Mini orchids bring natural beauty into any home. After flowering, these miniature plants enter an important phase of recovery and growth. Providing proper care during this period is important for their health and encourages new blooms.
What to Do With the Flower Spike
Once flowers wither or drop, you have options for the spent stem. One option is to cut the flower spike back to its base. This encourages the plant to direct energy towards new leaves and roots, contributing to a stronger, healthier plant. Use a sharp, sterilized tool, such as pruning shears, to make a clean cut as close to the soil line as possible.
Alternatively, especially for Phalaenopsis orchids known to rebloom from existing spikes, you can cut the spike above a node. A node is a small bump on the stem where a leaf or flower might emerge. Locate a healthy node, typically the second one from the bottom, and make a clean cut about an inch above it. This can sometimes encourage a new, smaller flower spike or even a “keiki” (a baby plantlet) from that node, extending the bloom. However, this secondary blooming might be less robust and can stress a weaker plant, so allowing the plant to rest by cutting the spike at the base is often beneficial for its overall health.
Essential Care for Recovery and Growth
After flowering, your mini orchid enters a vegetative growth phase, focusing on developing new leaves and roots to store energy for future blooms. Consistent watering is important. Water your mini orchid thoroughly when its potting medium feels dry to the touch, typically about once a week. Ensure excess water drains completely from the pot to prevent root rot.
Mini orchids thrive in bright, indirect light. Placing them near an east-facing window, about 3 to 5 feet away, provides suitable light conditions without exposing them to direct sunlight, which can scorch their leaves. Maintain a room temperature between 65–85°F (18–29°C) during the day and not dropping below 55°F (13°C) at night. Humidity levels around 50-75% are also beneficial, achievable by misting, using a humidity tray, or running a humidifier. Fertilize your mini orchid with a diluted, balanced fertilizer, such as a 20-20-20 mix, at about quarter strength weekly after watering, or every other week, to provide nutrients for recovery and growth.
Promoting Future Blooms
To encourage reblooming, provide specific environmental triggers after its rest period. Introduce a temperature fluctuation. During the cooler season, in fall or winter, move your orchid to a location where nighttime temperatures are consistently cooler than daytime temperatures, ideally between 55-65°F (13-18°C). This temperature drop, especially at night for several weeks, signals the plant to initiate a new flower spike.
Light also stimulates reblooming. Ensure the orchid continues to receive ample bright, indirect light during this period. While general light requirements remain consistent, slightly increased light intensity (without direct sun exposure) can contribute to bloom initiation. Continue with a regular fertilization schedule, perhaps using a “bloom booster” fertilizer or an orchid-specific formula to support the energy demands of flowering. Patience is needed, as a new flower spike can take several months to emerge after these conditions.
Repotting After Flowering
Repotting your mini orchid after flowering is opportune, as the plant is not expending energy on blooms and recovers more easily. Repot every one to two years, or when the potting medium breaks down, leading to poor drainage and aeration. Signs repotting is needed include roots displacing the potting mix (causing quick drying) or unhealthy roots.
Select a pot slightly larger than the current one, ensuring adequate drainage holes. Use sphagnum moss or a fine-grade orchid bark mix for moisture retention and aeration. Carefully remove the orchid from its old pot, gently remove old media, and trim dead, mushy, or brown roots with sterilized scissors. Position the orchid in the new pot at the same depth, then add fresh potting medium around the roots, gently firming to secure the plant. Water the newly repotted orchid thoroughly to help the medium settle.