Orchid won't flower? Read these top tips

It's not unusual to receive an orchid as a gift, enjoy the flowers and then find yourself with a pot of green leaves. What are you doing wrong? A non-flowering orchid is a common problem, but it's easy to fix. We've got some expert tips to ensure you have a healthy, strong plant that will flower regularly.

Why orchids stop flowering

Orchids can stop flowering for a few reasons:

• lack of light
• low temperatures
• overwatering

If you have a healthy plant with a good root system, it should flower regularly but be aware of what 'regularly' means. Orchids can flower any time of year but they are unlikely to flower every few months. You can expect the most common orchid (phalaenopsis) to flower at least once a year, but the flowers do last for several months.

The most common mistakes gardeners make

• Overwatering – this is one of the most common reasons that house plants die. Another common mistake is watering with very cold water, which will stress the plant. Tap water is fine, but use tepid water or water that has been left to come to room temperature.
• Watering from above – avoid watering to the leaves, as the water can get into the crown of the orchid and cause root rot.
• Don't let your orchid sit in water. Let it drain and then pour the excess water away.
• Putting your orchid in a cold room – moth orchids are tropical plants, so they won't thrive in temperatures below 15ºC
• Placing orchids near a radiator or draft
• Lack of nutrients – feed orchids every other week during the growing season

What your orchid is trying to tell you

Yellow leaves – if the leaves of your orchid are yellow, it's possible your plant has root rot. Most moth orchids are sold in clear plastic pots. Inspect the roots to check they are a healthy silver or green colour. Rotten roots will be black or brown, and mushy.

Wrinkled leaves – can indicate a lack of water – increase watering to once a week, checking first that the roots are silver.

No flowers – this could mean that your orchid isn't getting enough light, or the they are being kept at the wrong temperature.

How to fix it

Water carefully – aim to water around once a week, but check the roots first. If they are silver then the orchid needs water. If they are green, there's no need to water. Water by pouring water over the compost. Leave it to drain and then empty any excess water out of the pot.

Put your orchid in the right place – orchids are easy to grow plants and will thrive in most homes, but they do not grow well in direct sun or cold temperatures. Place them on a windowsill that gets indirect light, in a warm room that will remain above a temperature of 19ºC during the day and above 15ºC, at night.

Cut flower spikes down to a node – once your orchid has flowered, cut the spike down to just above a node (it will look like a triangular bump on the stem). This will encourage the orchid to produce a new flower spike and you may get a second flush of flowers. Once the spike has turned yellow, cut the whole stem down to its base

When will it flower again

It's not difficult to get your orchid to flower again, your plant may just need a few tweaks to its care regime. Make sure it's in a position where it has plenty of light, water carefully, keep it at the right temperature and it's likely to flower again. If you're cutting down a flower spike to a healthy joint, you may another flush of flowers in a couple of months.

After your orchid has finished flowering completely and the flower spike has turned a straw colour, it could be dormant for around eight months, so there's no need to panic. Your plant is simply resting. After this rest period if there are no flowers and your plant looks healthy, try placing your plant in a spot that is around 5ºC cooler for three to four weeks. This drop in temperature can trigger reflowering.