Orchid Care Rebloom
Are you a new orchid owner? Though orchids look like intricate plants, they are relatively easy to care for! With proper care and patience, you can enjoy beautiful blooms for months – several times a year!
Orchids are a favorite houseplant among my husband’s family. For that reason, I’ve learned a lot about orchid care over the last several years so today I’m sharing what works for us.
I’m not an expert in orchid varieties but the best orchids for houseplants are typically paphiopedilums (aka slipper orchids) and phalaenopsis orchids (aka moth orchids).
Slipper orchids are what is shown in this post. This type of orchid will rebloom two to three times a year in your home.
Orchid Care Rebloom Quick Start Tips:
- Keep plants in a South or East facing window
- Use a pot with good drainage holes
- Water abundantly once a week
- Fertilize once a month
- Keep an eye on the leaf color
How much sun do orchids need
Most orchids will benefit from bright, indirect light. To be sure they’re getting enough light the best place for them is near a south or west-facing window.
When it comes to plants, some can be more fickle than others for no apparent reason. Keep an eye on your plant and if it seems to be struggling there is a good chance it may be getting too little or too much light.
Change it to a new location and see if that helps.
Will My Orchid Rebloom?
The good news is yes, your orchid will rebloom. Usually 2-3 times per year! Often people think once the flowers fade, the plant is finished but that isn’t the case. Orchids go through a dormancy phase.
Continue to care for the orchid even when the flowers fall off and you’ll be rewarded with even more blooms next time.
What’s wonderful about orchids is that the flowers last a long time compared to other plants. You can enjoy blooms for weeks to up to a month and longer!
One factor in the orchid bloom cycle is the amount of sunlight the plant gets. If it doesn’t get enough, you’ll find it won’t rebloom as much.
Contrary to other houseplants, if your orchid has dark green leaves, that is an indication that its getting too little light. Ideally, a lighter color on the leaves indicates a healthy plant.
Orchids often develop a sculptural root system that is beautiful even when the plant is not in bloom.
How much water do orchids need?
I’ve found orchids to do well with the watering schedule I use on all my established house plants. Put your orchid in the sink and soak it with a light spray of water.
Do this once a week regularly and chances are good your orchid will thrive.
Letting it dry out before the weekly watering is ok for orchids. Excess water in the pot will cause rot on the roots. Always use a planter pot with drainage holes.
I place all my plants in the kitchen sink once a week and use the sprayer in my kitchen. I use a light stream, not full blast, and go back and forth between the plants. This lets each plant take in the water slowly rather than forcefully.
I follow this schedule routinely, once a week. Ever since I’ve done it this way I haven’t killed a plant.
The only exception to this is smaller, new plants. They’ll need watering more often until established.
As with any houseplant, if you see the leaves begin to shrivel or droop, likely, it’s not getting enough water.
Do Orchids need fertilizers?
Besides water what orchids need most are good air circulation and quality growing medium or potting soil.
Always start with a good potting medium and a pot with sufficient drainage holes.
As with all plants, fertilizer can be beneficial but isn’t totally necessary. It will help your plant be as healthy as it can be. My husband likes to mist his orchid occasionally with a spray fertilizer.
It’s suggested to use a 20-20-20 mix for orchids. The mist my husband uses is specifically designed for orchids. Additionally, it’s best to fertilize after the plants have been watered so you don’t burn them.
If you’re unsure how much fertilizer to use, less is more when it comes to these plants. We spray ours monthly.
He also bought an orchid potting mix containing fertilizer which he placed at the base of the plant, above the soil. It looks like wood chips and is a nice addition visually.
If you give your orchid the most ideal environment you can provide, it will thank you with months of indoor flower blooms!
Do Orchids need trimming?
I have never trimmed our orchid and it still reblooms. But again I’m not an expert – I’m sharing what works for us. You can read more on orchid pruning here.
Can You Propagate Orchids?
Sometimes a flower spike will produce an offshoot. It will start producing leaves followed by roots. If you see this happening, you can carefully separate that new flower spike from your plant and repot it.
It could take several years before that offshoot matures enough to produce its own blooms.
However, new orchid plants are easy enough to find even in the grocery store. If you’re interested in different types of orchids, check out local orchid shows in your area.
That’s the best place to find a wide variety of orchids and to learn more about them.
This may seem like a lot of work but orchids are easy to maintain with the right care. Once you’ve figured out which location they thrive in, just continue watering them weekly and fertilizing them monthly.
They’ll thank you with new flowers often!
