About a week ago, I was gifted this very pretty orchid. I've had a few orchids in my life, and managed to kill each one. Now that I'm actually able to understand how to care for one, I'm trying to give it a proper go! I bought a new 6 inch terra cotta pot, and miracle grow orchid mix soil. I also looked up companion plants for the moth orchid, and bought a philodendron. When I planted the orchid in its new pot, it was very root bound. It came in one of those thin plastic pots. It also started yellowing in its leaves lately, so it was obviously stressed. The orchid is now in it's new pot, with it's new soil, and with its new friend. Am I taking the right steps so far? Is there anything else I need to do for now? Also, the moth orchid looks a little different than normal... here, you judge.

I'm far from an orchid expert but I don't think Miracle Grow Potting mix would be the correct medium for any orchid unless it's a terrestrial type that grows in the ground. Moth Orchids are epiphytic by nature and require good air circulation around their roots to do well; heavy soil will suffocate the roots which may be the cause of your plants leaves yellowing.

Here's the American Orchid Society culture sheets for Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis)"
http://www.aos.org/orchids/cul...
http://www.aos.org/orchids/cul...

We have a few very knowledgeable orchid growers on this site who will be able to offer good advice, @Ursula @BigBill

plantladylin said:I'm far from an orchid expert but I don't think Miracle Grow Potting mix would be the correct medium for any orchid unless it's a terrestrial type that grows in the ground. Moth Orchids are epiphytic by nature and require good air circulation around their roots to do well; heavy soil will suffocate the roots which may be the cause of your plants leaves yellowing.

Here's the American Orchid Society culture sheets for Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis)"
http://www.aos.org/orchids/cul...
http://www.aos.org/orchids/cul...

We have a few very knowledgeable orchid growers on this site who will be able to offer good advice, @Ursula @BigBill

I'm using miracle grow orchid mix - not potting mix. I made sure not to make that mistake with orchids. It is a bark-based medium with barely any true soil. I also chose the terra cotta for extra aeration. I remember back in the day when people used to say they needed gravel and consistent moisture like a river! Poor orchids never stood a chance...

When you say "with barely any true soil" I cringe a bit. Perhaps you picked up a mix which is appropriate for terrestrial Orchids, but not for an epiphyte?
I probably would remove the companion plant while placing the plant into a proper medium. Picture this Orchid growing in nature in leafy compost of sorts in a tree, slightly tilted so the rain water doesn't collect in the crown.
When you talk about yellowing leaves - how yellow? only old leaves turning yellow? How much light does the plant get? Too much?
A picture would help.

Ursula said:When you say "with barely any true soil" I cringe a bit. Perhaps you picked up a mix which is appropriate for terrestrial Orchids, but not for an epiphyte?
I probably would remove the companion plant while placing the plant into a proper medium. Picture this Orchid growing in nature in leafy compost of sorts in a tree, slightly tilted so the rain water doesn't collect in the crown.
When you talk about yellowing leaves - how yellow? only old leaves turning yellow? How much light does the plant get? Too much?
A picture would help.

This is the soil I bought. It says it is made specifically for the moth orchid. I'm honestly surprised no one seems to know what it is. It was my first option when buying orchid soil. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GTDI73O/ I'm not great at knowing what high/medium/low light is, so I just put the orchid by our highest light window. A heuchera is actually growing there, too. I'm not really sure what direct light means indoors either... how can sunlight be direct if it is inside a house? Anyway, here are some pictures of the yellow leaf, and the overall habitat the orchid is in at the moment.

I see an older yellow leaf, I wouldn't worry about. If new leaves also start to turn yellow, that might point to too much light or roots turning south or not enough water or "whatever" . But yes, you can easily burn a Phal in a South window in sunshine.

Ursula said:I see an older yellow leaf, I wouldn't worry about. If new leaves also start to turn yellow, that might point to too much light or roots turning south or not enough water or "whatever" . But yes, you can easily burn a Phal in a South window in sunshine.

The light you see in the picture is pretty much the peak amount of light it gets. Is the ray of sun shining on the front philodendron too much? Is my medium okay? I learnt last night the poor orchid lived in Kroger before.

I am sorry, but I could not judge the amount of light just looking at this. I remember seeing gorgous, well grown Phals everywhere in Germany at a visit a few years ago. They all had one thing in common, lace curtains! I don't know which way all those windows faced, but I would think the lace was a perfect light filter. If one might imagine what it takes to duplicate that here and choose the similar amount of light?

In my opinion, that's the wrong pot for a Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis) or any other epiphytic orchid. I also think the Philodendron (Philodendron hederaceum var. oxycardium 'Brasil') should be in a small container of it's own or a dish garden with plants that prefer the same culture.

