Why do my orchid flowers fall off?

Orchids are one of the most beautiful flowering plants around. They produce beautiful flowers for much of the year, spring being their favorite season, but also their cultivation and maintenance is not very simple. They need lime-free water and protection against the cold and the sun's rays in order to grow properly, something that is not always achieved within the home.

Therefore, if from one day to the next it starts to get ugly or sad, we worry a lot, since recovering it is not always easy. One of the most common doubts that may arise is why my orchid is losing the flowers. Let's see why it happens and what we can do to fix the problem.

Why do the flowers fall off?

There are many possible causes why orchids drop their flowers: some are much more serious and worrying than others, but equally, it is important to know them all to know what measures to take:

By natural causes

Image - Wikimedia / geoff mckay

Flowers have a limited life expectancy, about 7 to 8 weeks. It is normal for them to dry out as the days go by, starting with those that are in the lowest part of the floral rod. So if the plant otherwise appears healthy, there is no reason to worry.

If everything goes well, next year it will bloom again, or maybe even earlier if that first bloom was in spring, since it could produce flowers again -although less numerous- towards the end of summer, or in autumn if temperatures are warm.

Cold or hot

So that the flowers can open and stay that way for as long as necessary, the temperature must be between 15 and 30ºC. For this reason, when it is colder or hotter, two things can happen: one, that the plant decides not to flower; or two, to abort the flowers.

To do? Place it in a room with comfortable temperatures, and protect it from drafts, such as those generated by the air conditioner or fan.

Lack or excess of water

One of the most common causes is not having enough water or, conversely, having too much. You always have to try to avoid both that the roots do not have much water and that they have too much. How?

Very easy: if it is a epiphyte (it will be planted in a transparent pot), it must be watered every time its roots are white; and it is terrestrial or semi-terrestrial, we will introduce a thin wooden stick to the bottom, and if when extracting it we see that it comes out dry and clean, without adhering soil, we will water.

Spraying the flowers

If we pulverize the flowers, they will spoil quickly. In the event that we have it in a room with little ambient humidity, what we can do is place glasses of water around it. Thus we will not have any need to pulverize it.

In any case, since we are talking about environmental humidity, let me tell you something important: do not spray your plants if the humidity is very high, otherwise they would be filled with fungi. To find out if it is high or low, you can check this information on the Internet or, even better, buy a home weather station. There are very cheap models (less than 20 euros), which are really useful.

Handling

Touching the flowers a lot and/or moving the orchid around can cause them to lose their precious petals, as often happens as soon as you bring it home. To avoid it, We must place it in a place and leave it there always.

Disease

Diseases caused by mushrooms or bacteria can reduce the lifespan of flowers. That's why you have to take a good look at the leaves and, if we can, the roots from time to time in order to be attentive to any sign that indicates that the plant is not feeling well, and to treat it with specific products.

What to do when orchid flowers fall off?

Image - Wikimedia / geoff mckay

If the orchid does not have flowers, there is not much that can be done, beyond taking care of it to the best of our ability. If you are not sure how to do it, here is a basic guide:

• Location:
  • If you have it at home, you have to place it in a room with plenty of natural light. Likewise, it is important to avoid exposing it to drafts, and to make sure that the air humidity is correct (above 50%).
  • If you have it outside, it must be in the shade.
• Earth: must have substrate for orchids, which you can buy here.
• Irrigation: you have to water it with rainwater, or if you can't get it, with fresh water suitable for human consumption. You should water it several times a week during the summer, and space the waterings in winter.
• Subscriber: one way to ensure that it is healthy and that it blooms without problems is to fertilize it in spring and summer with a specific fertilizer for orchids (for sale here). Follow the instructions for use that you will find on the package, and you will surely see results soon.

I hope now you can know why the flowers fall off your plant.