For those of you that got orchids for the holidays, congratulations. If you did, you can expect, a long period of bloom from them–a minimum of 3 months usually.
It’s once they go out of bloom that folks begin to have issues. First of all, they expect the plant to bloom continuously–almost like an african violet or something. It’s not. Think of it as an indoor perennial. It blooms once, then it needs to rest and restore its energy until it blooms again, usually the following year.
But what perennial do you know that will bloom as long as 3 months (and I’ve had some that have bloomed as long as 9 months!) These are great work horses of the plant world! So when they stop blooming, don’t just throw them out! Water them, care for them, and they will reward you.