Orchid question

[RubySlippers]

Not a garden question as such but i have a lovely phalenopsis orchid which is just finishing flowering

how can i get it to re-flower next year?

it has loads of flowers - about 20 or so

TIA

[RubySlippers]

[boogeek]

POt luck I think
Sorry, but IME some do some don't and I have no way of knowing!
They like bright light but not direct sunlight; to dry out all week then have a drowning of rainwater once a week. If it has literally just finished you can cut the flower stem back to a node (not right off) and you should get a second flush from it.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

I have a phalenopsis and a species, both of which did nothing for a year after the initial flowers faded. I took some advice from a friend who had loads of luck getting them to flower over and over again:

• moved them to a small 1st floor south-facing windowsill.

• every week plunge them (plastic pot and all) into a room-temp bath for 20-30 minutes.

• 3 weeks out of 4 add growth feed (if no flowers) or bloom feed (if flowering) to that bath.

Since starting this, the phal. has bloomed profusely. The species is shooting out loads of leaves, but no flower spikes as yet. I did make the mistake of cutting off the flower stem on this one (oops). The phal. I only cut back to a node.

Hope this helps!

[RubySlippers]

oh thank you so much for the good advice

so they need a bit of TLC then ...

[GrimmaTheNome]

Dont overwater, and (like most houseplants) rainwater is best. At last, a silver lining to the all too real clouds, at least theres plenty of it!

[RubySlippers]

oh really - so will all my house plants benefit from rainwater?

i have a Stephanotis which looks a bit limp

[GrimmaTheNome]

If plants get nothing but tapwater theres a build-up of calcium (and other salts) which can make them turn yellow. Its particularly true of plants which are acid-lovers anyway like citrus, but AFAIK most indoor plants will do better on rainwater. (Correct me if I'm wrong anyone!)

[RubySlippers]

Grimma - that makes sense to me

will give it a whirl

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

Yes - I agree rainwater is best.

Also forgot to mention to drain them well after the soak - I leave them on the draining board for a couple of hours afterwards.