One of the most common misconceptions when orchid blooms fall off is that the plant itself is dying. Fortunately, this is not the case. Just as the leaves of trees fall off during autumn season, or when animals go into hibernation, orchid plants also enter a resting stage called "dormancy" right after blooming. In fact, Phalaenopsis orchids spend most of their life cycles in a dormant state.
When your orchid plant is losing its blooms, it is important to remove the wilting blooms to preserve the remaining blooms. Wilting blooms release ethylene gas which triggers the other blooms to fall off. Orchid plants can live for years and years with the proper, tender loving care that they deserve. You can help your orchid plant rebloom just by following these simple steps:
Orchid Spikes
Remove all the clips and stakes.
Green Spikes: find the node under the lowest flower bloom, and cut off 1 inch above that node.
Brown Spikes: your orchids will not rebloom on brown spikes so you can cut off at the base of the plant.
Your orchid is resting at this point, and will stay like this for the next 6 to 9 months until the new blooms appear.
How To Care For Your Resting Orchids
Just because your orchid is resting does not mean that you should stop caring for them. After all, it is still a live plant, sleeping peacefully and saving up all its energy to reproduce the beautiful, vibrant blooms that you once witnessed.
Continue to water your orchids once a week with 3 ice cubes, equivalent to 1/4 cup of water.
Use a fertilizer specifically for orchids, once a week. Orchids are sensitive to fertilizers so make sure to follow the proper measurements as instructed.
Continuously provide very bright but indirect sunlight.
You can trick your orchid into producing new blooms with colder temperatures (around 15 to 18 degrees Celsius) at nighttime. So if you sleep with the AC on, make sure your orchid is in the room with you. Think of this method as flowers blooming in spring time after going through the harsh coldness of the winter season. You can return your orchid to its original place once a new spike appears.
Ready To Bloom
When your orchid is ready to rebloom, you will notice a "mitten" shaped spike growing out of your plant. You can distinguish a new spike from a new root because a root will have a rounded edge. Wait for the new spike to grow before supporting it with a stake and clip, because a young spike easily breaks. Continuously care for the orchid like you normally would, and all your patience will be rewarded soon enough.
