help me to get my orchid to flower

[michelle]

Hi all, I'm new to keeping orchids but I love the two I have and now 1 has finished flowering and looks like a stick but with very healthy leaves. Will it flower again? its a phalaenopsis hybrid. Can anyone help ?

[billc]

Hi Michelle, and Welcome. If you keep your phal happy, it will bloom every year.

Bill

[michelle]

Originally Posted by billc

Hi Michelle, and Welcome. If you keep your phal happy, it will bloom every year.

Bill

thank you bill - do i carry on watering it and cutting off the dead bits of root - will it reflower?

[RosieC]

Hi Michelle,

If the old flower spike is dried up and brown then that spike won't reflower. But the plant should grow another spike when it is ready to flower again.

If the spike is dried up then cut the spike off. It can be cut right down as close to the plant as you can, being careful not to damage the plant.

If the spike is still green then it may flower from that again. You can still cut it off if you want, I've generally done that in the past. It might be able to flower sooner from an existing spike though.

Carry on watering the Phal as normal, just make sure you never leave it sitting in water arround the base for any long period of time. The roots of Phals like to breath and can rot if they are swamped.

Sometimes roots that look dead are not, you don't want to remove any which could still be functioning. If they are hollow then they are dead and you can cut them off. If they are mushy then you have the start of rot and that is more serious.

[nutgirl]

Michelle,

As Rosie and Billc said, giving the phal the care it needs will lead to more blooms. They generally bloom once a year but for a long time and the bloom period is usually in late winter/early spring. They need to be growing in adequate light and and a brief period of cooler temperature in the early fall helps to start the flower spike process.

Maureen

[SewPretty]

my phals like to have a few cool 50's ish nights this time of year before they make their flower spikes.

other than that, like the others said - keep up what you've been doing if the leaves look healthy and when it's ready, you will get more long lasting blooms.

One thing i did with my first orchid that messed me up is that when your orchid has buds DON'T MOVE IT! or they will all fall off.

hope this helps!