Orchid Flowering Care

Light and Water

• Orchids thrive best on natural lighting, though you can use artificial lighting as well. Place your plant near a windowsill that gets indirect sunlight most of the day; south and east-facing windows are best. Clean your window and gently dust your orchid regularly to help the plant absorb more light. Checking the leaf color of your orchid flower can help you determine whether it's getting enough light. The leaves should be a light to medium green color. Move your plant to an area with more light if the leaves appear dull or dark green.

  Water your orchid thoroughly only as needed; overwatering can kill the plant. Stick your finger about 1 inch into the soil and water the plant if the soil feels dry. Use lukewarm water and soak the soil until the water runs out from the bottom of the pot. Keep the area around your orchids humid by placing several plants close together or by placing a tray with water and pebbles under the pot.

Temperature

• Proper temperature is vital to getting your orchids to flower. Different species require different temperatures. Do not let nighttime temperatures drop below 60 degrees F for warm-growing orchids. Intermediate-growing orchids can handle temperatures as low as 50 to 55 degrees, and cool-growing varieties can grow with nighttime temperatures between 45 and 50 degrees. Make sure your orchids are in a place where the temperature drops at least 10 degrees at night since plants grown under constant temperatures do not flower as well.

Fertilization

• Specially-formulated fertilizers for orchids are best. Apply fertilizer once a week while the plant is sprouting new growth and stop fertilizing the plant entirely once it goes dormant and produces no new blooms or foliage. You can use a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-10-10, but you must dilute it to one-quarter strength with water before applying it to your orchid. Look for a fertilizer with a slightly higher nitrogen rate, such as 30-10-10, if you are growing your orchid in bark.

Pests and Diseases

• Orchids are not particularly prone to insects, but if you notice any on your plant, pick them off by hand or use a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to sweep them off the foliage. Insecticidal soaps or oils help get rid of large infestations, but avoid potent insecticides as these may damage your orchid. Keep the soil around your plant free of debris and remove any discolored or diseased foliage to prevent root rot and blight.

Growing Media

• Some orchids grow best in specially blended growing media, which is usually composed of perlite, peat moss and fir bark. These mixes are usually very loose to accommodate epiphytic orchids, which normally grow in trees and get many of their nutrients from the air. Epiphytic orchids are particularly sensitive to water quality, so use distilled water if possible. Test the weight of the pot to determine when to water orchids planted in growing media other than soil. When the pot feels light, add water until it drains from the bottom of the pot. The roots should be moderately dry between waterings. Orchids planted in moss retain water more than plants in other growing media, so these flowers will not need water as often.

Repot Yearly

• Many orchids thrive being repotted every year or two, after blooming. However, some orchids can go years without needing to be repotted. Remove the orchid from its old pot, trim off any dead or rotted roots, and repot in fresh media. The new pot should be slightly larger than the old pot.