Beautiful, exotic, and wildly rewarding when they flower, but frustrating when they don't. If your orchid is just sitting there with a bunch of leaves and no flowers in sight, you’re not alone. The good news? It’s probably perfectly healthy.
Once you learn how to read its cues and give it the right conditions, it’s only a matter of time before those beautiful blooms return.
Here’s our top tips!
Understand Your Orchid Type
Not all orchids play by the same rules. Phalaenopsis (moth orchids) are the most common household type, and they're usually the most forgiving. But if you’re working with Dendrobiums, Cattleyas, or Oncidiums, your care routine needs to adapt.
Find out what type of orchid you have as the right strategy starts with knowing what species you’re dealing with.
Lighting is Key
Orchids need bright, indirect light. Put them in a window that faces east, or behind a sheer curtain in a south-facing room. If your orchid’s leaves are dark green, that’s a sign it’s not getting enough light. Healthy, ready-to-bloom orchids have light green or yellow-green leaves.
Don’t burn them with direct sun, but don’t leave them in a shady corner either. If you’re not getting blooms, odds are it isn’t getting enough bright indirect sunlight.
Tip: Grow Lights can be a great light source for low-lit spaces!
Temperature
Orchids are sensitive to temperature changes, and you can actually use that to your advantage.
To trigger blooming, most orchids need a drop in nighttime temperatures. For Phalaenopsis, that’s around 13–16°C at night and 21–27°C during the day.
Try this: move your orchid near a cooler window or put it in a spot that cools down at night for a couple of weeks. This temperature drop can shock it into sending up a spike.
Be careful not to overwater
Orchids hate soggy roots. Only water when the potting mix is dry to the touch. In most cases, that’s about once a week. Stick your finger in the bark or moss—if it’s still damp, leave it alone.
Use room temperature water, and let it run through the pot completely. No standing water, no guessing. And if your orchid's in a decorative pot with no drainage? Fix that first.
Feed, But Don’t Overfeed
A starved orchid won’t bloom. Use a balanced orchid fertiliser (like 20-20-20) every two weeks, diluted to half strength. During the growing season (spring and summer), you can bump this up slightly. But when it’s colder or your orchid is resting, ease off.
Repot Every 1–2 Years
Orchids thrive in chunky, airy stuff like bark or moss. But here’s the catch: over time, that material breaks down and turns to mush. When the mix gets too compact, it strangles the roots, holds too much moisture, and brings blooming to a halt.
Watch for these signs it’s time to repot:
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Roots turning black or mushy
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Bark that looks more like wet dirt than bark
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Roots busting out of the pot like they’re making a break for it
When it's time, use a fresh, high-quality orchid potting mix designed for airflow and drainage. Trim off any dead or rotting roots, and repot into a container just big enough for the root ball. No extra room is needed as orchids actually like things a little cosy.
This one simple step can make a huge difference in getting your orchid to bloom again and stay healthy long-term.
Be Patient
Orchids bloom on their own schedule. Even when you’re doing everything right, it might take a few weeks or even months to see progress.
The key is to stay consistent. Keep the light strong, temperatures controlled, and watering on point. Once that spike emerges, don’t move the plant around too much.
But if you give your orchid the specific conditions it craves, you’ll be rewarded with stunning blooms that last for weeks. Stick with it. The payoff is totally worth it!
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