How to care for a blooming orchid so that it blooms as long as possible

Orchid is one of the flowers that absolutely everyone likes. Passing the display cases with orchids, it is simply breathtaking from their variety. This exotic plant is not one of those indoor flowers that can be grown without hassle. Many lovers of these flowers are interested in the question of how to properly feed an orchid so that it blooms? After all, when an orchid is at rest for a long time, I really want it to bloom. Let's figure out how to feed an orchid so that it blooms.

Why orchids don't bloom for a long time

When buying an orchid, especially if there are no buds on it yet, you should know about its leaving, how to properly fertilize this flower so that it blooms. The orchid usually blooms at the age of 1.5 to 3 years, at this age from 5 to 8 leaves are already formed. The orchid will not throw out flower stalks if you water it abundantly, in which case you need to do more rare watering. You must create the most natural conditions for the orchid, for example, in nature, watering with rain alternates with drought, and they are quite comfortable. Therefore, it is better not to add this flower than to pour it over.

The temperature in the room should be with a difference between day and night, otherwise the sleeping kidneys will not wake up at all, because they lack fresh air. The temperature drop must be at least 5 ºС. If necessary, move the flower to a cooler place.

The orchid will not bloom for a long time if it has undergone a transplant, as it needs strength to root. Therefore, having bought an orchid in a store, do not despair if it has not bloomed, perhaps this flower was recently transplanted.

How to achieve flowering

How to propagate an orchid at home

Florists often think about the question of what to do to make the orchid bloom. Before stimulating flowering, you need to make sure that the orchid is healthy and has a strong root system. The leaves should be large and fleshy.

How to stimulate an orchid bloom:

• Sometimes, in order to make a culture bloom, you have to create artificial stress. To do this, place the flower pot in water at a temperature of 40-45 ° C. In such a bath, the roots of the plant should be no more than half an hour.
• To be sure to wake up the flower stalk, you can stimulate the plant with a hot shower. To do this, he is poured with a stream of warm water. Temperature is determined tactilely. If you can hold your hand under the stream, it will not harm the orchid.
• Long-term lighting is important for the flower, but the pot should not be placed on windows facing south. This is especially important in the summer. Otherwise, the orchid may get burned. In winter, additional lighting cannot be used all night. The lamps are recommended to be switched off, since the plant needs a night "sleep" for the normal course of the process of photosynthesis.

Temperature drop

If the flower has already reached the required age and has released the required number of healthy shoots, but does not bloom, you need to understand what to do to make the orchid bloom. The temperature drop will be an excellent stimulant. By exposing the plant to the balcony, you can create an impromptu wintering for it in natural conditions. Care should be taken that the mercury column on the thermometer does not fall below 4 ° C.After such a procedure, the orchid, brought into a warm room, will throw out the peduncle and smell fragrant with lush flowers.

Drought

In order for an orchid to please the eye with lush flowers, you need to provide the correct watering regime for it. Bathing will be most effective for the plant. To do this, the pot must be completely immersed in warm water for five minutes. So the substrate that is used as soil is saturated with moisture. After bathing, the pot must be removed from the water and allowed to drain off excess moisture. After completing the procedure, the pot with the plant is set in place.

Such baths should be repeated every 14 days in winter and 10 days in summer. If you water the orchid very often, the roots will become saturated with a lot of moisture and begin to rot. This process will lead to the death of the flower.

It is recommended to moisten the soil using warm baths for the root system.

For an orchid, indoor humidity is more important. It should be at least 60%, so you need to spray the leaves every day. For irrigation, use soft, settled water.

Orchid subrust so that it blooms

There are the following stimulants for the orchid to bloom. The Epin growth stimulator is very popular among flower growers. This drug is sprayed on the orchid every morning, adhering to a certain time.

Another solution that stimulates growth and antistress for orchids is succinic acid. 2 g of this acid is dissolved in 1-2 l of water. The solution is sprayed completely on the orchid. The solution with succinic acid must be consumed within 3 days.

It is strictly forbidden to treat the orchid with growth stimulants after transplanting, the flower needs some time to take root well. Remember to fertilize in moderation, according to the instructions.

Phalaenopsis needs support, in the truest sense of the word

When buds appear on the flower stalk, it becomes very heavy. Install the support and attach a curvy arrow to it. The "stick" can be purchased together with the culture or separately.

