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Reasons Why Phalaenopsis Orchid Buds Turn Yellow and How to Fix It

Flower Cultivation By Grace Miller 0 views
During routine care, if you notice the buds of your Phalaenopsis orchid turning yellow, this is actually the plant's way of "crying for help." Below, I'll explain the causes and the solutions. Temperature: Phalaenopsis orchids are quite delicate and thrive best in environments of 15-25°C. If the temperature stays below 10°C or above 30°C for too long, the buds are prone to turning yellow.

During everyday care, you may notice the flower buds of your Phalaenopsis (moth orchid) turning yellow. This is actually the plant's way of crying for help. Below, we explain the causes and the solutions.



Temperature: Phalaenopsis is quite delicate and loves an environment of 15-25°C. If the temperature drops below 10°C or rises above 30°C, the flower buds will easily turn yellow after being exposed for too long. Move it to a spot with a suitable temperature; if you have air conditioning or heating at home, adjusting the temperature can provide a quick fix.



Light: Phalaenopsis cannot take full sun exposure, nor should it be kept too short of light. Direct sunlight can easily scorch the flower buds, while keeping it in a dim spot all the time leads to poor nutrition. Normally, just place it by a bright window at home where it does not get strong direct sun, or put up a shade net to block about half of the sunlight.



Watering: Too much water suffocates and rots the roots, and too little is no good either; both can cause the flower buds to turn yellow. Before watering, poke your finger two or three centimetres into the soil and water only when it feels dry, and water thoroughly when you do. Also, open the windows often for ventilation to keep water from accumulating in the pot.



Roots: Accidentally damaging the roots when repotting, or an attack by pests and diseases, both affect nutrient uptake. If you suspect a root problem, take the plant out of the pot to check, cut away all the rotten and diseased roots, then soak it in carbendazim for 15 minutes to disinfect, and finally repot it in fresh sphagnum moss or bark mix.



Nutrition: Fertiliser that is too strong easily burns the roots, while never feeding leaves the plant without the strength to bloom. Before the flowering period, about once a week, dilute monopotassium phosphate with water (concentration no higher than 0.2%) and either spray it on the leaves or water it into the soil. Just remember the rule of frequent feeding with weak fertiliser.


Besides tackling the yellowing flower buds specifically, there are a few other things to watch out for in the everyday care of Phalaenopsis:


Do not move it around: Phalaenopsis hates being disturbed; when it has just started growing flower buds, do not keep changing its spot, or the buds may drop.


Keep it away from draughts: do not let air-conditioning or fan breezes, or cold winter draughts, blow directly on it, as they will "injure" the flower buds.


Do not spray water on the flowers: if you want to raise humidity, sprinkle water around the pot instead; spraying the flower buds directly easily causes rot.


Do not use old soil: when repotting, throw the old soil straight away, as it carries pathogens and has no nutrients left; use fresh sphagnum moss or bark.


Cut after flowering: once the flowers are done, count 2-3 nodes down the flower stem and cut there, and clean up the dead and diseased leaves at the same time.


Check for pests regularly: part the petals and look for thrips and red spider mites; if you find pests, spray promptly, and isolate badly affected plants so they do not infect your other flowers.


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