Bringing an orchid plant into its new home can be traumatic for the plant. After all, it's moving from a commercial greenhouse environment to a home environment, where light and humidity are less than what the plant is used to. If the plant is already in bloom, here are some tips that will make those blossoms last longer:

• Place the plant somewhere in your house that's bright, but where it won't get direct sunlight, except possibly in the morning. Too much harsh sunlight can bleach out the flowers.
• Keep the plant on the cool side — not above about 75 degrees F (about 24 degrees C). Flowers stay fresher longer this way.
• Be sure to keep the plant well watered. Even though the orchid plant stops growing much when it's in bloom, the leaves and flowers still need water.
• Don't let any bees or flies in the room where your orchids are blooming. If the bees or flies pollinate them, the flowers will collapse afterward.
• Don't put the plant close to ripe fruit. Fruit gives off ethylene gas, which can cause flowers to collapse prematurely.
• Keep your orchid plants away from strong fumes like paint thinners or other pollutants. These can cause the blossoms to fade.
• Don't spray the flowers with water or place the blooming plant in a room that is highly humid with no air movement. This can cause spotting on the flowers from fungal diseases.