Orchids are currently one of the most frequently cultivated plants in Polish homes. What should be done to make their spectacular flowers appear more often?
The most popular variety of orchid is Falenopsis(Phalaenopsis). It usually blooms from October to February, but flowers may appear in other months as well. How to stimulate orchids to bloom more often?
First of all, your orchid should be placed in a sunny location. Falenopsis does not like neither excess nor deficiency of light, so it is important to provide it with proper position. Orchids feel well in diffused light. If you want it to stand on a windowsill, it is best to choose northern windows. You can also place the orchid on an east window which you can shield during sunrise so that intense light does not disturb the plant.
The natural habitat of phalaenopsis is a tropical climate, so the plants feel well in quite high temperatures. Ideally, during the day the temperature of the room where the orchid is located is between 21 and 27 degrees. The plant will be stimulated to bloom if we provide it with temperature fluctuations during the day. It is good that at night the room temperature drops to about 16 degrees, or at least is a few degrees lower than during the day.
Another important factor that can affect more frequent and more abundant flowering of phalaenopsis is the right air humidity. In a room with dry air, the orchid’s buds may not develop and instead wither and droop. To provide the plant with the proper humidity, we can fill a pot with expanded clay and pour about ⅓ of the water over it and set the pot with the orchid on the protruding clumps so that the plant’s roots are not submerged. The steaming water will perfectly moisten the air around the orchid.
