As we all know, orchids DO bloom and blooming is for the purpose of propagation. Orchids are probably the trickiest plants in the forest. Because they don’t have pollen that floats through the air as the younger plant families do, orchids are HIGHLY dependent on having a pollinator work for them.

If you have a healthy phalaenopsis orchid that blooms year after year, you might want to try pollinate it. This is achieved when the pollen attaches to the stigma and enters the ovule for fertilization. That will make the seed pod form behind the flower.

The pollinated flower is on the right, the unpollinated on the left. Notice the color difference and the thickness. A failed pollination can be signaled by yellowing of several flower parts (namely the column and ovary). However, a bright green ovary is a great sign.

Pollination is achieved when the pollen, or pollina, attaches to the stigma and enters the ovule for fertilization. This will result in the formation of a seed pod behind the flower.

Today, we offer eHow’s explanation for how to do pollination by hand.

1. Place a toothpick under the anther cap’s pointed piece.
2. Next, you have to find the stigma.
3. After you have located the stigma, use the toothpick to push the pollina into it.
4. Return the phalaenopsis orchid to its growing area.

Like most plants, orchids are able to reproduce themselves in two different ways; the one way sexually by seed, and the other asexually by vegetative propagation. For the beginner, vegetative propagation is commonly used to build up one’s orchid collection.

With good care and regular maintenance, an orchid plant may live for a lifetime — 100 years, or more.

Orchids can be grown from cuttings but only if the cut is done after a keiki—a new growth on the side of the Phalaenopsis flower spike or stem—has developed good roots and stems. Orchids can also be propagated through the division of back bulbs.

Orchids will grow new stems, fortunately. You can propagate a new Phalaenopsis or Vanda orchids from stem cuttings. Or you can divide a cattleya’s rhizomes.

So put your orchid in a room that gets a little cold by the window—and put your orchid in the window. When the sun goes down, the heat will drop and the cold will stimulate it to re-bloom.

Follow these simple steps to help reblooming begin.

1. Continue to water your orchid with 3 ice cubes once a week.
2. Fertilize your orchid once or twice a month using a balanced houseplant fertilizer at half strength.
3. Help your orchids grow by providing plenty of indirect sunlight.
4. Put your orchid in a cooler spot at night.

It takes a month or two, or even several months for Phalaenopsis orchids to rebloom. Many other varieties of orchids bloom annually. The anticipation and eventual reward of an emerging flower spike bedecked with tiny buds are so exciting.

Orchids should be repotted when new; every year or two; or when crowded roots push up and out of the pot. Spring: time for a close-up. Other than watering and occasionally fertilizing them, you probably don’t look closely at your orchids all that often when they’re not in bloom.

Most orchids grow during the summer and bloom in the fall, winter or spring. Knowing the season that an orchid blooms helps alleviate the frustration of feeling like “It’s July, why isn’t my Phalaenopsis in bloom again now?”.

Generally speaking, orchids are light-hungry plants and should get 12 to 14 hours of light everyday throughout the year. Natural light always comes with heat, however, in the tropical area, the duration and intensity of natural light does not change as frequently as it does in temperate climates.

Because orchids are native to tropical climates, they love humidity and will thrive in the steamy confines of a bathroom. Just be sure that they have minimal sunlight (a skylight or small bathroom window should be enough to keep them happy).

Don’t fall in to the trap of keep trickling water through the top, you will at some point have too much water in the bottom of the pot cover which will rot roots. If this is too high maintenace then you need to just make sure that when you do water you pour enough water through the pot to really soak the roots.

While each growing environment is unique, and watering habits vary from person to person, it is generally a good idea to water about once per 7-10 days, when the mix gets dry. Too much watering leads to root rot, crown rot and other over watering problems like fungus gnat infestations.

Here are the main requirements for proper orchid care Avoid over watering as this can lead to root rot. Position your orchid in a bright windowsill facing east or west. Weekly feeding with a fertilizer designed for orchids. Repotting in fresh orchid mix when your orchid stops blooming.

Wherever you put your orchids, use a room humidifier. An evaporative-pad humidifier is usually better than a mist humidifier, because, unlike a mist humidifier, it doesn’t leave your orchids with a white film (from the minerals in the water being deposited on the leaves).

Snake plants are desert plants that are accustomed to hot and humid conditions. That being stated, it is generally not recommended to mist the leaves of a snake plant. Misting the snake plant’s leaves can cause them to become overwatered, leading to several other health issues.

Coffee grounds are excellent for snake plants when used as compost, mulch, or liquid fertilizer. It makes the soil acidic, which is ideal for the snake plant.

Here are the signs of underwatered snake plant:

1. Leaves wrinkling.
2. Leaves falling over or drooping.
3. Leaves curling.
4. Brown leaf tips.
5. Dry leaf edges.
6. Soil is dry.
7. Leaves turning yellow or brown.
8. Roots and leaves are brittle.

Remember that snake plants are succulents, even though sometimes they can have big “leafy” looking limbs. They will need minimal amounts of water – only every couple of days! Some people use a spray bottle. Another rule of thumb is to water it when the soil is dry.

Put the cut end of the leaf in just enough water to cover the bottom quarter of tissue. Place the container in an indirect light situation and change the water every couple of days. Soon you will see little roots. Plant the rooted leaf in sand or peat moss and follow usual snake plant care.

You should keep them in bright, indirect sunlight and mist them with a spray bottle once a day to keep them moist. Propagating succulents from leaves isn’t an exact science, and not every leaf will take, but you should see some roots and buds after a few weeks.