Make sure all of the old peat moss is gone. I use tweezers to get all of it from the roots. If you tend to water your plants too much, use orchid bark as " soil" if you underwater, use peat moss. When you clean all the old soil from the roots cut all the smushy roots off. After it's repotted wait a week or so to water it.
I water my orchids once every 7 to 10 days. I've had one for 6 or 7 years ( onc gower ramsey) and another for 3 years ( phal noid)
More orchids are killed by over watering than under watering.

Thanks for the advice. I will leave it alone for a week and not water. But this morning when I woke up one of the leaves did something wierd. It curled. It might not have been completely flat but it Def wasn't doing this. It still seems pretty healthy. It's sold and stands on its own but not sure if it's trying to tell me something.

I just realized that I wrote peat moss. I meant sphagnum moss.
Good luck :)

The term "over watering" is sort of a misnomer. Most orchids, such a Phals, live in the rainforests, where they can be exposed to rain almost every day of the year. What we have to do is understand their growing conditions and do our best to closely mimic that environment as best as we can. These beautiful plants live up in the canopies of the rainforests, clinging to the sides of trees. This is why we use mixes of bark, sphagnum moss, perlite, charcoal, etc. That way, their roots still have access to air, just as much they have access to water. So when people "over water" their orchids, they're really just cutting of the supply of fresh air to their orchids' roots. When their roots can't breathe, that's when they rot.

If your Phal came potted up in one of those clear orchid pots, I would *very* highly recommend that you repot your orchid back into it, using a fresh mix. Sometimes these clear pots are then placed into a decorative outer pot, when they're sold. The outer pots aren't necessary. The reason clear pots are used is because some orchids, such as Phals, have roots that can photosynthesize, just like their leaves. So using these clear pots helps sunlight reach their roots, which contributes to the plants's overall health, by providing more energy (sunlight) for you plant to use. Plus, Phals don't really grow any bigger than they already are once they're full grown. So you can continue to use that same clear pot over and over for your plant, every time you go to repot it.
For growing orchids, I recommend using a brand called Better Gro®. They have a mix called Special Orchid Mix®, & another called Premium Grade Orchid Moss®. The first mix consists of bark, charcoal, and perlite. The second one is just sphagnum moss. Both are sold at Lowes, or online. I like to mix half and half of each (50% bark/charcoal/perlite & 50% sphagnum moss), to use for my Phals. Once I tried the Better Gro® brand, I switched all of my orchids over to this mix, and my orchids love it. Plus, this brand is endorsed by the American Orchid Society.

One other thing I would like to point out is that not all sphagnum mosses are created the same. There's a brand called Mossier Lee, that is probably the worst quality sphagnum moss that you could ever want to use for growing orchids. It stays too wet and soggy and would quickly suffocate and kill off your Phal's roots. The Better Gro® brand sphagnum moss is the best you can get. It's real light, airy, and fluffy. If you compared the two brands side by side, you would immediately see the difference for yourself. Plus the Better Gro® mixes only cost about $5-ish.

I use this 50% (bark, charcoal, perlite)/ 50% sphagnum moss blended mix, and I never have to worry about "over watering" any of my orchids. When I have them outdoors, during the summer, I water them almost daily. BUT when I bring them back indoors, I only water them roughly once a week. Also, when growing Phals indoors, don't get any water into the central crown of the leaves, where the new leaves emerge. That could quickly lead to rot. If you do accidentally get water in it, don't worry. Just grab a q-tip, gently fluff up and flatten out one of the tips, and use it to dab up any water. Outdoors, I don't worry about this one bit, but when they're indoors, I do.

Well, if you can't already tell from my response, I'm passionate about these beautiful plants, HaHa. I laid eyes on one well over a decade ago and have been obsessed with them ever since. :)

Posted by ToMMyBoY69 Little Rock, AR (My Page) on Sat, Oct 11, 14 at 3:28

I think a very important factor is pot size. When using small pots, the orchid is not easily over-watered.

The first time I used a very large and deep clear-plastic pot, I notice that for the first year, the root did not grow because of too much moisture. For very large pots, water is rarely needed for me. As long as there is condensation on the wall of the clear pot, then do not water.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful advise. @Tommyboy69 I have repotted my orchid back in to the little plastic pot it came in. The roots surprisingly looked very healthy. there was one little dried up root that cut off with sterile scissors. If anyone can give me an idea of whats going on with my leaves please let me know. As of right now when i looked at it there seems to be no pest or fungus or root or crown rot. This is my first orchid and i am trying really hard not to kill it thank you.

