In the mid-eighteenth century, greenhouses and botanical gardens were full of orchids.
However, when we have brought this plant into our homes , we often encounter problems that the orchid does not bloom as it should, withers before our eyes, or has wilted, weak leaves and dried roots.
There can be many reasons, but the solution may not be nearly as complicated as you think.
For example, the shower advice helped me. I definitely recommend it.
Why does the orchid not bloom?
An orchid is a plant native to a tropical climate, if grown in an environment that is suitable for it, it can bloom for a very long time and with only minimum breaks..
Lack of minerals
Orchids are usually grown in smaller containers, so it is obvious that the substrate will soon be poor..
Occasionally, the substrate of the orchid must be enriched with minerals.
For bud development, you need potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.
From time to time, use fertilizer, because it is essential for flowering and contains all the valuable minerals you need for the development of the plant.
Housewives have a simple trick how to supply vitamins to orchids with homemade recipes.It is enough to infuse an ordinary banana peel and water the orchid with the diluted infusion.
Insufficient irrigation
The orchid has a wide enough leaf so moisture evaporates quickly from it.
When the orchid is in the growth phase, it is watered 2 times – 3 times a week, but in winter we will limit watering to 1 x a week.
Use sprinkling of the plant with standing water directly into the substrate, or choose the soaking technique – in this case, however, it is not necessary to water the orchid 3 times a week, once every 5 days is enough during the growth period.
But keep the sprinkling to 3 times a week during the growth period.
If the roots are wet, do not water the plant, because if it is watered too often, its roots can easily start to rot.
Insufficient temperature and insufficient light
Orchids are very sensitive to temperature changes, the difference between day and night temperatures should be around 4 degrees Celsius.
In the summer season, the optimal temperature for the plant is 18 to 25 degrees, and in winter it is not less than 15 degrees.
Light is very important for an orchid, but be careful not to place it where the sun’s rays can burn its leaves.
Insufficient land
The soil for the orchid should be such as to ensure minimum moisture around the root and air flow.
Peat, tree bark, moss, or a special substrate from the flower shop are excellent.
However, you can successfully grow an orchid in water, wood, or glass.
Examine the roots of the orchid
The orchid has strong roots, so in nature it can hang on wood and cling to the tree.
In the domestic environment, its roots help to keep the plant in a vertical position.
It is worth putting the orchid in a transparent container so that light and sun can reach up to the root ball.
There must always be holes in the hub or a good drainage layer to drain excess water.
How to stimulate an orchid to bloom
In tropical forests, orchids grow under the leaves of trees and there is no danger of changing seasons.
The most demanding type of orchid is phalaenopsis, which can develop continuously up to 11 months.
If we have the right temperature in the apartment, but the orchid does not bloom for 2 years, then we have to choose another method to stimulate flowering.
Sudden drop in temperature
During the day, the plant should be in a warm room, and at night it can be ventilated to reduce the temperature to 16-18 degrees.
In summer, we can put the plant in the garden, which helps photosynthesis and the accumulation of carbon dioxide, which plays an important role in flowering.
But never put the orchid in a draft.
It is very important that we extend the period between watering, sprinkle the orchid every 4 days in summer and once a week in winter.The roots of the plant must not be in water, it is not good for them.
Hot shower and steam
When using this method, run warm water in the bathroom to create steam, then place the orchid in the heated shower and let it steam for about 15 minutes.
This will allow the plant to absorb moisture and for a while to find itself in the middle of the tropical forest from which it comes, but do not leave it standing in warm water, ideally place it in an inverted pot.
Buds should appear on the plant one week after completing the method.
Creating better light
Different types of orchids require different lighting requirements.
If the plant does not bloom and you do not have the opportunity to put it in a brighter place, try artificial light in the form of a special lamp.
Implantation
If the orchid does not bloom, it is possible that the soil no longer contains enough nutrients, which can be seen on the leaves of the plant.
When the leaves are smaller or deformed, the plant must be planted in a new substrate.
Fata orchid blooms only when it reaches the age of 3 years.
If the plant produces 5 to 8 buds, it is ready to flower.Only a healthy orchid is able to bloom, a sick orchid must be cured first so that it has a flowering stem.
The orchid stem has buds, but no flowers
The appearance of buds is not a guarantee of flowering, it can take up to 2 months before the plant begins to bloom.
We need to provide the plants with a good condition for flowering, we can add water to a small container next to the plant so that the air is more humid, or sprinkle water around the plant once in a while.
Watering is carried out in the usual way, depending on how dry the soil of the plant is.
In cold weather, the plant needs more light
You can use a special lamp, because it does not dry the air and provides enough light.During this period, the growth needs 12 hours of light.
Orchids do not like to change their position and react by stopping to grow.
When you need to change the space, place it in a place where it is clear and in the position it was in before.
When the first flowers appear, we feed the substrate with phosphorus and potassium, because these nutrients support the production of buds and flowering.When the orchid blooms, these nutrients are no longer needed.
How to care for an orchid after flowering
Flowering usually lasts 5 to 12 months, when the flowers dry , leave the orchid alone to finish the flowering phase.If there are still green parts at the end of the stem, it can still put out buds.
If the stem of the plant is yellow and begins to dry, flowering is over, but the plant still needs nutrients.The stems are cut when they are completely dry.
Even after flowering, we need to care for the orchid in the same way but less frequently.If the soil dries out after watering and the roots rot, it must be transplanted.
The best time to transplant is after flowering.
Before transplanting, water the plant as usual, then carefully remove it from the pot, remove dry and black roots.
We can place pebbles in the bottom of the new pot and place the plant in the new housing, at the same height as in the previous container.No watering is required after transplanting.
Rest time is 3 – 6 months , then new buds appear and the plant begins to flower again.
It is not that difficult to care for an orchid, just pay attention to it!
