Orchids will grow new stems, fortunately. You can propagate a new Phalaenopsis or Vanda orchids from stem cuttings. Or you can divide a cattleya's rhizomes. You can also expect a flower spike to grow back after cutting it down when its blooms die.
How long does it take a new orchid spike to grow? If you notice a spike forming, be patient; this fixture on your orchid can take around three months to grow. For healthy spikes, you'll want to have a healthy orchid in the first place.
To get a new orchid flower spike, place the plant in an area with a lower room temp — about 55–65°F at night should do it. Placing your orchid in a window away from the heater might work, too. We've had best success getting new flower spikes in winter, when our homes and their windows aren't as warm.
A brown or yellow spike will not produce any new buds. Weak, short or thin spikes are signs of inadequate light, too much light or a mineral deficiency.
For healthy, green spikes: Find a node under the lowest flower bloom. Trim 1 inch above that node, or bump, on the orchid spike. For unhealthy, brown spikes: Cut all the way back to the base of the plant. For double-spike orchids: Cut one spike at the base of the plant.
Of all of the more commonly available orchids, only Phalaenopsis (the moth orchid) will re-bloom from its old spike. Phalaenopsis will generally re-bloom given a little extra care.
Your orchid has tightly tangled roots.
This is a surefire sign your orchid needs to be repotted. Give plants breathing room by placing it in a larger pot every year or two with fresh potting soil.
After the flowers drop from the orchid you have three choices: leave the flower spike (or stem) intact, cut it back to a node, or remove it entirely. Remove the flower spike entirely by clipping it off at the base of the plant. This is definitely the route to take if the existing stem starts to turn brown or yellow.
This dormancy stage usually lasts about six to nine months. After that, your orchid will have the energy to rebloom again. However, sometimes orchids need help with this process and require even more attention than they did before. With the right amount of tender love and care, you can get your orchid to rebloom.
If you do not remove the spike, the flower spike will dry up and turn brown over time. There are some orchids that can re-bloom off of the same flower spike more than once. Certain species of Oncidium such as the papilio can bloom off of a broken or cut back spike.
They will bloom again, but in the meantime, you have a few options: You can let it be, while making sure to fertilize it monthly or sometimes even as often as every other week. Use a houseplant fertilizer or balanced fertilizer (example: 20-20-20) at half the recommended rate.
These new roots mean that the orchid is at the beginning of active growth and will help a newly potted orchid the best chance at establishing itself in a new pot. When potting, use care as these new roots are fragile.
If the blooms on your orchid have a typical lifespan and then slowly wilt and fall off, you have nothing to worry about. Orchid plant care tip: Trim back the bloom spikes to an inch above the node past the last bloom and continue your care regimen.
Phalaenopsis orchids bloom in the late winter through the spring. In late June and July the Phalaenopsis orchids in our collection finally lose their blooms, some will remain in bloom for awhile longer. The ideal time to repot orchids is when they go out of bloom and Phalaenopsis is no exception.
Orchid flower spikes are usually greener than roots and have a flatter, mitten-shaped tip. While growing, spikes remain green along their full length. Orchid spikes usually emerge from between the plant's leaves, not from the plant's center.
While each growing environment is unique, and watering habits vary from person to person, it is generally a good idea to water about once per 7-10 days, when the mix gets dry. Too much watering leads to root rot, crown rot and other over watering problems like fungus gnat infestations.
When you buy a new plant it may have been in the same medium for a long time already. A good rule of thumb is to repot a new orchid as soon as practical after it is purchased. Usually this means when it goes out of bloom. Orchids need to be repotted before their media breaks down and smothers the roots.
Tuesday, March 1, at 2 p.m. Orchids bloom once per year—by repotting in spring, when new growth is just beginning, you give the plant the best possible circumstances in which to flower.
Larger pots are required for growing larger plants that have more leaves and roots. Pots of the same size can be used for about two years, and then, they have to be replaced with pots that are 1 inch larger in diameter when the orchids are repotted, which should be done once every one to three years.
Most orchids grow during the summer and bloom in the fall, winter or spring.
When should orchids be pruned? You should wait until all of the flowers fall off of a stem before you prune it. Pruning it while it's still blooming or there are healthy flowers on the stem can damage it. If a stem is brown, cut it down to the level of the soil.
Orchid Broken Stem Reblooming
The injured stem may be left to heal at the broken spot with the possibility that it'll produce another stem with flowers. A new flower spike will grow from an uninjured node below the portion of the orchid broken stem. The flowers are likely to be smaller in size than the previous blooms.
Place the Orchid in the Pot
Return the orchid to the pot, gently easing the air roots into position the way they naturally want to grow. This may include easing some roots through additional holes (as in an orchid pot).