Simple Solutions to Common Orchid Problems

Orchids can live up to 100 years in an ideal setting with proper care and attention. They are among the survivors of the plant world, which seems somewhat of a contradiction considering the fact that they are very susceptible to disease and fungus infections.

When growing orchids, it pays to know about some common orchid problems that can occur during their growth cycle. Some of these problems are very easily fixed, but others might require a little more work and possibly some research on your part. However, the good news is that most problems are treatable.

Here are a few orchid problems, and simple solutions to each.

If your orchid is producing very healthy green foliage but has not produced flower spikes within the time you expected it to, it's commonly a result of the orchid living in a temperature that doesn't suit it. Orchids that prefer cool temperatures usually don't have trouble producing healthy foliage in warm temperatures; however, they will struggle significantly to get to the flowering stage. By moving them to cooler surroundings, you should see flower spikes start to grow. If you missed the window of opportunity for moving yours, you may have to wait until its next flowering cycle, which in some cases could be up to a year.

The same applies for warmth-loving orchids. If you have an orchid that prefers warm temperatures living in a cool environment, it's likely its foliage will be much darker than normal and possibly quite limp-looking. Move these orchids to a warmer environment to see dramatic improvements.

Nothing could be more disappointing to an orchid grower than to see buds appear on the flower spikes only to see them drop off again before any flowers come to bloom. This problem is again due to the temperature that the orchid is living in. If the orchid is indoors without enough ventilation, or in a greenhouse that is too warm for that type, it is common for it to lose its buds before flowering. This is sometimes called bud blast. The same result can occur at the other extreme where conditions are too cold or too damp for the orchid. Combating the problem is as easy as moving your orchid to a more suitable environment, or altering the environment to suit the orchid.

Perhaps equally disappointing as bud blast is losing your flowers too early. Most orchid flowers will remain picturesque for around four weeks. If they are wilting and browning much earlier than this, it is usually the result of overheating. Most likely this will occur with orchids you have recently purchased which were already in bloom.

Often orchids are wrapped in cellophane or something similar to make them look attractive for sale as gifts; however, this has a mini-greenhouse effect on the flowers causing them to overheat and age prematurely. There isn't really a lot you can do once they've started to wilt, but always remember to remove unnecessary packaging from around your orchid as soon as you possibly can. Also, introduce it to an area of your home where the temperature is ideal for that particular species to grow and thrive.