Keith, as in the wild, orchids get nutrients from the stuff that falls on them from the sky and the tree canopy. It's a constant, very dilute supply, so you can continue to fertilize while your orchid has blooms. If yours is a Phalaenopsis, it most likely won't bloom again until next spring, so grow that baby this summer for great blooms next year!
Most of us fertilize by spraying very weak fertilizer all over the plants at least every week. During the summer here, I spray fertilizer every time I water, because we have sudden rain showers that rinse all the goodies away. Also in warmer weather, the plants are growing faster and can use more.
They're epiphytes so they absorb a lot of nutrients, if not most through their leaves. The roots are really designed more to hold the plant in place, rather than to absorb water and nutrients. So don't be too worried about keeping the roots damp. But it is a very good idea to keep a saucer near or under your orchids, filled with water and pebbles to keep the pots from touching the water. This will keep the humidity up around the plants.
