My passion for gardening has often been put to the test because of them, orchids. I have always dreamed of having hundreds of orchids on my porch or in my living room, beautiful, elegant and in full bloom. I admit that I struggled a lot to keep them alive for a long time. The most difficult thing for me has always been to make them bloom as long as possible and grow new buds.

I know that you, like me, love these plants and get upset when the foliage occasionally loses its luster and the plant begins to wilt. But I haven’t given up hope! After discovering simple and effective tips, I changed my mind! It is possible to make an orchid bloom again, you just have to know how! Below, I’ll tell you how I managed to take care of orchids.

  • Water and fertilizer

An excellent tip that allowed me to make my orchids bloom again is to give them liquid fertilizer every 15 days. It must necessarily be rich in phosphorus and potassium. On the other hand, I have abandoned the use of fertilizers during the flowering period and reduced the frequency of watering my orchids.

  • How I water my orchids

Speaking of water, I suggest submerging the pot in a basin of water. Make sure there is a hole in the bottom of the pot and let the plant soak in lukewarm water for about half an hour. Then you need to empty the pot and put it back in its place. I do every 10 days.

  • Expose orchids to light

Sunlight in the fall is essential for orchids to thrive. In fact, the rays at this time of year are not too hot and do not burn the leaves of the plant, but they are useful to provide it with all the light it needs. This is the ideal time when I place my orchids outside my house in full sun.

  • Avoid heat sources

I was a little skeptical at first, but the temperature change will not kill your orchid, contrary to popular belief. When I saw the bloom and new stems, I changed my mind! In early fall, when daytime temperatures reach 60 degrees, I put my orchids out on the balcony for the day. Then, at nightfall, I put them back inside. I do this for about two weeks.

  • Pay attention to the ambient temperature

Above all, never put your orchids near heat sources. Your plants should be placed away from radiators or heat sources. Finally, if the temperature in your home, like mine, is above 70 degrees, I advise you to keep your orchids in cooler spaces like stairwells or windowsills.

  • How to prune properly

Before I discovered these simple tips, size was my weak point. There are certain periods when orchids are flowerless. What to do? Pruning in a certain way can help the orchid produce new buds more easily and quickly. All I had to do was to shorten the stem by cutting it with simple scissors at least 0.5 inch above the highest “node” (those little dots along the stem).

  • Clean the leaves

It may sound trite, but orchids are delicate plants and as such should be cared for in any way possible. What I do is clean the leaves with a rag with distilled water and a few drops of vinegar or lemon. I also suggest using cotton balls soaked in milk and water.

  • The choice of the pot

Choosing the right pot has helped me a lot in keeping my orchid growing. I bought a sturdy, transparent pot so the plant would have full light exposure. It is also better if it has a double wall that keeps the temperature more stable to avoid temperature fluctuations.

  • The importance of humidity

Most orchids that can be grown in an apartment are of tropical origin, so they are adapted to the hot and humid climate of the tropics. My apartment is always dry in winter, but there is a solution! I often spray the leaves of my orchids with deionized water. This has allowed my orchids to be exposed to high ambient humidity. In the hot summer months where I live, there is often low humidity. So, I overcame this problem by placing a humidifier near my orchids. Do the same for yours!

  • Pay attention to the color of the leaves

I didn’t pay much attention to the color of my orchid’s leaves before, but I discovered that it is vitally important! If they turn yellow or are covered with speckles, the plant is too strongly exposed to the sun. If they tend to turn too dark green, it means that they are not exposed to enough sun.