Since my oldest son't fiance (well, now she is) gave me my first orchid
over 3 years ago, I've been trying to get one to bloom. I've had as
many as 12 or 13, down to about 10 now. Last winter, the first one she
gave me, a beautiful paph, spiked after I stopped feeding and watering
it (except for spraying) for a couple of months. I came on here and
announced my excitement at finally getting one to spike, excited about
watching it bloom. It never did. As the flower was coming out, it
stopped. Dried up. Bummer! I decided that I had watered in incorrectly
while it was blooming. I water most of my orchids (the ones that get
watered) in the tub under the shower every weekend. I may have read
this in this forrum, not sure. Anyway, it seems to work very well in
this dry Colorado climate. But I think that the water was too cold in
the middle of winter and the flower too delicate. I think I "froze" the
flower as it bloomed. Next winter, I'll stop feeding the paph again,
but water it more carefully after it spikes. But I was still excited
that it spiked.
A few weeks ago I noticed that one of my Oncidiums was starting to
bloom. I immediately started watering it again, but not in the shower.
It gets special treatment and gets sprayed and watered in the kitchen
sink while the others shiver in the shower. And WOW, is it blooming!
Right not there are 10 flowers in full bloom, 2 about half way there,
and 3 or 4 more in earlier states of blooming. And it's beautiful! It's
in my living room window and I look at it every day. I finally did it!
OK, so God may have had something to do with it too...
I have about half of my orchids on sparse rations - no food or water
other than spraying, until they bloom. It worked on the paph and the
oncidium, so I'm hoping it will work on some of the others. They seem
to be doing well. Many of them are sprouting new growth, which is also
exciting.
Always open to feedback, if anyone has any other suggestions on how to
take care of them and get them to bloom.