A. While the great majority of orchids found in your local store share many similar care needs (indirect sunlight, care to prevent over watering etc.), each orchid does have differing requirements in important items such as amount of light and best temperature range. Consult the "Grower Ron’s Orchid Buyer’s Guide" for specific growing conditions for each orchid.

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A. The bloom length for each variety can be different, ranging from many months (phalaenopsis) to 7- 14 days (Cattleya). Consult the "Grower Ron’s Orchid Buyer’s Guide" for specific blooming information on the variety in question.

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A. The simple answer is only when it needs it. Make sure you do not over water. This is the single greatest cause of orchid problems. A fixed schedule can lead to over or under watering. Each homeowner’s conditions will be different and thus, so will that orchid’s watering needs. The goal is to let the orchid almost completely dry out before the next watering. One way to test is to remove the plant label from the pot and feel down about 1 to 2 inches. If the label feels moist, don’t water.

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A. Not at all. The orchids sold at your local home Improvement store or garden center such as Home Depot, Franks Nursery or Target, are, for the most part, house plants, and can be easily grown in the home or on a porch that gets indirect light. Many of the orchids will also thrive when grown outdoors under a tree that provides dappled sunlight.

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A. That depends on the conditions to which the plant is subjected. Under proper care, an orchid can live indefinitely.

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A. To prevent stress, one approach is to repot the plant in the same type of media into which it was originally potted . Most orchids can, however, be grown in a wide variety of medias. The key is to adapt your growing conditions to the media that you use. Bark based medias are popular because they are suitable for a very wide range of conditions and are more forgiving of bad habits such as over watering.

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A. The most important factor in choosing a container is to find one with very good drainage. If the orchid cannot drain, root rot is very likely to follow. It is also important to remember that clay pots will retain a much higher level of salts (which can burn the roots) than plastic pots. Thus if you use a clay pot, remember to flush the plant thoroughly at least once a month with plain water.

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A. This is, of course, a natural occurrence. Cut the flower spike off at its base as soon as the flowers begin to fold. Once flowers begin to decline, they begin to produce ethylene that could cause plants nearby to also lose their flowers. For more experienced growers, it can be noted that with some orchids like a phalaenopsis, cutting the flower spike just above the first or second node could produce an immediate secondary spike with new flowers.

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A.     Grower Ron brand orchids can be found in many Home Improvement stores, Garden Centers and Grocery chains throughout the country including, Home Depot, Frank's Nursery, Target and Safeway stores.  Be sure to ask for Grower Ron products by name.

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