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Orchids are a whole genus of beautiful flowering plants, highly valued ornamentally precisely because of the great variety in the shapes and colors of their flowers, all of them of great beauty. Currently there are more than 25,000 species and 60,000 hybrids due to their great success and popularity, although many fans have problems when it comes to enjoying the flowering of their orchids, and it is that you have to know well what care they need for their flowers appear and shine in all their splendor.
If you want to learn more about the orchid bloom, keep reading us in this complete Green Ecologist guide.
How long do orchids take to bloom?
Get the first blooming of orchids It is not especially difficult, since it is enough for the plant to have its basic needs for water, light and nutrients supplied. How long does it take for this first bloom to appear? It depends on the variety and the circumstances specific, but in the case of, for example, Phalaenopsis, one of the most common to acquire, they can pass up to 3 or 4 years from germination.
The first blooms will always be poorer and smaller, large and beautiful flowers will not be obtained until at least three seasons later. If to this we add that some species or later varieties take up to 8 years to flower, we will understand why they are expensive flowers.
¿How to know if my orchid is going to bloom so? Really, the best thing to do in this case is to cover all its needs for the plant and be attentive to the birth of the floral rod of an orchid and its consequent flower buds, which are the only unequivocal sign that the plant is preparing to bloom.
When do orchids bloom
In its natural habitat, in tropical zones, orchids can give up to three blooms a year. However, this only occurs in those types of climates, where the seasons are not very marked and there are no significant changes in temperatures.
If you do not live in a tropical climate zone, your orchid will give flowers once a year, which will almost always be located in spring. In the northern hemisphere, this will normally occur from the end of March, although it will depend on the specific characteristics of the climate in the area.
How long do orchid flowers last?
When the conditions are right, if we take good care of this plant, the flowering of the orchid can last for a long time. 3 months, being one of the longest-lasting ornamental flowering plants. Specifically, the flowers will last longer in a cool climate, while in a warmer one the flowers will wither sooner.
Caring for flowering orchids
During flowering, the orchid's needs are not greatly altered. These are the key points of the flower orchid care:
- Light: abundant and indirect or sieved.
- Location: protected from drafts and heat sources.
- Temperature: above 10ºC always. Necessary vegetative period.
- Irrigation: up to twice a week in the warm months, always without overdoing it or flooding. Fortnightly in the cold months. Here you can learn more about how to water an orchid.
- Humidity: It is necessary to spray water lightly on its leaves in dry environments or place the plant on water and stones, without the roots touching the water.
- Substratum: very light and porous, preferably specific for epiphytes or orchids.
- Pass: it is necessary to use specific fertilizer for orchids, the universal one can burn the roots.
In this other post you can learn more about How to care for orchids.
How to make an orchid bloom again
Get that orchids bloom again It is the nightmare of many amateurs, who sometimes give up and end up discarding the plant after the first flowering. However, these plants can continue to flourish. You just have to pay special attention to caring for orchids when flowers fall:
- The first and most important thing is to know when cut the rods of the orchids, that is, pruning. This must be done once the flowering has finished and as long as it has not developed no keiki, that is to say a new small plant from the knot of the floral rod, a way of reproducing orchids. If the rod has a knot, it is cut above it or the rod is removed directly, it is the gardener's preference.
- Give your orchid a lot of light after flowering, although always indirectly.
- Support him specific fertilizers in late winter to prepare the plant for the new flowering.
- Let the plant notice the seasonal changes in temperature. If you do not feel the cold in winter, you will not enter vegetative period and, without it, it will not flourish again.
Why An Orchid Doesn't Bloom
If you still wonder: Why is my orchid not blooming?, it is most likely due to one of the points explained above. If you give your plant enough light and moisture without waterlogging it, if you allow it to go into vegetative dormancy, and prune it properly after flowering, it should bloom again the following spring. If even with all this does not happen, it is most likely that your plant is affected by some disease or plague such as fungi or insects.
In the video below we show you 7 common mistakes when caring for orchids so that you learn from them and avoid them in time.
If you want to read more articles similar to Orchid bloom, we recommend that you enter our category of Cultivation and care of plants.
