Looks like a masterful job to me too!

Looks fine!

I do have one question yet. I have not cut the flowers off the main spike. As I put in my post, I am using the spike to keep the Phal steady in the pot at the moment since so many of its roots are near the top. I know that in order for her to direct her energies towards the roots it has to be removed but she did try to branch off the damaged second spike. It makes me wonder if she loses her blooms, she'll try and branch off what is left of that spike. So should I wait or remove them?

You should use a rhizome clip for stabilization, not the spike.
Large, mature Phalaenopsis can be allowed to rebloom on the same spike. This can be done by cutting the spike back to a 1/2" above the lowest node. Sometimes they do it from the tip of the spike. While the first set of flowers are blooming, they spike suddenly starts elongating making more buds,
The layer is alright but the prior is only a good idea on a vigorous mature plant. With younger plants, energy is best putbto use byvcreating more roots and leaves instead of more flowers.

Grow good roots Lisa and you will be rewarded with many beautiful flowers in the future.
I've also read that blooms that grow on "old" spikes are never as floriferous as new spikes.

I've read that if you're showing for judging, to cut off old spikes, but I don't show, so never cut off anything that is still green. I have new blooms and two budded branches on the spike that bloomed last year.

My fiancé gave me an orchid (2nd time he's done this) I put the first one in the window years ago and watered it like a regular plant, it died. 5 years later he got me another, as I've got a few house plants now I guess he thought I could handle it. He bought a pot and orchid mulch, and followed the instructions the salesperson gave him and repotted it before he gave it to me. I am reading now, this may jeopardize the plant. I have no idea what kind of orchid this is, and it's roots are sticking up above the mulch!! I can still see the dirt from previous pot, & I'm not sure if there's enough mulch/soil/potting mix covering it. I'm afraid to touch it since they are so sensitive. Should I try to repot him and stick those roots back down in there? He's already appearing to wilt and close up on me and I don't want to kill a second one. I understand it may not be my fault since he was trying to be nice and put it in a pretty pot for me and not give me "more work to do" by giving me an unpotted plant (lol), but I want to do what I can to help keep this one alive, it's so pretty! I will attach pictures. Please help me! It makes me super sad when I kill a plant due to lack of knowledge, and I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of info. On orchids when I try to research it myself. Thank you so much!

You should not pot them in any container that does not have drainage holes!
The reason the roots rise up out of the media is because they need oxygen to survive. Yours is a Phalaenopsis and that is just what they do.
Please take the time to read "starting out with supermarket orchids/Phalaenopsis" the thread or sticky within our orchid forums. They contain an infinite amount of information that will prove invaluable as you try your hand with orchids.
Basically yours needs to be in a bright location, no direct sun. The pot should only be as large as needed. Yours appears to be a bit too big. You water it well and let it approach dryness before you water again. YOURS is too dry!!!
The pieces within your "mulch" or media are too big. You need pieces that range in size from 3/8" to a 1/2". Those pieces are like big chunks! This causes watering difficulties, especially for beginners! They often end up watering too much or too little.
Welcome to the NGA and PLEASE read those forums about Phalaenopsis care.

Don't be discouraged by the roots coming out the mix. As Bill says, your Orchid is a Phalaenopsis and this is normal. I agree that it looks a bit dry and Bill gives good advice on repotting and the media to use.

Have a look at our sticky on these Orchids - The thread "🗣 Starting out with Phals/Supermarket Orchids 🛎 ✍️" in Orchids forum - to get a whole lot of information on how best to look after this type of Orchid.

Regarding the windowsill - Phalaenopsis don't like direct sun, so you may need to move your plant back a bit from the window.

Hello, my boyfriend recently bought me an orchid last week, however it appears to be sick. I don't know much about plants, it's the first I've had. I've been reading a lot about orchids, but I'm not sure if this plant has a virus or if it's something else. I have not yet tried to replant it, so far have only watered it. Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.

Seems to be under stress from not enough water.

This can easily saved.
Please read our sticky in our orchid forums about "Starting with supermarket Orchids/Phalaenopsis". You will fine several good ideas there about taking care of these orchids. Simply bright light, no sun and water as the plant starts to dry off.
We have many other threads there on Phalaenopsis care as well. Please refer to them.
If having done all of that please repost if you need clarification. to the NGA and welcome to the orchid forums!

Normally these can be saved. But- I really hope I don't sound too contradictory, but I would toss this one as fast as possible into the garbage!
I do not like the sunken areas in those leaves. Here is my reason for saying that: In the early nineties we saw a lot of Phals which developed these awful sunken areas. It would eventually effect every leaf until the plant simply died. It was contagious to the point that it could spread to other Orchids as well ( which didn't show those symptoms) and then infect newly purchased Phals.
The growers at the time would mumble something about a Microfungus, which I thought was just a diagnosis-word thrown out there. Whatever it was, it was deadly!
Again, I would toss it and then really follow Bill's advice and read our wonderful threads on the subject, which should give you the confidence to buy yourself another pretty plant. .....hopefully one with a normal color and nice healthy leaves.....
Welcome!

