New to orchids and need help on how to care for them.

[Smokinstella]

Hi I just got my first orchid as a gift, after being an admirer of them for a long time. I am kind of at a loss as to how to care for it. I am thinking its a phal after comparing the blooms on it to pictures I have seen online. Its got a moss type of potting mix and I dont know if thats good for it or if I should get a different kind of potting mix for it. How often should I water it and what kind of light does it need, I dont dare keep it near windows right now with how cold it is in minnesota. Any tips you pros have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[orchidaddict789]

Welcome to the forum! Check out this phal culture sheet: AOS | Phalaenopsis

I'd guess your phal is potted in sphagnum moss, which I personally don't like because it stays wet longer, meaning the roots are prone to rotting. I pot all my phals in fir bark, which you can get at a nursery or big box store. If it has flowers, you can wait until they're gone to repot--in fact, spring is the best time for repotting. Just be careful not to water it too much, and good luck!

[Phalcycle]

If your orchid is indeed a Phal orchid, then the plant is monopodial, meaning there is only one growth lead, and leaves keep forming from that one sprout. Along the spike there are nodes with noticable bumps, and the roots are plump and large that normal roots.
The mossy material could be peat, sphagnum, or coir material. If it is sphagnum, it could be packed in too tightly. I wouldn't say you need to repot, because this could sometimes be a good thing. If you dont have time to water or want to conserve water that leave as is, and water 10-12 days. The moss would stay moist or wetter when not enough light, so it isn't an exact timed schedule. Check the moss before watering each time.
The moss should be on the dry side before water, not bone dry, and not sopping wet. I would recomend potting into a seethrough plasit pots with slits and air cone bottom, so you can see the roots, and they have enough air flow. This si prevent rotting.
I use sphagnum moss, but lightly packed, not stuffed like the growers for big box stores use.
If you want to repot, you can repot anytime. If you see rot, then repot ASAP so that it doesnt spread. I repot anytime after blooming, not a particular season because my orchids bloom randomly, so I can't say a specific time for all my phals.
The lighting, you should be placing it near a window, not in the middle of a room with not light. The leaves should be olive green, meaning enough light but not too much. If the leaves are dark green or redish or yellow, means too much or too little light.
Some varieties such as dark colored phals have darker leaves, so it doesn't work for all plants.
The temps, I allow the plants to go to 50-60's to encourage blooming, then in 70-80s to maintain healthy growth. I dont fertilize often, only when I rememebr to.
My plants do well without fert, so I dont. I use fish water in lieu of fert.

I dont know what Zone minnesota is in, but I am in massachusetts, which is zone 6. currently I am getting cold temps of 10-20 F outside. THe windows are quite cold, so I am using my sun room, which is heated properly. If you want, you could use lights, place it under a tube lighting, or such. They are relatively low light plants, and tolerate it better than most orchids.

When watering orchids, water generously, either soaking it, or running water until it pours out the bottom for about 1 minute. I soak for about 30 mins, so that the roots can plump up. I often use soaking method because i reuse fish water.

Hope this helps =)

[Smokinstella]

It was seaming a quite a bit dry today so I watered it till the water ran through but I do think it is packed to tight with the moss. Seamed that it took way to long for water to run through it, but I dont know if thats ok or not. I also took a closer look at were the roots come out and it looks like some of the roots have been cut off before. I would assume thats from the roots rotting if thats the case should I try to repot it right now while its flowering, just so it doesnt have any other issues. I have 2 spikes, I think that is what the flowering lead thing is called, and they both seam to be doing really well.

[pedidiva]

thanks for all the info Phalcycle.