PART II
WHY WON'T MY ORCHIDS FLOWER?

Follow our tips, and you'll have your orchids blooming again in no time! Be sure to read Part I of our article first.

Left: Angraecum leonis is a compact orchid from Madagascar. It like warmth an high humidity to produce its large fragrant blooms. It is adaptable to a  range of light conditions. 

#2 FEED YOUR PLANTS Most of the orchids we grow are epiphytes. Basically this means that they grow on other trees but are not parasites-they get all their nutrients from rain and wind-blow debris that lodges among their roots. When we grow these plants on our windowsill they tend to be grown in fir bark or sphagnum peat moss. Neither of these mixes provide any nutrients. Without extra plant food or fertilizers, orchids will not grow or bloom well. The secret is to fertilize your plants regularly using a WEAK fertilizer or plant-food solution. You are more likely to kill your orchids by over than under feeding, hence the emphasis on weak.

Epicattleya Middleburg 'Maj' is a compact grower  needing bright light, even direct sun, to flower. It prefers intermediate conditions.

 If you use a regular flowering house plant fertilizer, apply it at half the strength recommended. If you buy a special orchid fertilizer, follow the package directions. Try fertilizing your plants about twice a month. Increase feeding during the spring and summer months when orchids are growing rapidly, and reduce feeding to once a month during the winter. Be sure to rotate in  a blossom-booster or flowering plant fertilizer as well. Every month, leach your plants thoroughly-water them with plain water several times and allow them to drain. This helps flush out the fertilizer salts that will build up over time. Most garden supply firms carry a variety of houseplant or orchid fertilizers-you may wish try one or two differentbrands to see what works best. 

#3 COOLER NIGHTS.   Most orchids like a day and night temperature variation of about 8 to 10 degrees year 'round, especially to stimulate them to bloom. As night temperatures drop in the fall, or spring, place plants next to a window that is cracked at night to let in a little cool air. Give your plants this treatment for about 3 to 4 weeks and you should begin to see flower stalks emerging soon after. How low should you let the night temperature drop? For paphs and phals, temperatures of about 55 to 60 degrees should suffice. Make sure your plants are not in a cold draft, or protect them with a light curtain. Placing them in an unheated room at night will also do the trick. Remember that day temperatures need to be about ten degrees higher. A Wireless Min/Max Thermometer make this easy to track. If your orchid plants have been growing outside this summer, you can simply leave them out for a few more weeks. If temperatures threaten to fall below 55, all but the coolest growing of orchids, such as cymbidiums, should be brought in. This method generally works best with orchids that have their natural flowering season in the fall through spring months, including most phalaenopsis (moth orchids), paphiopedilum/paphs (slipper orchids) and cattleyas.

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