In the Winter, Orchids Need their Rest

Orchids need "rest" time each year. The particular time for this depends on the species, but for most orchids it should start some time in the autumn and continue through most of the winter. You must care for plants differently at this time than you would during their exuberant growth periods (spring and summer usually). This is an often-overlooked part of growing orchids successfully.

A good general practice is to give your orchids rest from November through the middle of February. The way to do this is to reduce the amount you water them, while lowering the temperature around them.

For tropical orchids, keep the air temperature at around 60 or 65. For species originating in colder locales, you can lower the temperature to around 45 degrees.

At this time, give your orchids just enough water to keep them from shriveling. Most of the moisture should be supplied by misting or by taking measures to keep the air humid. From time to time, though, you should poke down into the soil and examine the stem, roots and rooting medium of your plants. If these are beginning to dry out you can water them directly.

Some species will continue to grow during the winter months. These will required somewhat more water than those that truly go dormant. If you see new shoots coming up, though, try to avoid wetting them or they else they might rot.

Some orchids are deciduous. This means they will lose their leaves after they have finished their growth for the year. You need to give these as much sun and light during their rest period as you can. This will let their pseudobulbs ripen, in turn letting them grow stronger and flower more freely.

Proper orchid care is not that hard or mysterious. But to avoid problems you will need more detailed information than can be covered in a short article. The most thorough guide to modern orchid cultivation, many agree, is Orchid Care Expert by Nigel Howard, which may be downloaded from the web. Howard's clearly written guide will furnish a complete education on the subject. Also, check out the Orchid Secrets web site, which has an ever-growing database of information on many facets of orchid cultivation.