Do you have an orchid but it has wilted? You wanted to throw it away but there’s no point, you can probably save it? Please note that it is entirely possible to make it bloom again by following a few very simple tips!

Some practical tips for getting a faded orchid to bloom again with ease.

1 – CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECIES 

Orchid season is in full swing! Faced with such a profusion of choice, it is not always easy to navigate. The novice can bet with his eyes closed on phalaenopsis, a very widespread and easy to cultivate species. It has many vibrant colors, including brown tigers that are all the rage. In terms of flowering, it can last more than three months! With its leathery leaves and its scapes covered in flowers, the oncidium is just as elegant. Easy to maintain, it reflowers several times a year. Like dendrobium (right) which adapts to temperature variations. If you don’t have enough space, opt for a mini-orchid that you will grow in a glass jar or on a cork plate.

2 – WATER YOUR ORCHIDS PROPERLY 

Gardeners probably know this: when watering, it is advisable to soak the roots of the plant rather than doing it from above. To do this, there is a simple and effective immersion technique. Place your pot in a basin of room temperature water for 20 minutes, making sure it has small holes near the bottom for a draining effect. Once this time has elapsed, drain the container and put it back in its place, ensuring that there is sufficient light. The operation must be repeated every 10 days. Please note that rainwater can be useful for this procedure.

3 – LIGHT

Light is an extremely essential parameter for the survival and health of orchids. It is therefore possible that your flowers lack light and fertilizer if they do not bloom. In this case, consider changing their location. Place them near a window, filtering direct sunlight behind a curtain.

4 – FERTILIZERS 

You should not overdo it and it would even be wise to use half as much! A fertilizer high in potassium will be good for flower growth and a nitrogen fertilizer will be good for the leaves.

5 – TEMPERATURE

The flowering of certain orchids is conditioned by the alternation of temperatures between day and night. To recreate this difference, give the orchid a place in partial shade outdoors during the summer and in a cool place from September. Thus, a period of 20 days at 15°C will trigger a new flowering period.

6 – POTTING

After two or three years, your orchid’s potting soil will begin to degenerate, becoming soft and rotten. The plant must then be repotted, ideally at the end of winter. You need a special orchid potting mix, which does not contain real soil but rather pieces of bark and sphagnum moss.

Tear away the old potting soil, then cut off any dead, rotten or damaged roots with pruning shears (it will be brown or soft). Add a little moist substrate to the bottom of the pot. Center the plant in the pot, distributing the roots well. You can bury all or part of the aerial roots. Now add potting soil through the roots, tamping down so the plant is firmly seated. It’s not more complicated than that.