Not A Plant Man

[cyril j fox]

My wife died in january this year and i have her ,what i belive is a moth orchid .
its a very pretty plant and i would like to look after it the problem is i dont know anything about plants and up to now never had the time, if someone could give me some advice on what to do.
should it be in compost or in nothing at all , is it usual to flower for long periods etc.


thanks

cyril

[Sara]

I'm so sorry for your loss.
Now I'm still a newbie, but I think I can help a little.
Now Orchids are plants with aerial roots, which means they have roots that grow out into the air to collect moisture and nutrients.(I know the proper name for it, I just can't remember how to spell it ), and need to be in a loose medium. Either a fine bark for sphagam moss, and need to be repotted every year or two. You can find premade medium mixes at your local Wal Mart.
Your Orchid is called a Phalaenopsis (Fail-uh-nop-sis) Orchid, and is one of the easiest Orchids to care for. They need medium to low light. An eastern window is a good spot. They also need regular fertilization, which can be weekly, bi-weekly, or on a monthly basis.
That's all I can think of for now. I'm sure someone with more experience will come along soon to help you.

[greg_s]

Cyril,

I am very sorry to hear of your loss. Here is a quick fact sheet that should get you started: http://orchidweb.org/aos/uploadedfil...termedphal.pdf

And to answer your specific questions it should be kept in some sort of potting medium like sphagnum moss or bark. The Lowes and Home Depot in my area have a small section devoted to potting medium.

It can flower for quite a long time. I have heard of phals (moth orchids) blooming anywhere from a couple of months to a year or more. Just depends on how happy the plant is.

Keep reading the posts on this site and posting questions. Tons of great information here and the people are extremely knowledgable and generous.

Greg

[Orchid_lady]

I wish you luck with your phal. You can also learn alot from this website. If you decide to get a book, I recommend Orchids for Dummies by Steven A Frowine. This book has been alot of help to me. Take care.

[cyril j fox]

thanks alot my friends , you learn something new every day

regards
cyril