Three practical tips for encouraging orchids to bloom

As everyone knows, getting flower buds to appear on schedule is the unremitting effort of every orchid grower, pursuingorchidsThat fresh, elegant, delicate fragrance is our goal in cultivating orchids. But not every orchid grower gets what they wish for; orchid growers often mention problems with theorchidsbeing difficult to bloomFloralthey keep. Of course, it is not thatorchidscan be encouraged to bloom no matter what their growing condition is; healthy, robust orchid plants are the foundation for encouragingblooming. As the saying goes: when the plants are weak, flowers will not come; when the orchids are strong, flowers come on their own! To make orchids open their buds and release fragrance at the right time, the following "three tips" must be done well.

One, increase light.
　　
Although orchids are shade-loving plants, sunlight is the energy factor for growing leaves and forming flower buds. Sufficient accumulation of nutrients produced by photosynthesis is the prerequisite for flower bud germination. This is the principle stated in ancient orchid writings: "more sun makes better flowers." Orchid plantsthat receive sufficient sun will definitely bloom first, and their flowers will be richly fragrant. To makeorchid plantsbloom in time, you must calculate the bud-forming period according to the orchid species, and thereby carry out a plan to increase light and encourage blooming. Generally speaking, the turn of summer and autumn is the season when flower buds germinate in most orchid species. Orchids in the bud-forming period should be arranged to receive more sunlight. Apart from shading from direct sunlight, orchids should be allowed to enjoy as much sunshine as possible, accumulating enough energy reserves for flower bud germination. Otherwise, even if the pot is full of luxuriantorchid plants, flower buds are still not easy to produce,Cymbidium faberiespecially so. Of course, new plants must be protected from sudden scorching sun, and shade should be provided in time to protect the leaves. Comparatively speaking, because they receive more sun, orchids on outer balconies bloom earlier than those on inner balconies. Therefore, orchid pots on balconies or in orchid rooms should be arranged according to the bud-forming period of each kind of orchid, so that all kinds of orchid plants receive light evenly and all have the chance to produce buds and release fragrance.

Two, control water and moisture.
　　
Orchid growth is divided into two stages, namely vegetative growth and reproductive growth. Vegetative growth refers to the process in which the number of leaves increases and the leaf shape lengthens and widens; this process requires a large amount of water. Reproductive growth refers to the process of flower bud germination and flowering and fruiting; this process requires somewhat less water. Especially when flower buds are forming and petals are opening, water must be controlled. In the vegetative growth stage, when the orchid plants have grown tall and robust and the new growth has basically taken shape, the conditions of pre-bloom maturity and sufficient accumulation of flower primordia are reached. At this time, adopt the method of controlling watering, temporarily cutting off the water supply so that vegetative growth pauses slightly, appropriately restraining its growth momentum, and this can promote the orchid plants' transition from the vegetative growth stage to the reproductive growth stage. Otherwise, orchid plants often remain immersed in the inertia of vegetative growth; this is why many orchid plants grow vigorously but do not bloom. The specific operation of water control should be determined according to weather conditions, potting medium structure, and usual watering frequency. Generally speaking, extend the usual watering interval by one times, and do this three times in a row. In this way, flower bud differentiation can be expected to be promoted. As everyone knows, because of species limitations,Cymbidium ensifoliumTiegui Yinzhen Su is not easy to bloom; some orchid growers have even grown it for 10 years without seeing it bloom! But as long as the orchid plant is robust, using water control to encourage blooming is actually very easy to succeed with. There was a pot of Tiegui Yinzhen that had been grown for 5 years without blooming; after the plants were grown robust, in summer, do not water for a longer period, leaving Tiegui Su in an extremely thirsty state (do not fear that it is at death's door; it is extremely tough)! After giving it enough of a hard time, then water it with some water mixed with phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. Do this once every about a week, and after two or three times, this pot of Tiegui Yinzhen that had not bloomed for 5 years finally bloomed! Moreover, the flower fragrance period was long and the flower form remained unchanged! It turns out that when vegetative growth cannot be achieved after water control, the orchid plant continues life through reproductive growth. In fact, this method can not only prompt Tiegui Su to bloom, but is also suitable for prompting flower buds in other varieties.

Three, fertilize appropriately.
　　
The internal factor for orchid plants to bloom is that the pseudobulbs have accumulated and stored enough organic nutrients to provide for the consumption needed for blooming, mainly phosphorus, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen compounds. When the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio in the orchid plant body is high, blooming is favored. Therefore, applying phosphorus and potassium fertilizer becomes an important means of promoting flower bud formation in orchid plants. First, when potting orchid plants, mix a small amount of superphosphate into the lower layer of potting medium as a base fertilizer; this is an old orchid grower's special skill for making plain-colored Cymbidium ensifolium bloom year after year. Second, in late summer and early autumn, during the bud-forming period of most orchid plants, water with alum-fertilized water made by adding phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, interspersed with watering with the leachate of plant ash. Third, during the bud-forming period, spray the leaves with a 1/1000 solution of monopotassium phosphate, interspersed with Huabao No. 3; this fertilizer is a special high-phosphorus bloom-promoting formula. Applied before the flowering period, it promotes flower bud formation, encourages blooming, and enhances flower color. Applied after flowering, it can also supplement the nutritional consumption of orchid plants from blooming. Fourth, when watering, add diluted, very weak Lanjun Wang and Gaocui, which can also serve as a supplement to flowering fertilizer. It should be noted that bloom-promoting fertilizers must be chosen carefully; a considerable portion of bloom-promoting fertilizers contain hormone-type ingredients. According to reports from some orchid growers, hormone-type flower fertilizers have a very obvious bloom-promoting effect after application, but the next year the orchid plants' growth condition is extremely unsatisfactory, with poor root development, few new shoots, and weak plants. Just like an athlete who has taken stimulants, harm to the body is unavoidable.