The flowers suddenly fell off my orchids, but many of them still have the rich
green color stem. Why do they do this and what is going on? I am also concerned
about the flower stalk of one particular plant. It had about eight to 10 flowers
and then the next day they closed and started falling off the following day.
About a week later the stem started to turn brown.
There is no one specific reason why flower buds are shed virtually any
cultural fault can be responsible. The most common cause is low humidity levels,
but soil water (either too wet or too dry), temperature and improper light
levels can all be additional factors, either individually or in concert
together.
If your home lacks a furnace humidifier, the two best steps you can take to
raise relative humidity are to locate your plant away from a source of hot, dry
air, and to place the plant on a pebble tray. Pebble trays are shallow trays
filled with pebbles or gravel. Water is added, but not high enough to cover the
pebbles, as the tops of the pebbles must remain dry. Place your pot on top of
the pebbles, and as the water evaporates it will raise the humidity level around
your orchid. Many resources suggest misting your plant with a spritzer, but the
benefit is short-lived. As soon as the leaves dry off in a matter of minutes,
the plant is back to ambient humidity for the rest of the day; whereas a pebble
tray raises humidity 24/7.
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