Skip to main content

Wondering how to make an orchid grow a new spike? Here are 4 essential tips

We'll show you how to keep your finicky orchid blooming as often as possible

how to make orchid grow new spike stem
Josephine Baran / Unsplash

If you’re a novice orchid collector, you might have heard a thing or two about how difficult it is to get orchids to rebloom. While it might be tricky to get these delicate, showy plants to flower once more, it’s not impossible. Wondering how to make an orchid grow a new spike? It can be quite simple.

You can get your orchid to push out new spikes if you consistently give it the conditions that it needs to flower. In this handy how-to guide, we'll break down everything that you need to know about growing orchids and getting them to form new spikes for more of those big, gorgeous blooms.

Recommended Videos

Difficulty

Easy

What You Need

  • A cool area of your home (between 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit)

  • Sterilized scissors or pruning shears

  • Fertilizer

Orchid stem
Josephine Baran / Unsplash

How to tell when an orchid is growing a new stem

So, first of all, what exactly are spikes? Spikes are the part of the orchid where the flowers and buds grow. Sometimes, spikes can be confused for aerial roots. Orchid roots (which need little soil) tend to be rounder at the tip and less green. In contrast, spikes feature pointy, thin shapes with mitten-shaped tips, eventually growing anywhere between 4 to 6 inches tall.

Planting an orchid in a container
Mariia Boiko / Shutterstock

How long does it take a new orchid spike to grow?

If you notice a spike forming, be patient; this fixture on your orchid can take around three months to grow. For healthy spikes, you’ll want to have a healthy orchid in the first place. Generally speaking, the younger your plant, the less likely it will put out multiple spikes.

Due to different genetics, some orchids may be predisposed to growing multiple spikes, while others will only push out one set of blooms per growing season. Spikes usually wither away with spent flowers, but that may not always be the case.

Orchid in plastic planter
Leila Alekto Photo / Shutterstock

How often do orchids bloom?

Orchids generally bloom once a year around late winter or early spring, but it's not altogether impossible to get your orchid to bloom multiple times a year. Recent hybrids can even bloom twice a year — if you're lucky, you might even get three sets of blooms in a 12-month span.

After flowering, orchids tend to stay dormant for six to nine months before they start developing new spikes that have anywhere from five to 10 blooms. If you don't notice blooms for a while, just know that dormancy is perfectly normal.

Person watering orchids
Mariia Boiko / Shutterstock

How to make an orchid grow a new spike

While you can't actually make your orchid grow a new spike, here are a few ideas to help encourage it to spike.

White moth orchids in bloom
Ryan N. Vilbar / Shutterstock

Tip #1 - Keep your orchid cool, but not too cool

Orchid spikes usually grow when days are short and the temperatures drop during the autumn and winter. The sweet spot for inducing blooms in orchids is generally around 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you keep your orchid indoors, it might not experience cold enough temperatures to develop flowers. There are a few things that you can do to give your plant the cool temperatures it needs to grow new spikes.

Step 1: If you take your orchid outside to get some chilly air, just remember to bring it in when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2: If you keep the plant indoors, place it in a cool area of your home — close to a cold window is ideal.

Step 3: Turning on the air conditioning may help, but keep an eye out for drafts that could damage your orchid.

An orchid potted indoors
Nemika_Polted / Shutterstock

Tip #2 - Find a bright spot for your orchid

Light is essential for orchid growth. But how do you find the just-right spot? While beneath direct sunlight isn't ideal, your plant needs a fair amount of light to undergo photosynthesis and create new structures. If your plant is getting the right amount of light, the leaves should look bright green and feel succulent to the touch.

Step 1: Look for an east- or south-facing window in your home.

Step 2: Place your orchid as close to the window as possible, keeping in mind any potential drafts and extreme temperatures.

Step 3: If your window is especially bright, consider adding sheer curtains or some kind of window tint to avoid burning your orchid.

Step 4: Consider full-spectrum LED grow lights if your home doesn't offer enough light for your plant. You'll want to leave the lights on for about 12 hours a day.

Gardener tends orchid with a smile
DimaBerlin / Shutterstock

Tip #3 - Cut orchid spikes once blooms are spent

After your orchid has bloomed, you can cut off the flower spike to redirect your plant’s energy towards healthy growth.

