Well, I see that my Friend Sue has tipped my hand and given away one of my little secrets to getting orchids to bloom!
I do sometimes give my plants a stern talking to! and it does seem to work in most instances, but I try not to over use this procedure, as I am afraid of a massive Orchid Room revolt!
Sometimes I don't even open my mouth, I just give them the evil eye, or use telepathy to get my message across...
In fact, I am sure that most of my plants think that I'm crazy and the only reason that they cooperate, is they are afraid that I'll leave and never come back to care for them.
Seriously though, I do tell my plants all kinds of things.
Like when we got our first cold snap in October (which is rare for Florida) and I wasn't yet prepared with the winterization. I gave them all a little talk "I've done the most that I can do tonight...You'll all have to hold on, it's gonna get cold, but you are tough and I know that you can handle it!" Sure enough they all did just fine, even with the chilly wind blowing through the not yet closed up West wall.
I also try and let them talk to each other and that seems to work well also. If I have a Vanda that isn't blooming I will hang it next to one that does and tell them to discuss things amongst themselves and see what happens. Sometimes though I think the over-bloomers might intimidate the youngsters, so I don't move them so close that they get frightened.
I also have a habit of putting my plants in time out! If they are not growing or blooming to my liking they get put in the corner until they decide to cooperate, sometimes to great success and sometimes to death. But, at least I didn't have to watch them die as I try and only pay attention to that corner about once a week...
About this time, you are thinking to yourself...Yep, she's crazy! and you are most certainly right as my family tells me on a daily basis when they see all the orchids that I've acquired since the last time that they looked...
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