So, you’ve tenderly cared for an orchid for months and now it is finally rewarding you with a gorgeous bloom.  Should you treat the plant any differently now? The best answer one can give is: Perhaps.

Although the species of your orchid will be the final determinant, as a rule it would be good 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 be harmed by putting them into a cooler, drier location when they are blooming. Most of them will definitely 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 type which bloom at around the same time. Leave one in your growing room, and place the other in a cool, dry place as suggested 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.

Naturally, the flowers of even the best-cared-for orcnhids will eventually begin to fade. When this happens it is time to move the plant back to its warmer room. Take care to shade it from direct sun until it has re-adjusted to the warmth. Otherwise it might be scorched.

One of the keys to success in growing orchids is understanding 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 thorough guide to modern orchid cultivation, hands down, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded from the web. Howard’s well-written guide is a complete education all by itself. And, you will find it appropriate for beginning gardeners as well as more seasoned orchid cultivators. Also, visit the Orchid Secrets web site, which features a growing library of articles on many aspects of orchid cultivation.

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