Though it’s worth a shot trying out this technique, note that not every orchid collector believes that this method works. Some believe that keeping old spikes leaves the orchid with the potential for more blooms. (This is especially true if your orchid grows another spike in addition to its original one.) This camp of growers is more focused on maximizing factors such as light, temperature, and fertilizing.

Step 1: If you’re working with a healthy stalk, use sterilized scissors or pruning shears to cut directly beneath the lowest flower and above the next node.

Step 2: If the spike is withered or yellowing, cut the spike from the base of the plant.

Step 3: However you choose to cut your orchid spikes, make sure to use clean and sterile pruning shears to avoid spreading any fungal or bacterial diseases.

Watering indoor orchid in clear container
Andrei Dubadzel / Shutterstock

Tip #4 - Fertilize your orchid

Orchids can survive without food, but you may run into deficiencies at some point. Luckily, you won’t need too much fertilizer to keep your plant happy; in fact, over-fertilizing can lead to burnt leaves and roots, so you’ll want to dilute your plant food with water and go for quarter-strength feeding.

Step 1: To encourage orchid spikes, apply a balanced liquid fertilizer during the growing season and a bloom-boosting formula during the fall.

Step 2: If the orchid spikes look leggy, try giving them a phosphorus-rich fertilizer to help your plant form thicker ones.

While orchids can be tricky to figure out, you can get yours to spike and bloom by adjusting some factors. After starting with a healthy plant, try placing your orchid in lower temperatures, improving its light levels, cutting spent spikes, and upping your fertilizer dosage. With patience and persistence, you’ll be on your way to enjoying beautiful orchid blooms once more.

Stacey Nguyen
Stacey's work has appeared on sites such as POPSUGAR, HelloGiggles, Buzzfeed, The Balance, TripSavvy, and more. When she's…
For lush blooms, here’s how to grow a crown of thorns plant inside your home
From basic maintenance to propagating, here are tips on growing a crown of thorns
crown of thorns plant care guide pink

Every rose has its thorn, but with a crown of thorns plant, it's all thorns and a few bold, lush bracts surrounding tiny flowers. Though intimidating in looks, the crown of thorns plant is beloved for its low-maintenance care requirements. The flowers are beautiful, too, so why not give growing your own a try? This crown of thorns plant care guide has everything you need to know to grow a crown of thorns plant.

Read more
How to grow a yucca tree indoors for a tall, lush statement plant
Your guide to caring for a yucca tree indoors
Yucca tree in a planter against wall

Yucca trees might be known as striking and hardy landscaping plants, but they can also be lovely houseplants. If you're looking for a low-maintenance statement plant, you can use a tall yucca tree to add height and texture to your indoor jungle. Yucca trees are an excellent indoor plant, no matter your experience level. If you want to get started growing yucca trees, this is the guide for you.

Read more
The 4 best types of indoor ferns for any home gardener
Add these ferns to your collection
Bird's nest fern in planter

There are over 20,000 varieties of ferns around the world, and most of them can be grown both outdoors and indoors! Since they come in a variety of shapes, textures, and colors, a potted fern will add a nice touch of greenery and life to an indoor space especially when the right fern care system is established. Not all types of ferns are ideal for growing indoors, but these four are! Whether you're an expert gardener or are just starting today, you can easily grow any of these four types of ferns.
Bird’s nest fern

Lending reason to their name, bird’s nest ferns are found in palm trees when in their native environment. They make the most unique houseplant when provided the right indoor environment. Bird’s nest ferns have large, tropical-like fronds that are similar to the look of banana leaves. They’re crinkled and wrinkly, adding a fun touch to your indoor collection.
Caring for your bird’s nest fern
Warmth and moisture will be your best friends when growing an indoor potted bird’s nest fern. That means some of the best places for bird’s nest ferns are in your bathroom! Whether on a windowsill by the tub or on a ledge near the shower, the warmth, humidity, and moisture created in a bathroom will be an ideal home environment. Bird’s nest ferns prefer indirect/filtered light to light shade, so avoid setting it in direct light, but be sure the space you choose has an adequate amount of lighting during the day.

Read more