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Have you bought an orchid, such as a phalaenopsis orchid, that was suppose to stay in bloom for months, only to have all the buds and flowers fall off within a few days of bringing it home?

Many factors can influence the length of time that the flowers stay on your orchid. Bud or blossom blast (premature softening, drying and falling off of buds or flowers) is common among recently purchased orchids. There are ways you can prevent or minimize it, however!

These include, but are not limited to the type of orchid (some orchids bloom for only hours or part of one day while others stay in bloom for months or almost continuously!), overall health of the plant, how much and what type of stress the plant has experienced, light, heat, temperature, drafts, humidity and exposure to harmful gases or pollution.

1. The number one cause of premature flower drop is change of environment coupled with temperature change.

Thus, if you can imagine where these plants are coming from, and how many changes they've experienced, at the very minimum - from greenhouse to warehouse, to truck, to another warehouse to a retail store where the environment(s) are not optimal. Finally they end up in your home - a very different environment from a greenhouse.

Typically our homes have acceptable temperatures - as most orchids are comfortable at the same temperature range as we are. What most homes lack (and thus are different from a greenhouse) is proper light levels (our homes are very dark compared to a greenhouse) and low humidity levels. Most orchids prefer 50-70% humidity levels and many of our homes with central heat and air are very dry.

Orchids can tolerate low light levels for a period of time when in bloom (and actually the darker they are and the cooler they are kept typically the longer the blooms will last). To stay healthy, and to eventually rebloom, orchids will need brighter light than can normally be found in a typical room.

Five feet from a window in the middle of a living room or dining room or even bathroom is fine for a week or two - but the plant should be moved closer to a window for its overall health - unless you plant to keep the plant for a few weeks as it is in bloom then dispose of it (as you would with cut flowers).

Most commercially available orchids do just fine within one foot of an East-facing window or within 1-3 feet of a South facing window (closer in summer and further away in winter - as the sun is at a lower angle and more light comes in. You can also use a light sheer curtain in a South facing window to get the plants closer).

West facing windows are often too bright and hot unless the plants are kept several feet away and or a sheer curtain is used. Exceptions include cattleya orchids and other bright light plants.

With few exceptions (such as a slight West or East angle), North facing windows usually do NOT provide enough light to rebloom orchids. Lower light levels MAY provide enough light for the plant to survive and possibly produce vegetative growth, but NOT enough energy for the plant to produce flowers.

2. The number two cause for orchids to lose their flowers is ethylene gas - an odorless, colorless gas that is produced by ripening fruit such as apples, oranges and bananas as well as by combustion (ie your gas stove/range).

Ethylene gas is the trigger for your orchid to drop its flowers, as orchids use this gas to tell the plant that the flower has been polinated. The number one producer or ethylene gas in your home is ripening fruit - thus keep your orchids as far away from ripening fruit as possible.

Pilot lights and other open flames (such as your stovetop, candles, incense) also produce ethylene gas and other air pollution that can cause your orchid's flowers to wilt and dry up or drop off prematurely.

Aerosols - such as room fresheners and cleaning products (ie bleach) can also adversely affect your orchids. Emissions from vehicles and car exhaust and just good old smog can also be a detriment to your growing orchid.

Cigarettes and cigars can cause harm in two ways: from the smoke they produce (and the toxins found within) and the subsequent air pollution as well as the potential for smokers to expose orchids to the tobacco mosaic virus. By handling cigarettes, a smoker's fingers may come in contact with the virus which is inherent in many tobaccos and can be transmitted to an orchid. This brings new meaning to the term "second hand smoke!" This virus is incurrable and can lead to an orchids eventual witherin and death, but in the short term can affect flower color and shape.

You can prevent most of these - and the others you can limit their impact by providing moving air around your plants. A small oscillating fan takes away bad, stale air and replaces it with clean air and allows better respiration (ie carbon dioxide) of your plants. Air circulation also helpds dry out your plant and prevent bacterial and fungal diseases and should be kept up 24 hours a day!

MORE COMING SOON!

3. The number three cause for dropped or wilted orchid flowers is MORE COMING SOON!