| Hi - Welcome to the forum.
It's hard to guide you on the care of your orchid without knowing what genus it is. But based on how you described it, I'll take a wild guess and say that you probably have some hybrid of Phalaenopsis orchid, since they are the most commonly found on the market. A quick Google image search may help you decide what genus it is.
For a good read, I would suggest the Complete Guide to Orchids published by Ortho Books. It's a great book to get you started. In the mean time, a Google search of "Phalaenopsis care" will turn up tons of information on fertilizing, light requirements, etc.
For watering, I've found that the wooden skewer method works best for me. Get a pack of wooden shishkabob skewers; gently work one of the skewers (about halfway between the plant and the pot's edge) a couple of inches into your compost (potting material) and leave it there for 10 to 15 minutes. Pull it out and touch it to your lip. If it feels moist then do not water. If it feels dry then it is time to water. Overwatering is the most common cause of dead Phals and the skewer method takes all the guesswork out of it.
I hope this gets you started in the right direction. Feel free to ask any question you may run into.
Best of Luck
-Brady  |