This poor thing sat in my office at work under a florescent light that never goes out, maybe wanted some dark?
I only watered it once a week and did nothing more. I decided to bring it home, re-pot it and feed it, and I painted a decorated a pretty pot just for it! Hope it all pays off.

Looks nice freedombel. Phals love more root zone aeration, just make sure that pot has good drainage. And are those old flower spikes that are done with its blooms? If it is starting to wilt, you can just cut it off so the plant can redirect energy to growing newer roots and foliage.

The pot is really pretty, you are so talented! It could use some holes in the sides to give your orchid more air to the roots, though.

The plant looks pretty healthy considering the office conditions you described.

In the pot those are just the sticks with clamps awaiting some flowering! Hope they do ok, too late to make holes in the sides of the pot.
So far still looking good, if they ever seem to ail I will do a pot with holes in the side for them.

Just give it time...plant maybe resting if it has previously bloomed. Leaves looks fairly happy.

Heh, I love the Quilt!

Ursula said:Heh, I love the Quilt!

Thanks, my mom made it for me for Christmas, and another one for the wall in other seasons. My
sister also makes quilts as did my grandma. No talent here in myself for that, mine is more of
flower gardening and simple crafts.

I forgot to mention, I got 2 orchids this size for $1.99 each and last week scored 4 mini ones for 49 cents each, gave my mom 2...at work in the floral dept. they are always throwing plants in the trash and I asked for a good deal and they
let me buy them for cheap! BTW, my re potted orchids are still doing great, so far so good.

I love rescuing orchids too..it allows me to learn more about them So rewarding if it gets back to its blooming form too.

tarev said:I love rescuing orchids too..it allows me to learn more about them So rewarding if it gets back to its blooming form too.

One of my minis has buds, will be a surprise to see what color they will be.

excited for you!

Well, my transplanted orchids still look happy. And one of my 49 cent ones has 3 areas that are going to bloom! My mom`s orchids really do
well, I asked her what she does, as far as watering she said she does what the tag says and gives them 3 ice cubes a week, I ask her how then
does she put in the orchid food and she said she sprinkles some on the ice cubes. Well, I melt the ice cubes and put in a bit of food because I
always water with room temp. water as I thought plants hate cold water....but seems to work for mom. I will take a picture when my mini orchard
blooms, whenever that is, seems like it has had the green balls for the flowers for awhile.

I think you are right about the ice cubes and cold water, Linda. Your mom's orchids may do ok with the ice cube treatment, but I'd bet if she just dripped on the same amount of water at room temp they would do even better. They do like their roots to dry out between waterings. It may be more important in the warm weather months to use warm water, so as not to shock the plants.

An orchid in the 'wild' would never, ever have 32deg. water rained on it. They just don't grow where that happens. I've always thought that ice cube treatment was a ploy by the mass producers of orchids for the big box stores to help their customers kill off their orchids faster so they would buy another one sooner.

Ice cube watering on Phals is a sales gimmick, "invented" by a huge Phalaenopsis Nursery in Oberlin, Ohio!I had a conversation a couple of years ago with a lady who worked at that place.
Here is the website
http://www.justaddiceorchids.c...

You are exactly right, Ursula. Apparently the nursery owner was trying to simplify watering (what is easier than putting an ice cube on the media?) and thus make his/her Phal. move faster. I guess it worked (sales ploy) but like most of you, I would never put 32F water on my orchids.

While I agree with you both in theory, my neighbor has one going on it's third year, and spiking, using the ice cube method. I really think that was devised to prevent over watering, which is the most often cause of death in Phals. I'm not willing to try it myself though.

Agreed. I would never ice an orchid either. It's just sad the lack of faith in people....if it was simply explained on plant tags (water this plant ONE TIME A WEEK with 1/4 c. of water) I think people could handle it...Or even if the simple definition of an epiphyte was on the tag (These plants grow on trees, not in dirt) I think these plants would have a much better chance. I've never seen an epi's habitat explained on a plant tag in any nursery, ever, anywhere. People can be ignorant but I would think more info is better than not enough.

I also don't understand how these plants find nutrients through an ice cube on their roots while sitting in someone's house...what about foliar feeding? Are they just getting nutrients through the decay of their potting medium?