Light, Temperature & Humidity for Orchids

The most common question we get asked is ‘Why is my orchid not flowering even though the plant is growing very healthy lush with dark green leaves and it seems happy too.

Without enough light, orchids may produce lush looking growths but no flowers. Not giving orchids enough light is the most common reason for failure to bloom.

The ideal temperatures varies for different species and hybrid orchids, an orchid prefers the same temperatures you do.Most orchids will love temperature between 20°C to 32°C, most hybrid orchids can tolerate slightly higher temperatures. If you are comfortable in an environment so will your orchids be. 

Orchids thrive at a humidity of 50 to 80%. If your climatic conditions are as humid as mentioned, your orchids will thrive without any extra effort compared to others who live in less humid places like us in Bangalore. But this condition can be provided at your home by placing the plants on the trays with gravel partially filled with water.

Frequently Asked questions

Light & Temperature FAQs

I've been growing this orchid for several years now and it hasn't bloomed for me. Am I doing something wrong?

There are several factors that might be preventing your orchid from blooming. The foremost reason is light.

Most orchid generally needs about 5-6 hours of light at the least to bloom. Moving your plants to a brighter spot can solve the problem.

Another issue is temperature as some orchids require temperatures to drop considerably for them to bloom while some others require a day-night differential of about 5-10 degrees Celsius to bloom.

High Nitrogen fertilizer will also prevent your plant from blooming and this is proven by lush growth and healthy-looking plants that fail to bloom.

This can be set right by shifting to a high Potassium fertilizer with an added Magnesium supplement.

Another reason could be that you got yourself a seedling and it isn't mature enough to bloom.

I've visited a lot of orchid sites and each one has something to contradict what I've previously learned. How do I know if I'm reading the right thing?

You must remember that what works for you might not work for another person, for the simple reason that there are various parameters involved when it comes to growing orchids successfully.

Different orchids come from different regions of the world and have evolved to adjust to that particular climate. There are orchids that come from regions where it rains most of the year and there are others that will not bloom unless there is a remarkable dip in temperature.

Before buying your orchid, read well about their requirements and see if it will be possible for you to provide similar conditions. Talk to our Orchidists at Orchid Tree and gradually you'll learn how to grow your orchids to the best.

I've seen a lot of people growing their plants on benches. Is that really necessary?

If you only have a few plants, a clean, brightly lit balcony or verandah with ample air movement should suffice.

You can also keep your plants hanging after ensuring that they receive at least a few hours of sunlight.

Alternatively, you can keep your plants on a compound wall if you are sure it won't sour relationships with your neighbors or your pets won’t knock them off.

The main idea is to prevent soil-borne infections like Fusarium from entering your plant.

If you have a lot of plants, it would be worthwhile to invest in a bench that is about 90cm above ground level if your greenhouse is open to the elements. If you have a covered greenhouse the bench can be shorter.

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