The support will be useful:

1. The flower plant will not break and will not overturn the container, you just need to correctly determine the fulcrum.

2. The orchid will have a decorative appearance.

Insert it gently into the container without hitting the root system. If suddenly it rests and does not enter, slightly stir and find voids. You may need a wire or clip to secure the arrow.

Phalaenopsis cannot cope without such support!

Change the location of the orchid pot so that it blooms

You can also make the orchid a stressful state if you rearrange it for a period in a dark place, for example, under the sink. Just so that there are no detergents nearby. The orchid should be in such a place for about a month, Just forget about it for a while, and stop watering and feeding the flower. After a month, return the orchid to its original place, water it, and also put it in a container with settled water for 10 minutes. During this time, the flower is completely saturated with water. After such stress, the orchid will definitely throw out the peduncle. Instead of buds, children may form on the peduncle, from which more orchids can then be grown.

And so we hope that our advice will help you create such conditions so that your queen orchid will delight you with its lush flowering. It is only necessary to create conditions approximately similar, as in tropical countries, from where our flower comes from.

How to make an orchid bloom

Phalaenopsis and dendrobium orchids are considered the most blooming, they are also the most common and are available for free sale. But even with them, many novice florists have problems - the orchid does not bloom.The most common reason is poor lighting or non-compliance with the dormant period, and sometimes the lack of flowering appears after the abuse of nitrogen fertilizers. If the plant is overfed, all that remains is to wait until nitrogen is processed and phosphorus is added.

Orchids are light-loving plants; in conditions of a lack of sunlight, flowering can never be expected. In such conditions, only a large mass of dark green foliage grows on the plant. Another reason for delayed flowering can be excess moisture during the budding period for future buds. With excessive watering, dried buds or dried flower stalks with buds are always visible on the plant. It is necessary to intensively water and bathe orchids only during the growing season, providing peace as soon as the growing season has come to an end and the laying of buds has begun. The dormant period begins after flowering, in winter, when the lighting is insufficient and the room temperature is low.

Orchids need to be watered intensively only during the growing season. Photo: Orchids need rest for the formation of new peduncles. During the dormant period, the plant should move with new bulbs, that is, all its new shoots should become equal to the old ones. For this period, flowers require a slightly colder room and no watering. In winter, orchids are placed in less heated rooms for this, and in summer it is better to take them out to the balcony or garden. There are orchids that need to lower temperatures only at night. No fertilization is required during the dormant period. You can find out that the dormant period is over by the appearance of a peduncle in the orchid. If the orchid, while observing all these points, does not begin to bloom, the conditions of care must be changed.

To obtain orchid flowers, it can be sprayed with special preparations. Photo: Some begin to bloom regularly after creating stressful conditions for them, for example, a sharp jump in temperature. To do this, they put the orchid in a room at night with a temperature not exceeding 18 ° C, and in the morning they move it to a warm place. Abrupt cessation of watering, independent of dormant periods, affects most orchid species. Cambrias offered for sale, namely oncidiums, miltonia and hybrids, require a reduction in watering for the development of bulbs.

The timing of watering reduction for each type of orchid is slightly different, and some react extremely sharply to a sharp drought - the growth and development of the peduncle slows down. But the general condition for the beginning of flowering is that the bulb grows at least a third of its usual size. In a weakened plant with small bulbs, flowering most often does not occur.

It also happens that orchids are in one place for a long time, grow and develop, the conditions for their maintenance are unchanged, but flowering occurs spontaneously. The reason is the death of the roots, since the lifespan of a root in a pot is 2-3 years. A large number of roots may die off at the same time, and flowering in this regard will not occur until new ones develop. And for the fastest possible receipt of flowers, orchids can be sprayed with special preparations, such as "Epin", "Zircon", "Bud", "Blossom".

Root care

It is very important to care for the roots of the orchid, if this organ dies, the plant will not survive. The roots need to provide an influx of fresh air, proper watering. It is very convenient if the plant lives in a transparent pot, this allows you to monitor the condition of the roots. Healthy roots are rather thick, greenish in color. Gradually, the roots become more and more white, starting to experience a lack of water. Watering is recommended when the roots are completely white.

When buying, be sure to pay attention to the color and condition of the roots. Brown color indicates rotting or drying out. If watering is incorrect, the roots can be severely damaged; they can be saved by transplanting. A healthy plant is transplanted 2 years later before the start of active growth.A flowering plant should only be transplanted as a last resort.

