Download Article

Download Article

Orchid plants produce beautiful flowers for nearly ane to 3 months. After that time, flowers and leaves autumn off and you might fear that your plant is dead. Fortunately, this dormant menstruum is a normal part of an orchid's life cycle and is necessary for the plant to produce more than flowers.[one] But but considering a plant is dormant doesn't mean you lot don't still accept to care for it. With proper sunlight, water, fertilization, and temperature control, you tin can keep your orchid good for you and trigger a rebloom that volition produce more beautiful flowers.

  1. one

    Make sure the spike and leaves are however green. When an orchid enters dormancy, the spike and leaves should nevertheless be greenish and well-hydrated. This indicates that the plant is however alive. Investigate the plant and if the fasten and leaves nevertheless look healthy, it's possible to rebloom.[2]

    • Depending on your type of orchid, leaves could fall off during dormancy too. In this case, audit the stalk and brand sure it's still healthy.
    • Signs that an orchid is dead or dying include a yellowing stalk, and dark spots and signs of withering on the leaves.[three]

  2. ii

    Remove whatever clips or stakes attached to the stalk. Stakes are commonly attached to orchid stems to go on them straight. You won't need these while the plant is resting, and they'll go far the manner equally your plant reblooms.[iv]

    Advertisement

  3. 3

    Find the healthiest node. Nodes are the bulges you lot see going upward the orchid's stalk. New growths usually bloom from here after the orchid has rested.[5] The healthiest node is commonly the i closest to the concluding blooming bloom. A good for you node should be green.

    • Some nodes already take small growths on them, which wait like very tiny twigs. This would be the ideal node to select.

  4. 4

    Cut the stalk one-inch above the healthiest node. While it might seem like cutting the plant is harmful, this really prepares the plant to rebloom. Cutting away unhealthy parts allows the plant to concentrate its nutrients on the healthiest node and sets information technology upwardly for a good for you rebloom.[six]

    • Make sure you use sharp pair of scissors for this stride to become a clean cut through the stalk.
    • If all the nodes are brown and unhealthy, cut the stem all the way to the base of the constitute.[7]

  5. 5

    Allow your orchid rest. Remember that your orchid has entered this dormant menstruation so information technology tin can save energy for the side by side blooming cycle. Don't get disappointed if your orchid takes a few months to bloom again. This is a normal office of the orchid'south life cycle.[8]

    Advertisement

  1. ane

    Put your orchid most a window out of direct sunlight. Orchids still need sunlight during their dormant menses. However, they shouldn't be placed in straight sunlight. Placing the plant about a window but out of directly sunlight is the platonic identify in a house for a resting orchid.[9]

    • Think to monitor your orchid's leaves to see if it's getting enough sunlight. Dark light-green leaves are a bad sign, and bespeak the orchid isn't getting enough low-cal. A lighter, grass-colored light-green with some yellow tones shows your orchid is getting plenty light.

  2. 2

    H2o your orchid once a week. Orchids still need hydration while they residuum.[10] To avoid over-watering the plant, the common recommendation is to place 3 ice cubes in the pot once a week. This gives the resting orchid enough water without drowning the plant.[11]

  3. three

    Fertilize your orchid once a month. Replenishing the nutrients in your orchid's soil volition assist it gather the strength it needs to rebloom.[12] Ringlet back from your usual fertilizing period and simply fertilize once a month during the orchid's dormant menses.[13]

    • The mutual recommendation for orchid fertilizer is a balanced twenty-20-20 formula.[14] This ways information technology contains a mixture of 20% phosphorus, twenty% nitrogen, and 20% potassium.

  4. iv

    Care for the orchid on a regular schedule. Dormant orchids are sensitive to changes in rhythm. For case, if you usually fertilize once a month and so fertilize afterwards only 2 weeks, you could shock the plant. Proceed your watering and fertilizing on a regular schedule to make sure your plant stays healthy while information technology rests.[15]

    Advertisement

  1. 1

    Expect until the fall or early on wintertime. Orchids naturally start reblooming in cooler atmospheric condition, so the autumn or early winter is the perfect time. By this time, your orchid has rested up plenty and it'southward time to trigger a rebloom.[16]

  2. 2

    Movement the orchid to a libation identify. Experiencing cooler temperatures tells the orchid that it's fourth dimension to rebloom. A temperature of about 60 °F (16 °C) is ideal for triggering a rebloom. Your orchid will have to experience these conditions for nearly three-iv weeks before starting to rebloom.[17]

    • If it's the fall, placing the orchid in a room with an open up window can help give your plant its ideal temperature.
    • Likewise endeavor to make the orchid'southward environment colder at dark and warmer during the day. This mimics the orchid's natural rain wood environment where the temperature drops at night.
    • Notation that some orchid species take dissimilar temperature needs. If you know what blazon of orchid you have, bank check here for its specific temperature needs.

  3. 3

    Expect for signs of reblooming. If atmospheric condition are right, your orchid should start reblooming. The main sign of a rebloom is growths appearing from the healthy node that you lot left intact. Check here regularly for growths or protrusions from this area, as these indicate that the orchid is starting to rebloom.[18]

    • Endeavor to be patient! Sometimes, orchids can accept over a year to rebloom.[19]

  4. iv

    Return to your regular watering and fertilizing schedule. When your orchid starts reblooming, it needs more than nutrients than information technology did while it was resting. Once you see signs of growth, you lot tin return to your normal schedule.[xx]

    • There is no concrete dominion on watering orchids, and it's very easy to over-water the plants. The American Orchid Society recommends but watering when the soil has dried out.[21] To determine the moisture of the soil, stick your finger in and see how it feels. If information technology feels dry, it'south time to water.
    • Water by placing your plant in the sink and running the h2o for almost a minute. Allow the water to bleed through the drainage holes before placing it back in its pot.[22]
    • You should fertilize your orchid about every 2 weeks.[23]

  5. 5

    Leave your plant in the same location until a blossom fully forms. Moving your orchid into direct sunlight also early on can cause the new growths to form crooked. Instead, leave your establish where it was while it was fallow until a new flower forms.[24]

    • A new blossom is fully formed when it develops a rounded finish and takes on the shape of a mitten. At this bespeak, you tin can move the plant to a new location.

  6. six

    Clip the stalk to a stake when it's fully formed. A stake helps keep your orchid straight and supports the weight of new flowers. Make sure your stalk has fully grown before doing this, or you could inhibit its growth.[25]

    • When a stalk starts developing flowers, information technology's done growing.

    Advertizing

Add together New Question

  • Question

    How do y'all intendance for orchids?

    Monique Capanelli

    Monique Capanelli is a Institute Specialist and the Possessor and Designer for Articulture Designs, an innovative design firm and boutique in Austin, Texas. With over fifteen years of feel, Monique specializes in interior botanical design, living walls, event decor, and sustainable mural design. She attended the University of Texas at Austin. Monique is a Certified Permaculture Designer. She provides establish and botanical pattern experiences, from small gifts to unabridged transformations, to shoppers every bit well as commercial clients including Whole Foods Market and The Four Seasons.

    Monique Capanelli

    Institute Specialist

    Expert Answer

    answer video

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email accost to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

References

About This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 63,498 times.

Did this article help you?