Help! Is my new Phalaenopsis dying???

[GirlRocksOut]

This past Sunday was the day after my Mom's Bday, for her Bday I bought her a beautiful tall yellow Phalaenopsis from the local Safeway (drugstore). It says it's guaranteed easy to grow but...

The day after we got it it was bone dry so we watered it with lukewarm tap water, not enough to soak it but enough that it's now Wednesday and it's still moist.

Well the day after we watered it all the blooming flowers wilted, and now a few days later all the new buds that were going to bloom have fallen off!

Our house it one huge living area downstairs and we keep it at about 68-70 degrees but maybe it's too dry and it needs more humidity??? Also we have the Orchid on a window sill with in a East facing window. Maybe not enough sun?

Any help or advice is appreciated! I will post a pic if necessary

[solay]

Sometimes that happens when you get a new plant home. The buds blasted. Unfortunately there's not much to be done but to hope a few survive. It's due to the change in the environment. Sorry.

[GirlRocksOut]

Thank you, it makes me feel better that we didn't do anything purposely wrong!

[Tarad]

Pics always are always welcome and very helpful! Tara

[PhalPal]

Grocery stores are kept so freezing cold that your Phal had a jolt when coming into your home. If you want some easy information on how to care for your orchid, go to this site: AOS | Members Only Area (this link is not for 'members only')

Don't go by the instructions on the tag. I have no idea who writes these things but they are usually wrong. Also, when you water your orchid, put it under the faucet and drench all of the media until water pours out of the pot. Giving it little sips of water like a house plant will kill it. You want to pretend it's in a tropical rain shower and get it really wet, but drained. Never let the medium dry out completely; water when your skewer (see below!) is just slightly damp.

When you read that overwatering is the easiest way to kill an orchid it does not mean how MUCH water you give it at any one time, it means how OFTEN you water it.

This little tip will help you a lot:http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/new...f-orchids.html

And Welcome to the forum and the world of orchids!!!!

[Plucky Purcell]

Welcome and good luck! Bud blast is always a bummer. I'd add more info, but PhalPal's got you covered!

[PhalPal]

Plucky there is ALWAYS more info to add!!!

[GirlRocksOut]

Thanks so much everyone for all the helpful tips! I will definitely take pics tonight and post them!

[jay]

Hello ad welcome to the forum. Looks like you have some good tips already. When you post pictures we can certainly offer some more advice. Glad to have you here.

[mehitabel]

If you are worried about humidity, "humidity trays" do raise the humidity around the leaves of your orchids. They won't raise the humidity in your room, but in the leaf area, I've measured it, and they help a lot.

You or some other handy person can make one by cutting some of that ceiling egg-crate to fit a big plastic saucer. You put water in the bottom of the saucer, and the eggcrate keeps the pot above the level of the water. As the water evaporates it creates a humid miniclimate around the orchid.

I understand your disappointment at losing all those beautiful flowers you wanted your mother to have.

If you have plans for a Mother's Day Gift, check out Oak Hill Gardens. Call them and tell them you want a Mother's Day gift and they will help you pick out a big, healthy beautiful orchid in spike for a gift for her. Oak Hill prices are very reasonable, probably the best value per $, and they offer really good service -- they aims to please.

An East window is great.

[zuri]

There's a chance your phal may rebloom for you. Don't cut off the spike yet... give it good water and light and wait to see what happens. All of my phals that have blasted their buds after bringing them home have rebloomed on the same spike.

[digitalgate]

usually a spike that suffered a shock, need to cut shorter , a node or two. If the plant really want to bloom then it will rebloom. There is nothing you can do to help the plant for the time being. I speculating that your out door temperature from the store to your house might have dipped to 40 or 50s that could caused the bud blast.