- Give it a winter rest. A cool, dry rest for about 8-10 weeks in winter are needed for the plant to set buds. …
- Shed some light. Keep your orchid cactus in bright, indirect light year-round. …
- Feed it. High-phosphorus fertilizer will encourage more blooms. …
- Leave it alone.
What is the best fertilizer for orchid cactus?
Once a week during the summer and fall, you should fertilize your plant to encourage healthy growth and development.
A balanced 10-10-10 mixture diluted to a quarter teaspoon per gallon
is the ideal fertilizer for most orchid cactus varieties.
How long does it take for an orchid cactus to bloom?
How long does it take for an orchid cactus to bloom? It may take
up to five years
before an orchid cactus flowers. Usually, they’re also more likely to bloom if their roots fill the pot, or they’re root-bound.
How do you trigger an orchid bloom?
Help your orchids grow by providing plenty of indirect sunlight.
Put your orchid in a cooler spot at night
. Cooler nighttime temperatures (55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) help new flower spikes emerge. When a new spike appears, you can return your orchid to its normal setting.
Why isn’t my orchid cactus blooming?
Some orchid cactuses don’t bloom if they
haven’t been fed appropriate fertilizer
. They benefit from monthly feedings of balanced fertilizer most of the year, such as a fertilizer with a 10-10-10 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
How often should I water my orchid cactus?
Native to tropical rainforests where it grows on trees, this indoor plant doesn’t want it soil to be moist all the time and will rot if it’s overwatered. That often means watering
once every 10 days or so
, depending on conditions such as plant size, temperature, and how much light your orchid cactus gets.
When should I repot my orchid cactus?
Plants should be repotted
about every seven years
. To repot, wait about a month after blooming. Do not remove all the soil around the root ball. Just gently shake off excess soil and then repot in fresh soil.
How do you divide orchid cactus?
You may find yours was
created with several cuttings in
the first place, so you need only gently separate their roots. If it’s one big plant, it can be cut in two and the halves repotted. Let halves dry two days before you repot them, then keep in a cool shady place and don’t water for two weeks.
How do you take cuttings from orchid cactus?
If you want to propagate your plant and grow even more orchid cacti in your home, you can do so
after pruning
. Simply take a cutting, preferably at least two segments long, and sever at the joint. Place the section in a cool, dark and dry place for about a week until the severed end of the cutting has healed over.
Why is my Epiphyllum not blooming?
Light. As I mentioned, these plants are epiphytes and grow in shadier locations in the jungle. So be sure not to give them TOO much direct sun, but at the
same time if you place them in too dark of a location
, they will not bloom for you.
What time of year do orchids bloom?
Most orchids grow during the summer and bloom in the
fall, winter or spring
.
Do orchids need to be repotted?
Orchids should be
repotted when new
; every year or two; or when crowded roots push up and out of the pot. … Other than watering and occasionally fertilizing them, you probably don’t look closely at your orchids all that often when they’re not in bloom.
What to do with an orchid after the flowers fall off?
After the flowers drop from the orchid you have three choices:
leave the flower spike (or stem) intact, cut it back to a node, or remove it entirely
. Remove the flower spike entirely by clipping it off at the base of the plant. This is definitely the route to take if the existing stem starts to turn brown or yellow.
How do I get my Epiphyllum to flower?
In late winter, stimulate bloom production by
placing the cactus in an unheated space that’s above 40 degrees Fahrenheit
, such as a garage or porch, for about three weeks. Make sure it continues to receive the same filtered light. At the end of the chilling period, return the plant to its place indoors.
Why is my orchid cactus turning brown?
Dehydration
.
Dehydration
is the cause of leaf tips turning brown and drying out before the entire leaf dies. Sometimes increasing watering to two or three times a week cures the problem, but other times the dehydration is a sign that the roots have ceased functioning and absorbing water.
