How to get orchids to bloom quickly

Getting orchids to bloom quickly is one of the goals of lovers of these tropical plants that are so revered and cultivated among flower lovers. And it is not for less: its beauty turns a flowering orchid into an attractive natural spectacle of colors, shapes and even aromas. A true gift of nature for those who consider its flowering the best reward for the pampering and care provided.

There is no magic formula to get orchids to bloom quickly. Rather, achieving this is about creating the perfect environment for the plant to feel comfortable enough to start creating the flower stem. Something that, far from being as complicated as many believe, is just a matter of knowing what the natural habitat of the orchid we have is like and recreating it as much as possible.

To do this, the starting point is clear: the first thing we have to do is know the characteristics of the type of orchid we have, since not all of them have the same needs. But, in addition, nothing like putting into practice an aspect that any lover of gardening carries out naturally: observing the plant.

5 TIPS TO ACHIEVE THE FLOWERING OF THE ORCHID QUICKLY

Although there is no exact manual to achieve it, the truth is that we can take into account certain guidelines that will help orchids bloom quickly.

1. Check the status of the plant

It must be understood that the flowering of any plant implies a significant loss of energy and nutrients, so a plant that is not completely healthy will not flower until it is fully healthy. In the case of orchids, it is easy to identify their state of health. To find out, we will have to look at two aspects that will give us the necessary clues to find out. On the one hand, its leaves: a healthy orchid will have intensely colored and resistant leaves, a sign that it has been properly hydrated.

On the other hand, it is important to review its roots. In addition to telling us the state of the orchid, they are the best way to know if the irrigation pattern we are applying is adequate. In general, a healthy orchid will have green roots when it is freshly hydrated or in silvery tones when it is already demanding a new watering.

In addition, it must also be considered that the orchid is a plant that separates its vegetative functions very well. Or, what is the same, that if it is generating leaves or roots it will not create a floral stem.

2. Light, the key to orchid flowering

Although each type of orchid has specific lighting needs, the truth is that this element is key to flowering. We will never get an orchid to bloom in a space where it does not receive a good number of hours of indirect light. Although species such as Phalaenopsis require less light to flower, others such as Cymbidium or Dendrobium need many hours of light per day.

Many times, to get an orchid to bloom, it is enough to change its location and try a new place with more light or with dimmed light. Try to move it around to stimulate its flowering capacity!

3. Play with the temperature

Since the orchid is a plant native to exotic climates, this aspect is more than necessary to make it flourish.

Although we cannot generalize, since the orchid family comes from multiple latitudes with their unique climates, it is true that many of the plants in this family need fluctuations in temperature to flourish. A way to recreate what they would live in a natural state, and that allows them to continue their normal flowering cycle. Thus, the ideal thing is that we know its annual flowering calendar and, from a couple of weeks before the start of this phase, we begin to subject it to nocturnal temperature drops.

Let’s see a practical example: the Phalaenopsis, one of the most popular orchids, has a spring bloom. To achieve the flowering of this orchid quickly, we can start from the month of April to keep it during the day at a comfort temperature of 21 degrees and at night at around 15.

4. Have a good environmental humidity

As in the case of temperature, this aspect is implicit in the origins of orchids, which come, in the vast majority of cases, from humid tropical climates. Something that inherently marks its nature, and even more so if we take into account that in the wild, orchids usually live suspended from trees with their roots exposed.

For this reason, the ideal is that we maintain an ambient humidity of between 60 and 80%. A fantastic way to recreate its natural habitat and encourage it to flourish.

5. Use a specific flowering fertilizer for orchids

Or, what is the same, feed the plant to get orchids to bloom quickly. To do this, we will have to choose a specific growth stimulant for them that has a good concentration of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) and other important compounds such as iron. The ideal is to opt for a liquid fertilizer, which we will always apply after irrigation and which will allow us to increase the plant’s nutrient absorption capacity.

Applying a bloom fertilizer for orchids cannot be done lightly. On the one hand, we have to choose the right time of the year, always making it coincide with the plant’s growing season. Ideally, we do it between March and November, resting the rest of the months. We can also fertilize the plant when it has shed the first flowers of the floral stem but it remains green. Thus, we will be promoting that it can flourish again taking advantage of the good health of the rod.

On the other hand, we must also respect the quantities recommended by each house: if we fertilize too much we can burn the roots and leaves, causing the orchid not to bloom; if we are too cautious, we will not get orchids to bloom quickly.

And finally, a piece of advice that has nothing and everything to do with gardening: patience. The best ally of these five to achieve rapid flowering of the orchid.

Something necessary when we want to enjoy this plant fully and full of flowers. Because, in the same way that the orchid is one of the most wonderful blooms in the plant world, it is also one of the most capricious.

And its incredible beauty once we have achieved it is well worth the expected time.