This post is going to be a “one stop guide” of everything I do throughout the year with my orchids and what's going on with them during this time. You can click on the various links throughout this post for extra advice on what to do.
Quick background on orchids to help explain the seasons –
Orchids grow in nature at a different rate than orchids sold in stores. This is because stores buy orchids from nurseries which have a controlled environment which “forces” orchids into bloom by speeding up natural cues synthetically. They do this by giving them year round light, temperature and humidity that is controlled by indoor nursery environments.
- In nature orchids normally bloom once (for an extended period of months), usually in the Fall through early Spring. Their “nature” cue to bloom is the cool weather in the Fall.
- Normally in the Summer months leading up to Fall, orchids will be in their “active growth phase” which is when they grow new leaves and new roots. Orchids prepare for Fall blooms by storing up energy in new growth (almost like if you were to eat super healthy for a few months before a big race) which is why I give my orchids extra fertilizer at this time. Their “nature” cue at this time is the warm Summer months.
Nothing is wrong with nurseries “forcing” orchids into a cycle. But later on this post, when I explain that my orchids are on a certain cycle it may be confusing to you because your orchid may be on a different cycle. This may because you bought an orchid that was forced into bloom by a nursery or it may be because you live in a different climate. Once you have had your orchids for over a year they will catch up to a natural cycle.
My main goal is to make this easy for you! So if you have just received an orchid and it does not match up with the cycle below… then wait. I do this all the time with newly acquired orchids. I wait for their blooms to fall off. I then repot them and watch as they match up the next year.
Note: Occasionally I have repotted orchids and sadly they have not rebloomed. The are various reasons for this. Click on this post to see why.
Orchid Calendar Overview
Summer
Most of my orchids, that I have not recently bought or received, have been out of blo
om for months. At this time they are preparing for their fall
spikes (which become blooms) by shedding old leaves and growing both new leaves and
roots. This is their
natural energy cycle and is called their “active growth phase.” Many people panic when they see their
bottom orchid leaves turning yellow and falling off but there is no need to worry because this is natural. When their leaves turn yellow you can either cut them off or they will shed naturally and seal themselves off.
At this time it is super hot, where I live, and I want to make sure that my orchids are not getting too dry or too hot! I regulate their heat exposure by placing them on humidity trays, misting them and placing a fan near them. Be especially careful of heat if you have your orchids outside.
- I make sure they are properly watered.
- I place them on humidity trays, some of which I have made on my own.
- I mist them.
- I make sure they get extra fertilizer.
- I also have a fan in the room that keeps them cool on really hot days.
- I repot any newly acquired orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
- I am also looking for and treat pest, fungus and rot.
Fall
At this time my orchids are preparing to shoot out new spikes. Spikes are the little shoot that are often confused with roots which become the blooms we all love. Spikes look like little “mittens” at first :)
Naturally orchid spikes do not typically grow up, like we see in stores, which is why we need to stake and clip them. It does not hurt an orchid to stake it. This process is done because we think the orchids look “prettier” this way and this makes it easier to place multiple orchids together, on humidity tray, because they are not crowding each other.
If you store your orchids indoors, like I do, then you may have to give your orchids the “Fall Cue” by cracking a window near them for a week or two. This is because when we heat our homes, orchids do not notice that it's cold outside and don't know that it's time to start growing spikes/shoots.
I have prepared for this time by buying stakes and clips.
As the new spikes grow I stake and clip them with different size stakes. If you wait till the spike is longer, you may break it because when it's small it's super malleable and easily manipulated in the direction you want it to grow.
- I have cut back on my fertilizer at this time.
- I continue to water properly, but less than the Summer because they are drying out slower.
- I continue to have my orchids on humidity trays.
- I mist them.
- I repot any newly acquired orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
- I am also looking for and treat pest, fungus and rot.
- I also take notes, comparing them to last year, keeping track of when I see the first spike appear.
Winter
At this time I am watching my orchids bloom with much anticipation! Most of my orchids have shot out spikes by November and have been staked. Now I am watching them grow, some of them are blooming while others are producing more and more buds. This is a really fun time!
Some orchids experience “bud blast,” which is super annoying. This is when an orchid has a bloom bud that is about to open and instead it shrivels up, turns yellow and dies! Click here for my post on this.
- I continue to cut back on my fertilizer at this time.
- I water properly, but less than I would in the Spring/Summer months because they are drying out less.
- I have my orchids on humidity trays.
- I mist them.
- I repot any newly acquired orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
- I am also looking for and treat pest, fungus and rot.
- I take notes on the first bloom time and how many blooms.
SPRING
At this time my orchids have begun to shed their blooms. Orchids do this naturally – the blooms will shrivel and fall off one by one. Orchids have worked hard to produce these blooms as all of their energy is going to the shoot and its blooms. Eventually, when all the blooms have fallen, you will want to cut back their shoots in order to conserve their energy.
Not only do you want to cut back their shoots but you will want to repot them in premium mix. Even the best mix breaks down over time and giving them fresh new mix will help them prepare for their new leaf and root growth. This is also a great time to look at their roots, cut off dead ones and look for any rot.
Your orchid may need to be moved to a bigger pot at this time. Orchids like to be potted snugly but they do not like to be smothered!
Once the blooms have fallen the orchids begins their “active growth phase.” This phase is when they grow new roots and leaves. Without new and healthy root and leaf growth your orchid will not bloom next year. It's an energy cycle. It would be the same as a kid growing strong bones in preparation for a growth spurt, which is why we increase fertilization in the Spring and Summer months.
They will also shed their bottom leaves as new leaf growth appears. You have the option to let the orchid shed its leaf naturally (it will seal itself off) or cut it off. Click on this post for more information on this.
At this time, if you want, you have the option to move your orchid outside. You just need to make sure they do not get too hot. Do not put them in full sun – orchids like dapple shade. Also if you put them outside you will need to take extra care to make sure they don't dry out or get scorched.
- I make sure they are properly watered.
- I place them on humidity trays, some of which I have made on my own.
- I mist them.
- I make sure they get extra of fertilizer.
- I repot my orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
- I also take notes on them to see when they drop their blooms, what their roots look like, and if I moved their pot size.
- I am also looking for and treating pest, fungus and rot.
Hope that helps,
Hannah
Feel free to leave comments or questions.
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