The flower is watered abundantly, then removed from the pot, the roots are immersed in water, which will make it easier to free them from the remaining substrate. The roots are washed, carefully examined, dried, rotten, damaged parts are carefully cut off with a sharp, clean (disinfected) tool, the cut sites are treated with crushed activated or charcoal. After that, it is placed on a hill of a new substrate in a new pot, carefully covered with a substrate from all sides to the top of the pot. After transplanting, do not water for several days.

Major mistakes

Novice growers often abuse the ability to artificially stimulate the flowering process. As a result, the plant, exhausted by continuous flowering, dies. If, despite fertilization, the orchid stubbornly does not bloom, then errors in care are affected. In addition to nutrition, many other factors affect the flowering process:

• insufficient lighting;
• violation of the frequency of watering;
• non-observance of the temperature regime;
• the presence of diseases and pests.

In addition, orchids react painfully to any stress, for example, the use of any aerosol household chemicals such as air freshener, deodorant, perfume.

Folk recipes

As an alternative to chemicals, experienced orchid lovers often use sugar, honey, glucose, yeast, and other improvised means to stimulate flowering. One of the popular recipes:

• dry yeast - 1 g
• filtered water - 1 l.
• sugar - 1 teaspoon.
• valerian tincture - 2-3 drops.

All ingredients are mixed and infused throughout the day. The ready-made infusion is used for both root and foliar feeding.

Watering with water in which the potatoes were boiled has a beneficial effect on the flowering of the orchid. The broth is drained, cooled to room temperature and filtered. Used as a potash top dressing.

Potassium, which is necessary for plants to form peduncles, is also contained in the decoction of onion peels. A handful of dry onion skins are poured with 3 liters of water and brought to a boil. Then they are removed from the stove, insisted for about 10 hours, filtered, and then diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 3. To enhance the effect, citrus peel (1-2 oranges, lemon or grapefruit) is added to the broth. The resulting product is used for watering and spraying the leaves.

A significant disadvantage of using such funds is the impossibility of accurately determining the composition, and therefore calculating the necessary proportions. You can only judge the effectiveness of a homemade remedy by the appearance of the plant. Unjustified experiments with such a demanding plant as an orchid can simply ruin it.

Correct soil and top dressing

Grooming means feeding, because orchids receive nutrition only from water and air. The substrate consists of large fractions of tree bark, sphagnum moss, coconut fibers, vermiculite, pebbles. It is used to fix the roots, retain moisture after watering. How do you make it right? It is better to buy a ready-made mixture in the store, like fertilizers. During the growing season, the plants are fed 2-3 weeks later with solutions of special fertilizers. More nitrogen is needed for growth, and phosphorus and potassium for flowering.

Florist reviews

Elena writes:

“I grow Phalaenopsis and regularly feed her“ Master Color ”4 times a month. I use the root feeding method, prepare a solution in a basin, immerse the pots there, hold for 20 minutes, and then wait for the water to drain completely. The result is excellent: the orchid blooms 2-3 times a year and for a long time, produces 2 arrows, each with 7-9 peduncles. "

Love tells:

“I love Phalaenopsis very much, during flowering with them the whole house is transformed.I just take care of my orchids: I water it once every 10 days by immersing it in a basin with warm water. As a fertilizer, I use the leaf supplement "Doctor Foley". It can be used even during flowering, the buds from it become lush, bright. I am still afraid to use root additives, I am worried about the roots. "

Watering

Phalaenopsis should be watered about once every two weeks. To do this, the pot with the plant is completely immersed in warm purified water, make sure that the liquid does not fall into the outlet of the leaves, otherwise decay may begin. Let the roots soak in moisture for 15-20 minutes, then remove them, place them in a special transparent planter and can be put in place.

Sometimes watering may be required more often or, conversely, less often. Examine the roots, if they are bright green, then water procedures should be postponed. If the roots are light gray, then it's time to water.

Does an orchid need a permanent place?

We often cannot answer unequivocally. Many believe that an orchid that blooms should not be moved from one place to another and even turned. Abundant diffused light is said to be an excellent method for prolonging flowering.

