From the AOS - Fall Orchid Care
The American Orchid Society is a horticultural society that promotes and supports the passion for orchids though education, conservation, and research. This month Bridget shares the AOS’s recommendations for how to care for your orchids this fall, and upcoming programs from the AOS.
By Bridget Kerans, American Orchid Society Representative
I hope everyone got to enjoy Orchid Fest. I certainly did, seeing people I hadn’t been able to see for several months and catching up on what we’ve done this summer. Next up will be our Fall Show later this month, I hope to see everyone there as well! Since last month seasonal care covered both September and October, I found something else to help as we transition to Fall and Winter. Also October is the ORCHIDS Magazine supplement time - see which orchid has the spotlight this year!
Fall Orchid Care
Like spring, fall is an important transitional season and orchid growers should be making preparations for the coming winter. As days get shorter and cooler, orchid growth will slow, and in some cases cease altogether. Unless a plant is in a crisis-situation, put off any repotting until the lengthening days of spring. For many orchids, it is this change of seasonal conditions that begins flower initiation. As we move into November, be on the lookout for developing inflorescences on Phalaenopsis, Cymbidium and certain hybrids and species in other genera, and begin staking when spikes reach 6-8 inches.
If you have been summering some, or all, of your orchids outside, now is a good time to get your indoor growing area cleaned up and ready to welcome the returning orchids. Even if you’re an indoor grower, it’s a good time to pull all the pots out and clean the area where the plants are. If you do, this is a game-changer in terms of pest management. Whether it is windowsill carts, a basement light setup or greenhouse, use diluted chlorine bleach (1:10) or Physan to clean off any accumulated algae and sanitize the area from any potential pests or spores that may be hiding in the accumulated dust around the plants.
Although it blooms reliably for us at Christmas, Cattleya percivaliana can bloom anytime from October into January. It blooms at the early end of that range in its habitat in the Venezuelan Andes. Shown here is the albescent color form, 'Sonia de Urbano'.
In greenhouses, it is easier to make repairs when there are no plants (or they have been moved), so make sure that your growing area is in top condition for the trying conditions of winter. Make sure that heaters are working and that you have plenty of fuel. If you use backup devices or alarms, test them too. ALWAYS check plants thoroughly for pests before returning them to the close quarters of your indoor growing area or greenhouse.
For bringing any plant indoors, always treat the plants preventatively with pesticides and quarantine them for a few days before assimilating them with the rest of your collection. This will ensure that you have fewer problems and headaches throughout the winter.
Upcoming AOS Webinars
**OPEN TO ALL**
Greenhouse Chat October 2025
Thursday, October 9th, 2025
8:30 PM – 9:30 PM EDT (7:30 PM – 8:30 PM CST)
Join Dr. Ron McHatton as he answers your questions about all things orchids. Please send your question and pictures to Sandra Svoboda at greenhousechat@aos.org by October 6, 2025.
**MEMBERS ONLY**
A Historical Look at Phragmipediums, What can Nature Teach us? Where and How they Grow
Monday, October 13th, 2025 8:30 PM EST (7:30 PM – 8:30 PM CST)
Join Frank Cervera of Monster Island Orchids and Tropical Plants as he takes us to the world of Phragmipediums. Learn how and where they grow and what we need to do to grow successfully. An experienced grower and traveler, he will talk about how culture is affected by where Phragmipediums grow.
In the Next Issue of ORCHIDS Magazine
Coming in the October 2025 issue
October brings our annual Supplement, this year devoted to slipper orchids!
A Collector’s Dilemma: Telling Paphiopedilum bellatulum, leucochilum and godefroyae Apart - by Alina Furtak
Brachy’s Paphs and their Hybrids by Steve Gonzalez-Costa
The Enchanting Slipper Orchid: The Allure of Paphiopedilum bellatulum - by Alina Furtak
Phragmipedium Carol Kanzer - by Olaf Gruss
Rediscovery of Mexipedium xerophyticum (Soto Arenas, Salazar & Hágsater) V.A. Albert & M.W. Chase - By Eduardo A. Pérez-García
Paphiopedilum Hybrids - By Dave Sorokowski
Growing Some Phragmipediums in a Mycorrhizal Soil Mix - by Judith Rapacz-Hasler and Gary MurzaPaphiopedilum farrieanum and Its Hybrids - by Deb Jensen
Tom's Monthly Checklist by Thomas Mirenda
Questions and Answers by Ron McHatton
For the Novice - Humidity and Vapor Pressure Deficit by Sue Bottom
My Favorite Orchid - Phragmipedium Jason Fischer 'Janet's Patience' AM/AOS by James Roberts
Collector's Item - You Must try a Chysis by David Rosenfeld
Orchids Illustrated - Bletilla - The Urn Orchid by Wesley Higgins and Peggy Alrich
Artificial Intelligence - Coding for Orchids: Maximizing Research with AI by Carter Kuehn
Caring for and Cultivating Orchids in the Greenhouse by Gisela Utz
Dendrobium and its Relatives, Part 14 by Jim CootesAbout the True Sex Lives of Catasetum and Cycnoches, Part 1 by Günter Gerlach
