hope this is ok

[alicemagooey]

Help.. i double posted.. i posted this question at another part of the forum.
Then i discovered that i should be posting here.

sorry..please forgive me. i can go and edit the other, and delete it, which i will do now..hope it works

ok my question:

Hello geeks..

i posted at the introduction threads that i am searching for information for a friend who does not have internet access.
hope this is ok.

she was given an orchid last october.. Its name begins with a P..
it is a cream colored flower, and lovely, with five blooms.It has been lovely until now when the flowers are beginning to wilt and fade.

My friend read the instructions she found, which said, cut back the stem at the node at the location of the last bloom.

if it is indeed time to cut back..because it is finished blooming (??), could someone tell me in a little detail how to cut back the stem.

The plant did magnificently for six months.. The blooms were awesome.
It was in a sunny window, i believe, and i think the plant was happy where it was placed, and the temps, and the way she watered it..
She had never had an orchid before, but the dear plant never 'complained' by looking droopy or ill..so we presume she did everything correctly.

Unfortunately, the person who gave her the plant,did not give her any care instructions.! and without internet access.. and i did not know about it, or i would have offered to help.

Is it indeed time to prune it back, or could it have been any other stress which is causing the flowers to fade now..

and how, exactly should she prune.. she does not know whether to prune from the bottom most flower..any node near the bottem most flower????

assistance would be so greatly appreciated!!!
very very sincerely,
alice

[jerrymeola]

It sounds like a Phalaenopsis.

Since it has been in flower for six months (2-3 is normal) you can cut the entire stem off. This will allow the plant to put its strength into growing for next blooming season.

It is an indoor plant, it likes bright indoor light with only the smallest amount of sunlight. It does not like to totally dry out, but do not over water. You should water just before it is about to be totally dry.

There is a lot of information if you search on Phalaenopsis (or Phal) at the top of this page.