Question
Hi,
About a couple of months ago I bought a chocolate orchid. It was beautiful; filled with scented gorgeous reddish-burgundy flowers. They lasted a couple of weeks and filled my house with an outstanding scent. I was wondering what must I do to get this plant to flower again. What is the most efficient way to have it bloom??
Thank You! :)

Answer
Oncidiums!  I did not know they come in Chocolate.  This is definitely something I must add to my collection.  THANK YOU for asking!  I cannot wait to order one.

I have grown Oncidiums and it was easy to find your Chocolate Orchid which seems to always be the hybrid Sharry Baby.

Oncidiums grow wild in the foggy, humid mountains of South America near the Equator, where the temps are stable and moderate and day length is unchanging from season to season.

Your Chocolate Orchid runs into trouble when the thermometer hits around 85 degrees F for long periods.  Keep temps people-friendly -- in the high 50s to mid-60s at night, in the 70s by day.  That's the climate your Chocolate Orchid would grow in if it was back home in the tropical Mountains.

Because of the season-less, constant-temps climate it comes from, your Chocolate Oncidium flowers throughout the year, not by the season as many other Orchids do.  Fertilizing and rest periods are the key to your Orchid's happiness.

You can get great Orchid supplies online at Odom's Orchids:

http://www.odoms.com/main.cfm

Their Fertilizers are first rate and specialized for the Orchid enthusiast.  Which we both are.

Here's the best way to grow this plant:

Get some of that Orchid s fertilizer.  Drench your Orchid with it once.  Then DILUTE heavily and FREEZE in its own ice cube tray.  To water, place one of those fertilizer Ice Cubes on top of the growing medium -- fir bark, sphagnum, whatever you're using -- and let it melt.  This is a good way to simulate the constant moisture of the native mountain tropics and even fertilizer doses it gets in nature.

Air temps are very important, too.  It is vital that your Orchid get a 10 degree temp drop at night.  Bright light and morning or afternoon sun are perfect -- mid-day sun will be too strong for the leaves.  If they burn, spray the leaves and roots with a product called 'Messenger', which you can find at specialized garden centers; it spurs plant recovery and speeds flower development.  One treatment is all you need for that.  DO NOT store in the freezer for general use; it spoils quickly and while not damaging, it will no longer be useful.

In winter, if your days are short, extend them with strong full spectrum fluorescent lights to provide enough energy for winter blooms.  That's probably when you'll appreciate them most.

Please keep me posted.  I would love to see how long it takes for another spike to set.  Thanks -- A LOT -- for your question.