There's a thread here on our Orchid Forum with good information regarding Phal Orchids: The thread "🗣 Starting out with Phals/Supermarket Orchids 🛎 ✍️" in Orchids forum

Ursula said:I am sorry, but I could not judge the amount of light just looking at this. I remember seeing gorgous, well grown Phals everywhere in Germany at a visit a few years ago. They all had one thing in common, lace curtains! I don't know which way all those windows faced, but I would think the lace was a perfect light filter. If one might imagine what it takes to duplicate that here and choose the similar amount of light?

Hmm, I can imagine that type of light! I think I may have some similar places. If they do stress a bit, I guess I'll just have to buy some nice lace curtains! It honestly sounds very pretty to have orchids and lace curtains...

plantladylin said:There's a thread here on our Orchid Forum with good information regarding Phal Orchids: The thread "🗣 Starting out with Phals/Supermarket Orchids 🛎 ✍️" in Orchids forum

Thank you! I honestly am not worried about the philodendron as much, as I got it from Lowe's for 3 dollars. If it starts to stress, I'll just pop it out. Do you think it'll cause problems for the moth orchid, though?

Phalaenopsis orchids should have NO sunlight shinning on it with the possible exception of a little morning light for no more then an hour.
You should NEVER grow any orchid with a companion plant of ANY type including another orchid. Their watering requirements are just way too different!
Phalaenopsis grow equally well in clay or plastic, the watering frequency is adjusted for the pot type.
Direct sunlight = any sunlight that directly shines on the leaves of the plant.

BigBill said:Phalaenopsis orchids should have NO sunlight shinning on it with the possible exception of a little morning light for no more then an hour.
You should NEVER grow any orchid with a companion plant of ANY type including another orchid. Their watering requirements are just way too different!
Phalaenopsis grow equally well in clay or plastic, the watering frequency is adjusted for the pot type.
Direct sunlight = any sunlight that directly shines on the leaves of the plant.

You can't grow another phal orchid with another phal? Is it because the roots can suffocate each other? If I don't have to worry about the philodendron hurting or killing the orchid, I don't really care about keeping them together. I'll water and fertilize to the orchid's needs, and just pop the philodendron out if it gets stressed.

One reason you do not grow an orchid and a philodendron together is that the orchid ends up being in a pot that is too large for the root system. The orchid does not get the proper watering and it's health suffers.

An orchid is hard enough to learn how to grow for beginners or novices. And therefore you don't grow them together. Each in its own pot.
But if you want to grow them together be my guest. You're the one who asked how your orchid is doing. We tell you, advise you and if you choose to ignore the advice then it is on you. All we are trying to do is help.

BigBill said:One reason you do not grow an orchid and a philodendron together is that the orchid ends up being in a pot that is too large for the root system. The orchid does not get the proper watering and it's health suffers.

An orchid is hard enough to learn how to grow for beginners or novices. And therefore you don't grow them together. Each in its own pot.
But if you want to grow them together be my guest. You're the one who asked how your orchid is doing. We tell you, advise you and if you choose to ignore the advice then it is on you. All we are trying to do is help.

Whoa, talk about a salty attitude. I was just simply asking what the reasons behind your statements were. Your reasons were pretty vague. I have yet to find a truly logical reason why they shouldn't be grown together, but maybe Ursula has one. Like life, gardening isn't absolute, and believing there is only one way to do things or to live, is not good. I want to attempt to grow an orchid and philodendron together while catering to the orchid's needs, and if no one can give me a logical reason why I shouldn't, I'll do it.

I have given you a logical reason and you are just determined to do what you want to,
I bow to your thousand of seconds of orchid growing experience.

If you think I am "salty", you have no idea. And by the way, #832.

BigBill said:I have given you a logical reason and you are just determined to do what you want to,
I bow to your thousand of seconds of orchid growing experience.

If you think I am "salty", you have no idea. And by the way, #832.

Wow, you responded exactly how your profile description makes you sound. You gave me a reason that was general and did not apply to me specifically. Did you even read my post, or did you just want to be condescending? I'm sorry, but no matter how many "seconds" of experience you have, it doesn't give you the right to be snobby. Kindly move on from my post now, please.

Well, here is a reason - the Phal is an epiphyte and that philodendrum is a terrestrial. One grows in a tree and the other in the ground. I could imagine the different water requirement somewhat trickier to control. ( well, right now I am growing a Schomburgkia with a hitchhiking succulent. Happily both require full sun, so I am ignoring it. But perhaps 50 years of growing stuff gives me a tiny advantage. )
Now if you scan the threads here in the Orchid forum and take a count how many of the threads deal with Phals, you might realize that for days and weeks we are answering beginner questions on how to grow them. We repeat and repeat and repeat, truly patiently!
My question is, does anybody read these threads? Heck, I tried repeatedly to keep these Phal themed threads/questions combined so people like you actually have all the answers at their fingertips. I gave up!! So very few people look at these threads first, I am always tickled pink when somebody does!
Why do we answer the same questions over and over and over? Because we actually do try to help! But it might help to get a little cooperation too.
Ok, off my soap box now.

Invinceably ignorant