Not Sure what to do now...

[penguinem]

I love houseplants but have never had an orchid before. Someone bought me a phalaenopsis for my birthday a month ago, and it was doing pretty well... I looked up some info on here about watering, etc.
But now, two things:
1) It doesn't really seem to hold water at all... it's in a clear pot with what appears to be mulch of some sort and when I water it, it just all drains through.
2) the Orchid flowers are starting to wilt and fall off. Is this because the plant is too dry or just natural course? Also, what do I do with it once they fall off to get more to come?

As you can tell, I'm a "very newbie"!
Thanks!
Emily

[kmarch]

Hi Emily and welcome to the forum,

Given you've had the plant for a month, I am inclined to think the flowers have reached their natural end and are fading, completely normal and expected.

It is also normal for a Phalaenopsis to be potted in a mix that lets the extra water run through and out the bottom. In nature Phals grow on trees, wrapping their roots around the branches and hanging onto the bark. When it rains, the water runs down the branches wetting the bark and soaking the roots. The excess water runs off. In cultivation we try to simulate this by growing them in pots of bark chips usually with some other things added. When we water the bark and roots get wet and the extra water runs off.

The first thing I would recommend is to get a good Phalaenopsis culture sheet. There is one on this forum or you can get one from the American Orchid Society website (www.aos.org). Read up on what Phals like (medium to low light; gentle even moisture at the roots; intermediate temperatures) and what we can do to give the orchid what it likes.

Fortunately Phals are quite easy to grow and bloom in your home. If you're able to give good culture, the reblooming will come naturally, probably about a year from now.

Also don't hesitate to ask more questions here if you have them.

Enjoy your orchid!

[penguinem]

kmarch:
Thanks for your informative response. I got a culture sheet, which is very helpful. The blooms have wilted and fallen off my orchid now, and I'm wondering what the best way to care for it without blooms is. Right now, the stem on which the blooms grew is clipped with a tiny clip to a long stick. Should I leave it up there, or should I take it down and let it hang. I guess I'm also thinking of asthetics. I did have my orchid prominently displayed, but now it looks bare Also, there are other seams in the stem.... could those bloom sooner?
Thanks again for all of your help!
Emily

[DDS2007]

hi Emily and welcome.
some growers chose to cut off the bare flower spike to 1 inch from the base of the plant. it is thought to restore the plants energy back so it can focus on growing new leaves and roots.

best regards

[fred]

hi Emily

welcome to the orchidgeeks forum.

I hope that you enjoy your bstay here with us.

do you have any pics

We would love to see them

happy chatting

[penguinem]

Thanks! Everyone is so helpful!!!
If I'm doing this correctly, I've attached a picture of my phalaenopsis before it wilted away!
In response to my reply, I can really just cut off the stem leaving only an inch??
Thanks again everyone

[kmarch]

The pic posting is working perfectly. It's a nice candy-stripe Phal. Nice!

[pikevi]

Welcome to the forum, peguinem.

I am sure you will have fun, get help and learn more.