Okay, so, I’ve been really into orchids lately. They’re just so pretty, you know? I decided I wanted to try and grow some myself, from the very beginning. I’m talking buds! But I had one big problem: I had no idea what an orchid bud even looked like.
I started doing some digging around, trying to figure this whole thing out. I read somewhere that they need some special treatment to actually bloom. Like, they need the temperature at night to be cooler than during the day? I tried that. I moved my little orchid buddies to a cooler spot in my house at night, hoping that would do the trick. I did this for about two weeks.
Then, I started obsessively checking for buds. Every day, I was looking really close at my plants. I read somewhere that the buds start small and then get bigger. I also learned that healthy buds will usually change color as they grow.
Here’s what I started to notice:
- Size: At first, it was hard to tell, but there were these tiny bumps forming on the stems. They were super small at first, but every day they got a little bit bigger. That was my first sign I was doing something right!
- Color: This was a cool part. The little bumps started changing color. They went from being the same green as the stem to a lighter, kind of yellowish-green. Some of them even got a little bit of a reddish tint!
I kept at it, making sure they got enough light during the day, and that the temperature difference at night was just right. I also read that the petals of the flowers are like a mirror image on each side, which is kind of cool. They’re also upside down. I also read about something called “bud blast,” which is where the buds fall off. I was super scared of that happening! I checked on them every day, almost like a nervous parent.
It took some time, but finally, those little buds started to get really big. I kept looking for any signs that they were going to open, like the color getting more intense. And then, one day, it happened! I woke up, and there it was – a beautiful orchid flower!
It was seriously one of the most rewarding things I’ve done. Seeing that little bud grow and finally bloom into a gorgeous flower was amazing. It made all that obsessive checking and worrying totally worth it. Now, I am watching more buds, and I am just so excited! And I will keep you updated when they open!
