Give your orchid a second life

With these tips you can get your orchid to flower again!

Did you know that the Phalaenopsis orchid can flower for three to six months? Once your orchid's beautiful flowers have faded, it is tempting to throw it away. But hold on! With a little extra love and attention you can bring your orchid back to life and even get it flowering several times a year. In this blog we share a step-by-step plan to help you give your orchid a second life!

Prune the orchid

The first step towards getting your orchid to flower again is pruning. Once your orchid has finished flowering for the first time, take a sharp, clean pair of scissors or a knife and cut the stem off just above the second eye (the thickened bit) on the stem. This encourages the plant to develop new shoots and gets it ready for the next flowering period.

Time to cool down

Once you have pruned your orchid, it is time to let it cool down a little. Put the plant somewhere cooler, at a temperature of around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius. The orchid can develop buds in a warm room too, but it does the plant good to spend a while in a drier, cooler spot. This helps trigger the flowering cycle and makes sure new buds form.

And now... rest

Now let your orchid rest for one to two months. During this time it is important to water the plant sparingly. That means giving it only one to at most two times the normal weekly amount of water, for instance by putting three ice cubes in the pot. It gives the plant the chance to put its energy into developing new buds.

Time to come back

When you start to see new growth, it is time to move your orchid back into the warm living room. This is the moment to switch to normal watering, ideally together with a little plant food. A light fertiliser made specially for orchids can help give your plant the nutrients it needs to flower again.

Your orchid's second life has begun

It will take around 100 days from the moment you cut the stems before your orchid is in full flower again. Patience is essential, but the wait is worth it when you see your care and attention paying off!

With these simple steps you can not only keep your orchid alive, but help it thrive. Give it the love and attention it deserves and enjoy the beautiful flowers it will give you in return. Good luck getting your Phalaenopsis orchid to flower again!