Give your orchid a second life

With These Tips, You Can Make Your Orchid Bloom Again!

Did you know that the Phalaenopsis orchid can bloom for three to six months? When your orchid’s beautiful flowers have faded, it can be tempting to throw it away. But wait! With a little extra love and care, you can revive your orchid and even make it bloom multiple times a year. In this blog, we share a step-by-step plan to help give your orchid a second life!

Prune the Orchid

The first step in the process of making your orchid bloom again is pruning. Once your orchid has finished blooming for the first time, take a sharp, clean pair of scissors or a cutter and trim the stem above the second node (the thickening) of the stem. This encourages the plant to develop new shoots and prepares it for the next blooming period.

Time for Cooling

After you’ve pruned your orchid, it’s time to let it cool down a bit. Place the plant in a cooler spot with a temperature of around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (59 to 68 degrees Fahrenheit). While the orchid can also develop buds in a warm room, it benefits from a drier, cooler environment for a while. This helps stimulate the blooming cycle and ensures that new buds will form.

And Now... Rest

Now let your orchid rest for a period of one to two months. During this time, it’s important to water the plant sparingly. This means giving it only one to a maximum of two times the normal weekly amount of water, for example, by placing three ice cubes in the pot. This allows the plant to focus its energy on developing new buds.

Time to Return

When you start to see new growth, it’s time to bring your orchid back into the warm living room. This is the moment to switch back to normal watering, preferably combined with some nutrients. A light fertilizer specifically designed for orchids can help provide your plant with the nutrients it needs to bloom again.

The Second Life of Your Orchid Has Begun

It will take about 100 days from the time you cut the stems for your orchid to bloom fully again. Patience is key, but it’s worth the wait when you see your care and attention pay off!

With these simple steps, you can not only help your orchid survive but also thrive. Give it the love and attention it deserves, and enjoy the beautiful flowers it will bring you. Good luck with reviving your Phalaenopsis orchid!