How to Encourage Orchids to Bloom Again

Getting orchids to bloom multiple times requires attention to several factors such as proper watering, light, temperature, humidity, nutrition, and ongoing care. Orchid blossoms are famous for their long-lasting beauty, often staying vibrant for months. However, most orchid varieties bloom just once annually, typically around the same season each year. One exception is the Phalaenopsis, or moth orchid, which can be encouraged to flower indoors every three to six months.

Phalaenopsis orchids usually flower once a year, from winter through early spring. Since this type of orchid grows on a single stem, it can be encouraged to rebloom if it’s allowed a rest or dormant period paired with the right care regimen.

Below are the steps to promote year-round reblooming of your phalaenopsis orchid.

Trim the Flower Stem

After the last flower fades or drops and the spike begins turning brown, cut back the spike to about 3 inches using sanitized scissors or a razor blade. During this rest phase, reduce watering and feeding. Feed the orchid only once a month and water weekly.

Keep the orchid in its usual environment with temperatures between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, providing bright but indirect sunlight for several months before trying to stimulate new flower spikes.

Return to Normal Care

When you notice a new leaf sprouting at the top of the stem, it signals the end of dormancy. At this point, resume regular watering and fertilizing.

Watering

Since orchids are potted in a special soilless medium, water them two to three times weekly depending on temperature and humidity. Allow the plant to dry out completely between waterings as orchids dislike soggy conditions. If the humidity is under 50%, placing the orchid on a tray filled with pebbles and water can help raise moisture levels to replicate its natural environment.

Feeding

Regular feeding is essential to encourage repeated blooming. Use a liquid fertilizer diluted to 25% strength or try a controlled-release method favored by professional growers, such as enclosing fertilizer pellets in a nylon stocking and burying them in the potting mix.

Orchids require nutrients but are light feeders, so avoid overfertilizing. Fertilize once every one or two weeks with a diluted orchid fertilizer.

Provide a Cooler Environment

Once the new leaf is fully grown, start moving the orchid to a cooler spot at night, around 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This temperature drop is crucial for triggering flowering.

During winter, this may be as simple as positioning the orchid closer to a window. In other seasons, you can take the orchid outdoors for a few nights when temperatures fall within this range.

Watch for a New Flower Spike

Within about a month in cooler conditions, a new flower spike should emerge. It often looks like an upward-growing root with a knobby tip resembling a mitten. If the spike doesn’t form naturally, some growers recommend using a bloom booster fertilizer higher in phosphorus (such as NPK 10-30-20) to stimulate flowering.

Once the orchid starts blooming, stop fertilizing until the flowering ends.

Move Back to Warmer Conditions

When the flower spike appears, relocate the orchid back to a warmer place. When the spike grows to around 5 inches, support it with a stake and loosely tie it.

Increase fertilizing to once weekly with diluted fertilizer until the flowers bloom. After blooming, cut off the spike and prepare the plant for the next flowering cycle in 3 to 6 months.