| How long does it take for an orchid plant to rebloom? | | | | mid 50%F's for a month in the fall, that may help |
| The answer is: it depends. I'm not trying to avoid | | | | trigger them into the bloom cycle. |
| your question, just being truthful. The truth of the | | | | If, by chance, the leaves fall off, leave the growths |
| matter of when an orchid will bloom again depends | | | | on the dendrobium as they are a storage mechanism |
| upon what kind of orchid it is. Most orchids will | | | | for moisture and nutrients. Only remove the growths |
| produce blooms once a year but there are some | | | | that appear to be dying. As for those new growths, |
| which are capable of producing blooms several time a | | | | they may appear to stop growing due to the cold |
| year if the growing conditions are just right, if not | | | | dark weather but should perk back up once things |
| quite right they should still bloom once a year. Since | | | | warm up and they receive more light. |
| your orchid was in bloom last Christmas, my guess is | | | | You do not have to wait for a bloom to identify the |
| that it should do so at that time again. | | | | type of orchid that it is if it is one of the more |
| Since it is already October, if it were to bloom at | | | | commonly available orchids. The most common is |
| Christmas time this year, it should be showing | | | | "phalaenopsis" that has large roundish to oblong |
| evidence of a new flower stem growing. But, | | | | leaves at the base of the plant and the flower spike |
| depending upon what kind of orchid you have, it can | | | | grows from the apex of the leaves. Other common |
| take from one month to six months for a new | | | | types are "the dendrobium, the lady slippers, and the |
| flower stem to be in full bloom once it begins to | | | | Cattleyas". Each has a distinctive vegetative |
| grow. | | | | structure. If there was no tag with the plant, then |
| On most orchids, once the flowers have all died and | | | | I'm afraid there is no way to know the name of the |
| fallen off, you may remove the stem by cutting it | | | | hybrid since so many different hybrids have similar |
| off down near the base of the flower stem. Prior to | | | | flower types and colors. |
| cutting off the stem, take a look at the top or tip of | | | | There are three principal types of containers for |
| the stem to see if it has begun to dry, if it does | | | | orchids. Phalaenopsis and lady slipper orchids are |
| start to dry that means the stem is dying and may | | | | usually grown in a plastic pot, the heavier or more |
| be removed. If there are any bulbs on the orchid, | | | | top heavy plants such as dendrobiums or cattleyas |
| you should leave them alone as they are a store of | | | | are better maintained in clay pots. Baskets are |
| moisture and nutrients for the orchid. | | | | reserved for vandaceous orchids and require a very |
| Most dendrobiums are not that hard to grow but | | | | humid environment because the mix dries out very |
| getting them to bloom reliably is the hard part. | | | | quickly. I would use a commercially prepared orchid |
| Moving them to Florida will make it easier. Why? The | | | | mix that you can buy in bags at garden centers and |
| climate and sunshine it will receive all year round | | | | mass marketers. I would soak this mix overnight |
| rather than the cold darkness in Indiana. Dendrobiums | | | | before using it and drain it well before potting up |
| prefer warm bright weather, they will sulk and even | | | | your orchid plant in it. |
| die under cold dark conditions. | | | | Orchids that have maroon leaves generally get that |
| From your description of them, I take it that they | | | | way from having grown in bright sunlight. That |
| are of the evergreen family of dendrobiums. If they | | | | suggests to you that either it was neglected or it |
| were from the deciduous family you would have | | | | likes bright light. It is not uncommon for orchids to |
| mentioned that some of the growths had lost all their | | | | outgrow their pots. Many feel this is the time divide |
| leaves. The primary difference between the two | | | | and repot the plant, but that is personal preference. |
| families is that evergreens do not like dry conditions | | | | Many orchids do just fine hanging way out of the |
| while deciduous ones need a pronounced dry period. | | | | pot. |
| Why your evergreen dendrobiums have not | | | | Since I don't know what type of orchid you have, I |
| rebloomed for you is in what you said "Since it is so | | | | can only hazard a guess that they are roots |
| cold and dark here in Indiana". Whether in Indiana or | | | | emerging from the pot drainage holes. Some orchids |
| Florida, place them in a location with bright indirect | | | | send out bloom spikes from the base of the plant |
| sunlight, temperatures between 60 to 85%F, | | | | but those are potted in baskets not clay pots. |
| humidity above 50%, light air movement around | | | | For now, if the plant looks healthy,I would leave it as |
| them. A good way to tell if it is getting enough light is | | | | is until you get a further development such as |
| to look at the leaves, they will be a medium green | | | | flowering, plant die back, new growth starting,etc. |
| color when it is just right. | | | | Orchids put on new growth once a year and usually, |
| A word of caution if you take them to Florida, move | | | | but not always, in the spring. Just keep an eye on it |
| them into any new light conditions slowly over | | | | and it should be fine. Then you will be able to know |
| several weeks, as too sudden an exposure to | | | | what type of orchid it is by the bloom. If not just go |
| brighter light may cause sunburn of the leaves. If | | | | back to where you got the orchid and see if they |
| possible, try exposing them to temperatures in the | | | | know what type of orchid it is. |