Now what?

[tigerlily]

Hello,

I purchased my first orchid about four months ago, and am now down to one bloom...what do I do now...

Will it bloom again...

Thanks for your help

[kmarch]

I'm afraid we need more info tigerlily. Most importantly, what kind of orchid is it?

[psyc1210]

And if you could post where you are located, and update that in your profile, it'll help us help you

[tigerlily]

It is a Phalaenopsis...I live in Atlanta GA

[patlee]

Now you put it in low-medium light. Water it once a week and watch the new leaves and new roots come out A humidity tray will help the overall health of the plant... It will probably start a new bloom spike a month or so after Christmas (maybe late Fall depending on the growth cycle of your particular Phal.) Phals. are heavy feeders, so I fertilize mine every couple of weeks once they start to spike. You should see new blooms in 2-3 months depending on the light you give it If you have any problems, let us know--Good luck & good growing...

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by patlee

...Water it once a week...

I haven't sang this song in a long time but remember how I used to always say there is a difference between a plant's cultural needs and the method we use to deliver those needs? That applies here.

A phal has no pseudobulbs so it needs a steady supply of moisture, however it is prone to root rot if kept too wet. Some potting mixes dry out fast while others stay very wet for a long time. If the temps are high or the humidity low, the mix dries out faster then if the temps are low and the humidity high.

Patlee, for your mix, in your temperatures, at your humidity levels, once a week watering may be perfect, but under different conditions, once a week watering could spell certain death if the result is roots being kept too wet.

This is why it is better to recommend a culture sheet like the one on this forum or the one found at AOS | Home and then help them with methods like the skewer method until they find out what watering frequency works best for them in their conditions.

[tigerlily]

Thank you Pat,
I already have it on a humidity tray, and I mist it daily...this seems to be working well, there is already a new shoot...thanks for the feeding tip also...
Tigerlily