And right now I only have orchid bark in the pot. I got the Better Grow brand. Should put some moss as well?

This post was edited by Kerrilynn98 on Mon, Oct 13, 14 at 19:36

The leaves look fine to me. I've seen Phals with leaves like that before. Any new leaves will grow out more normal.

The bark mix will work great on its own. It will dry out a little faster, but that's a good thing, until you get more familiar with watering them. That way you don't run the risk of "over watering" them. I like mixing the sphagnum moss in with it because it holds on to moisture a little longer. I find that having a 50%/50% mixture of both gives you the best of both individual mediums. The bark mix is more aerated and dries out faster, while the sphagnum moss holds on to moisture longer. The bark/charcoal/perlite mix keeps the sphagnum moss from becoming too compacted, letting the whole blended mix still breathe, while not drying out as fast.

I bought an orchid over the summer at the grocery store. There was no information as to what type of orchid it is. It is in a clear plastic pot, and it was inside a decorative pot until I read this. The clear plastic pot doesn't look special. It has holes in the bottom but that's it. Is there something I'm missing?

Thanks for that info, TommyBoy. My problem with Phals is that I under water them, or else they get too much sun. I bring mine indoors in the summer to prevent sunburn, but I keep them outdoors in the winter in a shady area. Our average low temp in January is 50 degrees, and that is not too cold for orchids. They do okay when the temperature drops to 45 or even 40 degrees briefly, and it never gets below 40, except on a rare year. The area where I keep them is slightly warmer than the rest of the yard, but it they get too much sun, they will burn.

I will try your potting mix, as what I have been using has not been working, and I think they dry out too much. I used to remove all the sphagnum moss, and I think that was a mistake. I had one that stayed in bloom for eight months, however, which was long enough for me to get bored with it.

Lars

@BlackThumb: It's most likely a Phalaenopsis orchid. That's how most of them are packaged up and sold, a clear pot within a decorative one. It's perfectly fine to display your Phal in the decorative pot while it's in bloom. But when it starts growing again, it's better off taking the decorative pot away and only using the clear one. That way, its roots can receive sunlight and photosynthesize just like its leaves do. That's why clear pots are used for these plants.

@publickman: I had that same problem too. My Phals would dry out too fast. But once I started using the 50%/50% blended mix, I no longer had this problem.
The way I'd prepare the mix is I would soak the (Better Gro®) sphagnum moss. Then, I would squeeze out all the excess water, fluff it back up, and then mix it half and half with the bark/charcoal/perlite mix. (You can also soak the bark mix separately, prior to this as well.) Once that's done, you can go about potting up your orchid(s).
Using this blended mix, I've never once had to worry about either over/under watering any of my 'chids. :)

It's important to remember that orchids need water then they need the chance to dry out. Outside this is very easy there is always somewhat of a breeze; indoors they need more time (and good drainage). Moss stays wetter longer but is hard to control; I have watered phals in moss prior to repotting and when removed from the pot the center moss is still bone dry! Planting in ceramic or plastic pots with moss will keep them wetter longer and planting in orchid pots with holes on the sides or unglazed clay pots in bark will dry them off sooner. Some orchids like to dry off every day but be wet every day too! It is also important to remember that all pots should have holes at least in the bottom of the pot. When watering with cool but not cold water drain thoroughly then tip the pot to the side to drain any remaining water (you will be surprised!) Water early in the day and make sure no water accumulates in the center of the leaves; this can lead to rot! Water then let dry. Leaves should be stiff and somewhat rigid; They store water in their leaves. Stiff upright leaves are not a problem! If you think the plant is dry wait one more day to water it. Subject phals in the fall to temps about 55 degrees F at night for 2 weeks to initiate spikes then it takes 180 days to see flowers again. Join a local orchid society! Good Luck!

Okay, I've had a couple of these orchids over the years, and always did the ice cube watering routine once weekly and it worked - I even got them to re bloom for 3-4 years. Then little by little they sort of deteriorated and when they hadn't put out stems to bloom for over a year, I dumped them.

I bought two "nicer" ones in late Sept - bought them at a florist and they each had two stems instead of one. One has now lost all but one blossom left but it has what are either buds or seed pods coming out. The other is starting to lose its blossoms.

Do I cut the stems back to the base of the plant? Do I fertilize them, and if so, how and for how long? Paid $45 each for these so I'd like for them to rebloom - they have given me months of pleasure. They're in a West bay window in my kitchen in a bay window over my sink - that's where I've always kept my orchids and they seem to like it there.

Next steps?

You can probably get the most and best advice over on the orchid forum. But maybe do a search there before posting - your questions have probably been asked by others and answered multiple times over there.

"Okay, I've had a couple of these orchids over the years, and always did the ice cube watering routine once weekly and it worked - I even got them to re bloom for 3-4 years."

I definitely would not continue to water with ice cubes. Many orchid growers that I've seen say that the cold water shocks the roots, and that continued exposure to the cold water will eventually cause damage to them. Think about it-most orchids' natural habitat is the tropical rainforest. Would they experience freezing cold water in nature? Most probably not. Room temperature to lukewarm water is best-not too hot either.

Do I cut the stems back to the base of the plant?

If the spikes have more buds emerging, I would let them continue to grow. Do you have any pictures? You probably have buds because seed pods are extremely unlikely on a store-bought phal, but it's better just to be sure. Once all the blooms are gone and there is no sign of new buds emerging, you can take some sterilized scissors (wipe them down with rubbing alcohol or bleach) and cut the spike all the way down. It is fine to leave a little bit of the spike remaining on the plant.

Do I fertilize them, and if so, how and for how long?

Definitely fertilize. I would use a kind specifically made for orchids. I would fertilize throughout the entire year. During the winter months you can use a little less-maybe 1/4 or 1/2 of the recommended dosage. During the growing season you can use 3/4 of the recommended dosage. When in doubt, use less. The less fertilizer you use the less chance of burning the roots.

Paid $45 each for these so I'd like for them to rebloom - they have given me months of pleasure.

In my opinion, phals are quite easy to rebloom if given the proper care throughout the growing season. When summer draws to a close and fall arrives, the orchid will likely start to spike on its own, maybe around November or December. If nothing appears, you can give it a slight cooldown to help induce spike production-a 15*F difference between day temps and night temps should be enough (e.g. If day time temp is 70*F, then night time temp should be around 55-60*F). Don't go too low in temperature however-no lower than 55*F.

A west facing windows seems fine. Don't give them too much light-bright indirect is perfect.

Good luck!

Nowhere in their natural environment are phalaenopsis orchids ever subjected to cold water, much less ice cold water. It's just not natural for them. Cold and wet are a dangerous combination for any tropical plants. You're only inviting all kinds of trouble doing that. Even the folks that grow "Just Add Ice" orchids don't use ice or even ice cold water on their plants. The only reason that I can think of for them to even suggest using this unusual tactic is to sell more plants to inexperienced growers that don't know any better; to replace the original plant(s) that they ended up killing the first go-round. They grow and sell beautiful plants, which I will gladly buy in a heartbeat. But I will never ever follow their advice for growing them. They don't, so why should we?

One rule of thumb for fertilizing our orchids is to remember the phrase "weakly, weekly." Which means to give weak (diluted) doses of fertilizer with every weekly watering. I follow this advice all year long, whether my orchids are actively growing outdoors during the summer, or staying indoors during the winter.

On a side note, I've noticed that they dish out this bad advice for the other types of plants that they sell. I recently purchased a "bonsai" tree from them, a Ficus retusa. It came with a tag that stated to "water" them once a week with 5 ice cubes; which is completely ridiculous. The only reason I bought it was because I've been wanting another one of these and saw great potential with this one. I would've preferred buying one from elsewhere, but this one was happy and healthy, and I couldn't say no.

Oh my goodness...just add ice BONSAI now?? What are they going to come up with next? D:

On a more positive note-beautiful ficus!

"Just Add Ice" Cacti? lmao...

Kerri,yn, how is your plant doing?

Photo, thanks for all the good info on care of this type orchid. Helpful.

I got a Phal in bloom about a year ago. It bloomed again this past summer and is about ready to go again. The best advice I was given was to not cut the flower stalks off. There are 2.

Getting a little wonky from 1-sided winter light, but it's doing!

The other one.

When I got it, it was crammed in there with spagnum moss, in a small white pot with no hole. I didn't want to buy something for it, so I took it out of that pot & put it in a much wider one with holes in the bottom and about 1/4 of the moss, pulled apart into a very loose mass, in attempt to more closely replicate the conditions in the crook of a big tree. Some of the roots stayed sticking out, and around 2 months ago, I put a cup of water near the pot so 2 of the roots would have about 1/4" of their tips in the water. That's when the new growth started on the inflorescences. South window with slightly dappled light from a big deciduous tree not far from it. Before it had to come inside, it was on front porch, which faces east, so it had a couple hours of early, direct morning sun.