its my first time :)

[oobiekan]

hello all...

i got my first orchid about a couple of months back, say around 5 or so. After getting back home from a 2 week holiday i found my orchid flowerless, well except for one flower, which i recon is dead anyways *not intirely sure if she was watered properly while i was away or what happened, i left and she was healthy, 2 weeks later, not looking so healthy. I have attached some photos of her and would really like to know if she is dying or if she is just going into a new stage and what is happening is tottaly normal ? I have read up a bit about caring for them and cut the spikes not long after taking the pics today.
Anyways... any comments would greatly be appreciated, also there is some white on the leaves not sure if it is problem or not ?
thank you in advance... hope you all have a great day

[jerrymeola]

I looked at both of your pictures and the plant looks very healty.

It is most likely that the plant was at the end of its flowering period when it was bought.

Flowers on a Phal last about 8-10 weeks but some species go much longer.

Phals set buds and flower in the cooler temperatures, the flowers are temperature dependant. To get the plant to flower in late summer the grower heated the greenhouse in winter and cooled it in late summer. This gives them a plant to sell but it is not natural for the plant and the flowers may not last as long.

Also as the new flowering season approaches the supply goes up and prices are reduced on these older flowers. I can buy for as much as 60% off on these Phals but do not feel it is worth it. The flowers do not last as long and the plant can not recover to bloom again this winter. You probably will not see buds again until Feburary next year 2007. Phals only bloom once a year.

You can leave the flower stems on the plant if the stem is green. It is possible for the plant to put out a keiki (baby plant) from the stem. Additional flowers are also possible but not likely from the looks of your stems. If they are dreid out and stiff as the picture appears then cut them off.

You have done very well for your first orchid. The flowers appear to have died from age not neglect. Water it as you have been doing letting it almost dry between waterings and fertilize 'weakly weekly'. Since it is bark you can use 30-10-10 fertilizer 'weakly' at the rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. If it were in sphagnum moss then you would use a balanced fertilizer 10-10-10 or 20-20-20. Bark decomposing uses the extra nitrogen. Tropical plants take 1 tablespoon per gallon so use it 'weakly'. It is good to pick one day to fertilize like Saturday or Sunday so you get in a regular habit.