Winter Season Please Help!!!

[aknish001]

Hi all....this is an amazing site, with so many helpful members..i thank you admin and all members for you helpful suggestions...

Hopefully you guys can help me even though i live in South Africa.

I have a slight problem....I've had a moth orchid for 5 months now, and it has been thriving well...i keep it on a window sill, that is east facing, so it gets morning light....i water it bout twice a week and give it fertilizer mid week, betwwen watering...it has been thriving till now...and about 3weeks ago it started growing a new leaf......the orchid is grown in a orchid mix, and i haven't repotted since i got it...i dont know when last it was repotted..

Whats upsetting me is the fact that two flowers has wilted. I dont know why. We are currently in Autumn and Winter comes on the first of July. Temp at night are around 5-10degrees celcius, and during the day its like max 20degrees celcius.

The orchid is kept on a bed of pebbles...and i water the bed once a day to try create some humidity...

Why is my orchid loosing its flowers??? please help....

Thank You to all those that respond

Is'haaq

[norris]

Hi Aknish001, and welcomeIt seems you have it growing well, it could be the flowers are at the end of their lifespan, especially if it has had the same flowers the whole 5 months you've had it.

[kmarch]

I agree with norris. Orchids are just like all other flowering plants in that their flowers don't last forever, they eventually fade.

[aknish001]

Hi guys....thanks for the quick response....feeling a little silly coz i've never seen an orchid without flowers.

Can some describe to me what I should expect....I've really grown attached to it as it was given to me by my Fiance. And currently we have a long dist relationship, so i really dont want it to die....

Thanks again

[aknish001]

Oh one more question....what do i do now with the flowers that are wilting...should i cut them? if so, where bout should i cut them off? and any other helpful hints...watering, temp etc...thanks all

[fred]

Hi aknish001
to the forum
thank you for your kind words regardint the forum
this will help you also a culture sheet from the AOS please see link AOS | Culture Sheets

[tina jacobs]

hi there

i am also living in SA its good to finally see someone who is also from this part of the world on the forum

this is a qouted from one of the senoir members on the site and here is the link to go to that tread it helpe4d me when i had to start thinking about cutting my phal

Cutting Down a Phalaenopsis When it has Finished Blooming

hope it helps

Originally Posted by mayres

You are noting from these posts that everyone has their own ideas/methods of dealing with flowered out spikes. Obviously the choice is up to you. In most cases my preference is to remove the spike at the base as close to the plant as I can get after blooming. A couple of reasons. Only the original spike typically has the number and highest quality of blooms. I prefer the plant to immediately start regenerating its energy through the production of more roots and bigger and healthier leaves for next year's spike instead of working on subspikes. Also for me, the artistic appearance of the overall plant with original spike(s) is more natural/beautiful than the subpiked "look". Either way - enjoy you phal!

t

[Hummer344]

What caught my attention is your watering and fertilizing schedule. If your orchid is over watered it will lead to root rot and you will loose the plant. IMHO, your plant should be water every 5-7 days, especially with winter coming on. During winter I only fertilize once a month. Everyone has their own system but the most frequent fertilizing I see on the forum is "weakly, weekly". I am sure that others will weigh in but do be carefull.

Welcome, there is lots of info here and friendly people

[aknish001]

Hi all....

Thanks for alll the great suggestions...will be sure to follow to the best of my ability and hopefully allow my orchid to flourish...

Tina thanks for the advice...that really helped....

Hope all of your orchids have a healthy summer season, for those in the Northern Hemisphere....Enjoy

Till I have more questions, stay smart!!!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

If only a few flowers are fading, you can bend each flower stem at its base downward, toward the plant, and it should pop off without the necessity of sterilizing a tool to cut it off. I have a few Phals that need the stem bent in the other direction to get it to pop off.

[aknish001]

thanks cynthia....yeah it is only two so far that are fading....the rest seem
fine....

thanks will try that...

[PhalPal]

Welcome to the forum aknish001! This is a very international forum and many of our climates are similiar across the globe so it seems there is always someone who can help you.

This is a pointer I found invaluable as a beginner and still use it: http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...f-orchids.html
Watering suggestions are really impossible to give because each and every one of us has different environments and growing conditions/habits, even if it is your neighbor next door to you. This method helps to determine when to water YOUR orchid in YOUR conditions. If your blooms have lasted for five months and a new leaf is starting your orchid must be fairly happy.