In reality, the opposite is true. It is recommended to do as follows: the plant has bloomed on the window - bring it to the center of the room. It should be noted that a blooming orchid, for example, on a fireplace or a piano will be especially attractive and make the interior of your home a little exotic. Don't be afraid to move your flower to the back of the room.

This phalaenopsis did not bloom all summer, but did not bloom its buds in the fall. I'll thank him anyway!

Stimulation of the growth of peduncles

A plant with 5-8 leaves is ready to bloom. But how to increase the growth of an orchid? In order for the peduncles to grow more actively, they use growth stimulants, i.e. fertilizer:

1. In order for the orchid to accumulate strength for the period of lush flowering, it is necessary to start feeding from the moment of active vegetation of leaves, peduncles, buds;
2. As soon as the first bud opens, fertilization is taboo;
3. The plant needs nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P) and other trace elements;
4. Nitrogen is in the lead for growing green mass;
5. When a peduncle appears, potassium and phosphorus are added to the bait more. Potassium stimulates the formation of kidneys, increases the immunity of the plant, actively participates in the metabolism. Phosphorus stimulates growth, the flowering process, forms the root system;
6. Supplements in the form of magnesium and boron allow the main components (N, P, K) to be absorbed;
7. The acidity should correspond to pH 5.5-6.5. You can check it with indicator plates. Deviation from the normal level leads to the fact that the main components will not be absorbed. This is in the case of high acidity. With an increase in the alkaline environment, boron, iron, and copper are not assimilated.

Conditions for the normal flowering of phalaenopsis

Despite their adaptability to any conditions of detention, phalaenopsis, like other plants, begin to release flower arrows only under certain conditions:

• Long daylight hours and intense sun exposure. In ordinary Russian apartments, where plants chronically lack sunlight for six months, this condition is not provided. Normal daylight hours for orchids are 12 hours. Therefore, starting in autumn, the missing hours of natural light must be filled with artificial light.
• Daily drops in air temperature. Phalaenopsis are thermophilic orchids, but they bloom only with fluctuations in day and night temperatures. It should be warm during the day and cool at night, and the temperature difference is desirable in the range of 5-8 degrees.
• Change of "seasons of humidity". In tropical forests, where orchids of this species grow in nature, the change in the season of rains and droughts is very pronounced. Hybrid phalaenopsis are better adapted to the absence of such a change, but still bloom better after temporary drying.

Among the accompanying conditions for the normal flowering of phalaenopsis, one can name the age of the plant and its state of health. It is understood that an orchid suffering from infections or pests, undergoing pesticide treatments, can take long breaks between blooms.

Important! Phalaenopsis, like other orchids, have a resting phase, only normally it is poorly expressed in them. Therefore, you do not need to expect constant flowering from the plant. There are different phases in the life cycle of phalaenopsis, and a short break in flowering is necessary for them to grow roots and leaves.

A healthy phalaenopsis that does not bloom, but cheerfully grows roots and young leaves, does not need flowering stimulation. At the end of the growth phase, the orchid will independently release a peduncle. The main thing is to maintain good conditions of detention.

Expert opinion

You should not purchase for feeding orchids products intended for plants of other species. The best thing is to use drugs specifically designed for these sissies, diluting them in the proportions indicated by the manufacturer. I recommend the mineral fertilizer for root dressing "Intermag vegetable garden Orchid", which contains a full complex of vitamins and all the nutrients necessary for flowering. It is important to take into account the frequency of top dressing: from February to March - root dressing with a solution at the rate of 0.2 ml of the drug per 1 liter of water at intervals of 3-4 days, the rest of the time - 2 ml per 1 liter of water, always alternating top dressing with watering with clean water ...

Oktyabrina Ganichkina, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences, expert of the TV show “Country stories”.

"Intermag vegetable garden Orchid" includes a complex of micro and macro elements that contribute to long-term flowering of the orchid.

Helpful tips and videos

Advice, what is needed for flowering:

1. It is not recommended to often change the place for orchids, as they are very responsive to this process;
2. In winter and autumn, it is recommended to take out a flowerpot with a flower to the balcony in the morning, this will help to get the necessary portion of the sunny color;
3. To control humidity and temperature, you need to hang a special hygrometer in the room.

Watch the video on how to make an orchid bloom: Video about a super-stimulant for orchids: The following video shows an experiment with watering an orchid with cytokinin paste: This video shows the results of changing the temperature of the orchid content: