Gardening Houseplants Houseplant Care

How to Get Orchids to Rebloom

Phalaenopsis orchids are one type that can rebloom year-round

Phalaenopsis orchids with white flowers and buds

The Spruce / Phoebe Cheong

Getting orchids to rebloom depends on many variables, like giving them the right conditions, such as water, light, temperature, humidity, feeding, and regular maintenance. Orchid flowers are well-known for lasting several months, but most species only bloom once a year, usually during the same time each year. Phalaenopsis or moth orchids are one species that can be coaxed into reblooming indoors every three to six months.

Phalaenopsis orchids usually bloom once a year from winter into early spring. However, this plant, which grows from a single stem, can be coaxed into blooming again when given a rest or dormancy period and a proper care routine,

Here are the steps to get your phalaenopsis orchid to rebloom year-round.

Materials and tools to get phalaenopsis orchids to rebloom

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

1. Cut the Flower Spike

When the last bloom withers or drops off and the flower spike begins to turn brown, snip the spike off to no more than 3 inches in height using a sterile razor blade or sharp scissors. Reduce the frequency of fertilizer and watering to give the phalaenopsis a rest period. Only feed resting orchids monthly and irrigate weekly.

Keep the plant in its normal conditions, providing an environment between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit with plenty of bright, indirect light for several months before you try to induce new flower spikes.

Phalaenopsis orchid spike being cut with scissors

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

2. Resume Regular Maintenance

When a new leaf emerges at the top of the stem, that's a sign the orchid is coming out of dormancy. Resume a more active maintenance routine with water and fertilizer.

Water

Because of the unique soil-less potting mix used for orchids, water your plant two to three times a week, depending on humidity and temperature. Let the plant dry completely between waterings. Orchids do not like continuously wet environments. If humidity levels are below 50%, set the orchid on a pebble tray to increase humidity and mimic its native habitat.

Fertilizer

Fertilization is key to repeat flowering. You can use a liquid fertilizer at 25 percent strength, or you can do what many professional orchid growers do with a controlled-release fertilizer: use a nylon stocking to create a little ball of fertilizer and place it in the potting media, or scatter a few pellets in the pot.

Orchids benefit tremendously from fertilizer, but they are not heavy feeders, so don’t overfertilize them. Feed once a week or every two weeks with diluted orchid fertilizer.

White watering can pouring water over phalaenopsis orchid plant

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

3. Move to a Colder Location

The orchid enters its rebloom cycle once the new leaf is fully grown. At night, move it to a location 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This drop in temperature is critical for nudging the plant into flowering.

In the wintertime, this can often be achieved by moving the plant slightly closer to a window. At other times of the year, cold stimulation can be achieved by taking your plant outside for a few nights when temperatures are 55 to 65 F.

Phalaenopsis orchid plant placed on sunny window sill

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

4. Wait for a New Flower Spike

A new flower spike should appear after a month or so in cool conditions. It typically looks like an upward-growing root with a knobby "mitten" on the end. If the spike does not appear on its own, some growers find it helpful to jolt the plant with a dose of a fertilizer called a bloom booster, which has a higher concentration of phosphorous, such as an NPK 10-30-20.

Once your orchid is actively flowering, fertilizer can be discontinued until the bloom period ends.

Tip

Phalaenopsis orchids are relatively easy to rebloom compared to other orchid genera, but they are not always successful the first time. If your plant does not send up a new flower spike in cool conditions within a month or two, try moving it to a new location with more indirect light during the day and complete darkness at night.

New flower spike growing from cut flower spike on phalaenopsis orchid

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

5. Return to a Warm Location

When the new flower spike appears, move your orchid back to its original warmer location. Once it extends to about 5 inches long, the flower spike should be staked and loosely tied.

Increase feeding to a weekly dose of diluted fertilizer until the plant produces a new flower. Once the flowers fade, you can start snipping off the spike and preparing the plant for another bloom in three to six months.

Orchid Care Tips For Reblooming

If you want your phalaenopsis orchid to rebloom, maintain its regular care practices during the active growing and flowering season.

  • Pot it in an orchid-specific growing medium.
  • Maintain a consistent watering and feeding schedule.
  • Keep it in relatively warm conditions.
  • Offer it a good amount of indirect light.
  • Provide complete darkness at night.

If your plant is kept healthy through its bloom period, you stand a good chance of getting your phalaenopsis orchid to bloom again.

Phalaenopsis orchid plant with new spike growth moved to warm location

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

FAQ
  • What is the easiest way to get orchids to rebloom?

    Cool nights—in the 50s F—are a surefire way to trigger orchids to rebloom.

  • Should I discard an orchid once blooms fall off?

    An orchid that drops its flowers is entering dormancy. It is not dead; if given the right conditions, it can rebloom again.

  • Will orchids send new blooms on old stems?

    Phalaenopsis orchids will rebloom on old stems; however, most other orchid types will not. However, cutting the spike down to three inches is recommended to redirect the plant's energy to the roots during dormancy.