Skip to Content

Why Won’t My Orchid Bloom? (with 5 solutions)

Sharing is caring!

Are you always asking yourself the question, ‘why won’t my orchid bloom?’. Do you not know the reason behind ‘why won’t my orchid bloom?’, and have no idea how to prevent that? If that is so, then you are in the right place.

Orchids are flowering plants that are usually planted because of their colorful bloom and beautiful fragrance. That is why it is a great disappointment when the orchids fail to bloom. So let’s find out all the reasons behind ‘why won’t my orchid bloom?’ and how you can get a gorgeous, huge bloom.

Why Wont My Orchid Bloom
Orchid will only grow leaves, not flowers – via Reddit

Why Won’t My Orchid Bloom – 8 Reasons

It is so annoying to keep looking at the pot and waiting for a flower to appear. It is even more annoying to watch the plant grow buds, but then the buds begin to drop without even flowering.

Identifying the problem is the first step to solving it. There are many reasons why your orchid might not be blooming, so let’s get into them.

Too Little Light

Light is the catalyst to photosynthesis, which is the process used to make food for the plant. Without this food, the plant will have no energy to carry out its basic life processes and will end up suffering.

Many varieties of orchids actually need bright light. If you are putting the plant indoors, and if it does not see the light of day, that might be the problem. Just like any other plant, orchids need sunlight to thrive, and inadequate lighting will be an unfavorable condition for growth and blooming.

Too Much Light

Even though too little light is not an option, putting the orchid in the bright shining sun will also be damaging. If the plant is under the blazing sun, it will start showing signs of stress, like sunburned leaves and lack of blooming. Too much artificial lighting can have the same effect.

Indoors

The cooler evening temperature comes with the arrival of autumn. This cool temperature can trigger the plant to grow buds, which later bloom into beautiful flowers. But putting the orchids indoors and under artificial lighting 24/7 will make them miss this natural cue.

Unstable Temperature

Orchids originated from China, Greece, and Rome and are thought of as tropical plants.

They prefer a warm temperature with an optimum temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit in the daytime and 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the nighttime. If the plant is exposed to a temperature any lower than this, it can be harmful to the bloom.

Orchids also need to experience a temperature differential. This can help trigger the blooming. If that isn’t given to the plant, it could reduce the chances of blooming.

Lack of Proper Nutrition

Orchids aren’t a plant that needs a high level of nutrition and a fancy diet, but for the best performance, the owner must provide a nutritional boost to the potting mix.

Repotting

With the growth of the plant, the roots begin to grow as well. With time, the roots can grow to the point where the pot might be on the verge of breaking. Without enough space, the roots might not get enough oxygen.

However, some orchids dislike being disturbed especially in the roots and can respond to repotting by not producing flowers for months to follow.

Overwatering

If you see wrinkled leaves and brown roots, you are overwatering your orchid. Too much water will damage the roots and leaves, stop blooming, and ultimately kill the plant. If orchids with buds receive too much water, the buds will start to shed.

Underwatering

Orchids are evolved to grow in humid jungles, where they are used to gentle rain showers. Although overwatering can be damaging, underwatering them goes against their natural living conditions.

In cases of lack of water, the leaves will pull water away from the buds, and the buds will turn yellow, shrivel and fall off.

Why Wont My Orchid Bloom 2
What is the secret to get an orchid to bloom again? – via Reddit

Solutions

If you’ve identified the problem, now you’re probably looking for a solution. The following are some ways you can make sure your orchids get a gorgeous bloom.

Proper Lighting

Make sure that you take your orchid outside. 24 hours of artificial light isn’t healthy for an orchid plant, so take it outside in the evening. And if you’re keeping it indoors, use a timer to turn the lights on to simulate natural daylight and darkness.

Correct Temperature

According to studies, the only places where orchids aren’t found are polar and desert regions, and they are abundant in wet tropic regions. This suggests that orchids prefer warm temperatures.

A temperature differential is a key to getting a bloom. Make sure that the nighttime temperatures are 10 degrees lower than daytime, at least at the start of the blooming season.

Fertilize

The best-suited fertilizers for an orchid plant are urea-free fertilizers, which help the plant with absorbing enough nitrogen, even when there is little to no microorganism activity.

Be Careful With Repotting

Before repotting the plant, make sure to check the roots carefully. If the roots are brown, only then do you must re-pot. Disturbing the roots for no reason will be a waste of beautiful flowers waiting to bloom.

Proper Watering

There are two things to keep in mind while watering an orchid. Number one, an orchid plant must dry out between watering. And number two, never let the soil in the root zone be saturated with water. Make sure that your watering schedule is well suited with the potting medium and pot size.


Conclusion

Orchids might not bloom if their needs aren’t met, but if you make sure that they are growing in optimal conditions then you will surely get to see a breathtaking bloom. Just by taking some steps and investing in high-quality products, you can fix the problem.

Hopefully, this helped you answer the question, ‘why won’t my orchid bloom?’. If you have any questions, leave them in the comment section down below.