Found out why my orchids weren't blooming from a nursery worker in Portland

I was at a small nursery in Portland last Saturday and the owner told me that orchids need a temperature drop of about 10 degrees at night to trigger blooming. I had been keeping my house at the same temp all day and night for 2 years with no luck. Has anyone else messed up their orchid care by missing this simple trick?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavincampbell20h ago

Yeah that temperature drop thing is real. I kept my phalaenopsis in a heated room all winter and got nothing but leaves. Once I started moving them to a cooler room at night for a few weeks in fall, bam, flower spikes showed up. Also make sure you're not using ice cubes to water them, that trick is terrible for the roots. Just a good soak once a week and let them dry out between.

amy_foster5619h ago

How cool does the room actually need to be for that temperature drop to work? I have a drafty hallway that gets to maybe 60F at night, is that enough or do they need it colder?