A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 when, oh when will my orchid bloom?

I have an orchid (phaelenopsis) that has had SLOWLY growing buds for almost 3 weeks now! I am so excited for it to bloom! The biggest bud is now about the size of a small marble. Smallest bud is still smaller than a pea. How long does it take them to go from budding to blossoming? Is there something I should do to help it along? I last fertilized when I first saw these baby buds pop out, which was almost 3 weeks ago.

Be patient. Your Phalaenopsis buds will soon open and should stay open for about a month. Now is a good time to add some 5-10-5 or 15-30-15 fertilizer.

Send me an e-mail if you want a copy of my article on Orchid care.

Patience...Will is so right about that one! The great thing about orchids is their flowers last so long. I have one that had a bloom for 4 months! I have 2 orchids with blooms on them as well, so you are not alone in the waiting game! Both of them I purchased for $1.50 because they were no longer in bloom so I am anxious to see what I get!

I would like an orchid. But I'm afraid I would kill it. Will would you send me your article. I would like to look into being the proud slave of an orchid lol.

I have always admired orchids and have also been the proud owner of a couple of phals however I have never been able to get them to rebloom. I have heard that they like it "cool" during the night and "warm" during the day, is this the right conditions for getting them to rebloom?

When I got my first orchid I got one of the easier "beginner" orchids. I had read that if you can keep an african violet happy and get it to bloom that one of the beginner orchids were right for you. I started with a phalaenopsis aka moth orchid. I have mine in clay pots and on trays of pebbles that I keep filled with water.

oh, i'm great with african violets, maybe i should get an orchid.....hmmm.....

i really would like to turn my 10 gallon aquarium into a turrarium. do orchids like turrariums?

Wayner,

I wish that getting Orchids to rebloom were as simple as day/night temperature differential. Although that can be a factor there are many other more essential considerations.

I you are sincerely interested, send me your e-mail address and I will send you copy of my article on Orchid care.

Sorathien,

Although Orchids might like the humidity of a terrarium, they must be plants in a special Orchid potting mix, not a soil mix. Orchids mixes are composed primarily of chunky bark chips. Although this could be done in a terrarium, it would make caring for Orchids a lot harder.