Winter is Upon Us... What Should I Do With My Orchids?

Well the yard has been covered with the first blanket of snow of the year. I guess for people who live in more moderate climates winter is still hiding around the corner, but for us it's pretty much here (and a little later than usual too). The question is though, what is to be done with tropical orchids when the photoperiod shortens and temperatures drop? Well, the first thing that must be done is just that. make sure the photoperiod shortens and temps drop. Depending on your growing situation, this may or may not be a natural change; usually the latter is harder to do in the home. The second thing you'll want to do, for most epiphytic orchids, is decrease water and fertilizer. If you're growing terrestrials (namely slippers) you don't need to do this most of the time (any readers who want to get more specific can ask me). It is also very easy and common for orchids to get confused about the seasons, and you will probably get plants growing like crazy and spiking over the winter. When this happens, just pretend it's summer. What I'm getting at is, it is actually more important to adjust your seasonal conditions following your plants' growth cycle than following the season outside.