Most of us have bought an orchid, enjoyed its flowers, then been left with a couple of leaves and a bare spike. Many assume the show is over and bin it or leave it on the sill out of guilt, watering it occasionally while expecting nothing. There it sits, dormant, waiting for a signal most people never think to give.

The****hack

Phalaenopsis orchids rebloom in response to a temperature drop. In their natural habitat, a cooler spell signals the change of season and triggers the plant to produce a new flower spike. Recreating that shift is the prompt most orchids are waiting for, and it’s simpler to do than you might think.

Houseplant hacks: does talking to your plants help them grow? Read more

The****method

Once your orchid has finished flowering, move it to a cooler spot for four to six weeks, with a drop of 5-10C and, preferably, night temperatures of 10-18C. Keep it in bright indirect light and water weekly by sitting it in a shallow bowl of room temperature water for 30 minutes, then draining it completely. Do not feed. Once a new spike appears, move the plant back to its usual spot and feed with a liquid fertiliser every two to three weeks.

The****test

I moved a bare orchid to a cool north-facing windowsill, away from radiators. A few weeks later, a small green nub appeared at the base of the leaves, which developed into a full spike with eight buds.

The****verdict

The temperature drop trick costs nothing and it works a treat. Most flowerless orchids are simply waiting for the right conditions to start again.

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Houseplant hacks: will a temperature drop make my orchid bloom?

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Houseplant hacks: will a temperature drop make my orchid bloom?

At this unsettling time

Houseplant hacks

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