Most of my phalenopsis orchids have bloomed reliably after summering outdoors for the past three years. They hang in shady areas–either in the grove, under a tree, or nestled in with some rhododendrons. Houseplants, including the orchids, go outside around May 15th or a bit earlier. The orchids aren’t that fragile, but if we were hit with a surprise freeze warning I would bring them inside or tuck them by the sheltered back door.
I haven’t been scrupulous about writing down the dates, but given that I had little success encouraging rebloom through the ‘keeping them alive and waiting for years’ method, I got reblooms starting after first summering outside in 2020 and then started keeping score.
I had heard that day/night temperature fluctuations prompted bud formations, in particular the dramatic ones we see in New England in September, when the days can still be quite warm but the nights are wonderfully chilly. I did a bit of research and that seems the deal.
So here they are, probably a little confused by the New England-ness of their lifestyles, but alive…and blooming.