Blossoming Orchids - Keep 'Em Cool

So, you've nursed and fussed over an orchid for many long months and now it is rewarding you with a gorgeous bloom.Should you handle the plant any differently now? The answer? Perhaps.

Although the variety of your orchid will be the final determinant, as a rule it would be wise for you to remove the plant to a cooler and drier place that that in which it was grown. This will assist the flowers to last longer than in a moist, warm greenhouse or other typical growing room.

Most orchids will not suffer by being place in a drier and cooler location when they are in bloom. Most will certainly benefit from it. Nevertheless, you should ensure that the temperature of your orchid's temporary new home should never get below 50 degrees F. at night.

Here's an experiment you can make if you happen to have two orchids of the same variety that bloom at about the same time. Leave one in your growing room, and place the other in a cool, dry place as recommended above. You will almost certainly notice that the one in your "cool room" will have fresh flowers for a significantly longer time than the one that was left behind.

The flowers of even the best-kept orchids will finally begin to fade at some point, of course. When this occurs you can re-locate the plant back into the warmer growing room. Take care to shade it from direct sun until it has re-adjusted to the warmth. If you neglect this, the plant could become scorched.

One of the keys to success in growing orchids is to understand their life cycles and the different stages they go through. Each of those stages demands a different type of care, and the blossoming phase has "rules" all its own.

The most up-to-date guide to modern orchid growing, in the opinion of many, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded online. Mr. Howard's guide is a thorough course, helpful for novices as well as the more seasoned growers alike. Also, check out the Orchid Secrets web site, which features an ever-growing library of information on all aspects of orchid cultivation.