Tips to make your orchid rebloom
Q: I have had an orchid for more than five years. Originally, there were two tall stems with lovely blooms. When these died, no new blooms reappeared. I have fertilized it. How can I get it to flower?
A: Your emailed photo appears to be of a moth orchid, perhaps most popular of all orchids. The graceful, elegant blooms last for up to three months, and these members of the genus Phalaenopsis are among the easiest orchids to grow.
Many phalaenopsis bloom February-April, or longer. The airy blooms are available in many colors, each stunning, whether a solid hue or flecked or infused with other colors.
Here are some basic phalaenopsis needs I have learned from various Houston orchid experts. Included are tips on coaxing your plant to flower again.
Light. Provide bright light but no direct sun. An east or shaded south window in your home or office works well. Healthy foliage, with adequate light, is olive-green and firm. Limp, dark-green foliage is a sign of inadequate light and possibly overwatering. Temperature. Orchids like temperatures comfortable to us. Day temperatures between 75-85 degrees and night temperatures of 60-65 degrees are ideal.
Note: Provide mature plants with a 15-20 degree drop in nighttime temperature beginning in mid-September and continuing for about four weeks
to encourage bloom set. Phalaenopsis do well on the patio (no direct sun) for exposure to temperature drop. This requires monitoring for pests and rotating plants inside and out when temperatures drop into the 50s day or night.
Water. Mature plants grown in 76- to 78-degree rooms generally need watering every seven to 10 days. Frequency varies with potting medium and temperature. Overwatering is a common mistake and causes premature bloom drop and possibly death if continued long enough. Allow the pot to drain well after watering; don’t let the orchid sit in water.
Humidity and circulation. Place indoor-grown phalaenopsis on trays of wet pebbles to increase humidity. Fans boost air circulation, but avoid blowing directly on the plants. Plants thrive in humidity on a covered patio, so trays are not necessary, but good air movement is still important.
Fertilizer. Apply a 10-10-10 or 20-20-20 water-soluble fertilizer at one-quarter strength when watering. On the fourth watering, flush with clear water to minimize salt buildup.
Potting. Repot every year or two, ideally following blooms and by August to allow plants time to settle before fall bloom set. If a lot of roots have climbed outside the container, it’s time to repot.
After blooms. If the orchid is a branching variety, leave the inflorescence (flower spike) in case a keiki (Hawaiian word for a new plant or offshoot) forms at one or more nodes. A plantlet may be removed when it has sufficient roots and is large enough to survive in a 1- or 2-inch pot. If no keiki forms, remove the inflorescence when it turns brown. Use a sterile blade to make the cut about 1 inch above its origin.
Q: I have a weed in my lawn that looks like dense St. Augustine but has little purplish flowers. I want to find out what it is and how to get rid of it without killing the grass. It appears to be very hardy.
A: While untreated lawns are taking a hit from sod webworms, doveweed is thriving unchecked. Doveweed can be confused with St. Augustine, so it’s easy to go unnoticed until there’s a sizable patch. The weed spreads by seed and by creeping stolons. It is easy to pull, especially when the soil’s moist, so I try to keep an eye out so I can pop out single sprouts or small patches.
There are various herbicides that can help, including an organic crabgrass herbicide.
Q: How do I know when pomegranates are ready to pick? I have several that look as they are, but want to be sure.
A: Pomegranates ripen from early August to late September, sometimes into October. When the fruit has a good color, the blossom end is dry, and it comes off the stem easily. Pick one fruit, open it. If you see colorful seeds and juice, the pomegranate is ripe. If the seeds aren’t fully colorful, wait and week and check another fruit.