I have a phalaenopsis orchid?

when do they quit growing. where do i cut off the dead flower's how often do i water. it my first time growing a orchid

I have a phalaenopsis orchid?
I have about 50 orchids flourishing on my windowledges. Many of them are phalaenopsis. They don't stop growing if their conditions are met. Mine bloom twice a year and the blossoms last 3-4 months.



Don't cut off the dead flowers. Let the stems of the flowers turn from green to yellow, and the individual flowers will drop off on their own. Eventually the entire flower spike will dry up and turn brown. Don't cut it off until the flower spike stem is withered and dry because occasionally the plant will send another surge of blooming activity up that same spike and you'll get another branch of flowers. Or, the plant will set a "keiki" or baby plant along the old flower spike.



My orchids enjoy being in a more humid environment than my south and west windowledges can give them, so I increase each plant's local humidity. I recycle old heavy plastic containers or deep glass dishes (loaf pans and 1.5 gal icecream tubs work great) and set the plants into the containers over 1/2" of pebbles. Any extra water drains into the container and makes a humid microecosystem. Fertilize weekly and weakly.



Have fun!
Reply:These are easy plants. Water once a week. Pick up dead flowers once a year. Maybe provide a little humidity. Maybe feed it. I still have the ones that I got in the 80s. Water once (or twice) a week (it's dry here). And never remove a live flower stalk (it will flower from it next year, or maybe even this year)



The dead flowers usually fall off by themselves, or if you can't wait, you can cut each wilted flower close to the stalk. Your next flower stalk will likely emerge from the old one. Mine tend to emerge from the end of the stalk the next year, making the stalk longer and longer (sometimes from the middle). For this reason, some growers like to cut the stalk back to a point above the where the 2nd or 3rd flower had been, which forces the next stalk(s) to emerge near that spot. I don't bother. After the 1st flowering or (several years later) the 7th(?) flowering... well, eventually, the stalk will die. When that happens, I just cut it off completely. New stalks emerge from the base of a leaf. In other words, I pretty much leave it alone.



You can get orchid food. There are many manufacturers. Most make 2, one to promote plant growth %26amp; one to promote flower production. You can check the orchid/plant food labels for when to change types. I'm a bit frugal, I went out and got a liquid balanced fertilizer. My water is alkaline, so I figured that an african violet (acidic) fertilizer would work well. By balanced, I mean it is a 7-7-7. (That could also mean 3-3-3 or 8-8-8, etc.). I gave it a try many years ago and found that they grew just as well and made just as many flowers as with the fancy stuff, but I'm no expert.



I live in a very dry area. To compensate I have a humidity pebble tray (with water). I got myself one of those little 2-3" deep trays that are made for drawer organizing, then filled it 1/2 - 2/3 deep with pebbles %26amp; water. The pots sit on top of the rocks and stay dry, but the evaporating water keeps the plants in a humid enough environment that they stay happy. I'll replenish it on watering days, if the runoff from watering isn't enough, then I'll add some more water. There are some nice decorative "pebbles" these days, like glass pebbles, or epoxy coated pebbles (like in fish tanks). It looks OK, you can get fancy, or plain depending on your budget.



They don't like sitting in a south or west window (north of the equator). If you live in the tropics, they can grow outside. It almost never snows here, so I don't have to move it to a warmer spot in winter.



Have fun!
Reply:water once or twice a day. When the plant like the stem with the flower dies cut it at the VERY BOTTOM. they stop growing during the cold or super hot they usaly last 1 or 2 3 if ur lucky



good luck
Reply:Orchids need a good watering once or twice a week (not a day!). They do not like to sit in water, so take to the sink, let water runn through for a few minutes, let it drain and then put back in place. The flowers will usally fall off once they are done, or you can just pull off at the stem.

gary