I am coming to everyone with my orchid problem. On Sunday at the club meeting I was fortunate to win this little cutie in the raffle! My basket of orchids went first and the next 2 tickets that were picked were mine. I took this little Maxillaria-


I put a quarter in for size reference. It was labeled as Maxillaria sp.? Now in spite of my experience with orchids, I have only grown 2 Maxillarias that I can recall, tenuifolia and variabilis. I know, I didn't believe it was only 2 but it is!
I can say it is a miniature with slender pseudobulbs 1.5cm Long by .3cm. Wide topped by grass like leaves that are up to 5 cm long by .3cm wide. I just had to have it figuring it would be a great underlights candidate! The only problem is, out of flower it seems hopeless to ID. But I have the uneasy feeling that I know this plant.
Can any one identify this??
Otherwise I will have to bloom this little sucker, then I should be able to figure out what it is.

I think this is a start of a new pseudobulb on my Inter-generic Cattleya Hausermann's Gala x Hausermann's Jade 'Lake View' but I'm not really sure. I found it peaking out at me just this morning. It's a different eye than I was watching and started to swell on the opposite side of the last growing season pseudobulb. (I didn't know orchids growths had a stealth mode )

Well that is a new growth. That is for sure!
We will be popping champagne before you know it to celebrate new flowers!

Bill, regarding your pretty Maxillaria. It was our experience during our Ecuador trip that whenever one couldn't identify an Orchid, it was sure a Maxillaria. There are dozens!

Lisa, it is always a good thing to see new growth!

Well I remember you saying that before. But vegatatively it reminds me a little of Maxillaria variabilis. This makes me confident in the genus but no more. I guess I will have to wait until it flowers.

BigBill said:I am coming to everyone with my orchid problem. On Sunday at the club meeting I was fortunate to win this little cutie in the raffle! My basket of orchids went first and the next 2 tickets that were picked were mine. I took this little Maxillaria-


I put a quarter in for size reference. It was labeled as Maxillaria sp.? Now in spite of my experience with orchids, I have only grown 2 Maxillarias that I can recall, tenuifolia and variabilis. I know, I didn't believe it was only 2 but it is!
I can say it is a miniature with slender pseudobulbs 1.5cm Long by .3cm. Wide topped by grass like leaves that are up to 5 cm long by .3cm wide. I just had to have it figuring it would be a great underlights candidate! The only problem is, out of flower it seems hopeless to ID. But I have the uneasy feeling that I know this plant.
Can any one identify this??
Otherwise I will have to bloom this little sucker, then I should be able to figure out what it is.

What a beautiful Maxillaria...but as you said, you will have to wait till it blooms. I have only grown Maxillaria tenuifolia. Love that coco smelling orchid.

Elizabethmary1 said:My fiancé gave me an orchid (2nd time he's done this) I put the first one in the window years ago and watered it like a regular plant, it died. 5 years later he got me another, as I've got a few house plants now I guess he thought I could handle it. He bought a pot and orchid mulch, and followed the instructions the salesperson gave him and repotted it before he gave it to me. I am reading now, this may jeopardize the plant. I have no idea what kind of orchid this is, and it's roots are sticking up above the mulch!! I can still see the dirt from previous pot, & I'm not sure if there's enough mulch/soil/potting mix covering it. I'm afraid to touch it since they are so sensitive. Should I try to repot him and stick those roots back down in there? He's already appearing to wilt and close up on me and I don't want to kill a second one. I understand it may not be my fault since he was trying to be nice and put it in a pretty pot for me and not give me "more work to do" by giving me an unpotted plant (lol), but I want to do what I can to help keep this one alive, it's so pretty! I will attach pictures. Please help me! It makes me super sad when I kill a plant due to lack of knowledge, and I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of info. On orchids when I try to research it myself. Thank you so much!

Hello there If it were mine, I would just cut off that bloom stalk, it is already done blooming. Or if the bloomstalk is staying green you can just wait and see if it can rebloom some more, or cut off a bit of the stalk, and it may try to branch a new spike. But honestly I rather remove the entire stalk, to allow the plant to refocus its energies to growing new roots and leaves. You can certainly repot in a new chunky orchid mix. I usually soak the new mix first overnight then I remove excess water and then repot. It will be good opportunity to inspect the condition of its entire root system too. Do understand, the plant will naturally rest for awhile. So while at rest, be mindful of watering. Do not overwater, observe intervals. It will show you again it is ready for active growing when it grows newer roots and leaves. Roots of Phals are quite thick, so it hates sitting in too wet media. Your container is good, lots of side air holes. The new flower spikes will come again more towards Fall.