip flowering for the season. If you repotted in autumn or winter last year, this may be why you have no flowers this season.
Prune
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Sometimes pruning the orchid will encourage it to bloom. On a plant that is unhealthy looking, thin with yellow or dropping leaves, you may have to sacrifice this season's potential bloom to a good pruning. Cut the flower stem all the way down. On healthier orchids, prune beneath where the plant last bloomed but above the node on the stem. Sometimes you will see a flowering branch start from this node because the energy of the plant has been sent back down to the node.
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References
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