Here is a link to a past thread where there is a link to a set of complete of culture notes for growers in Canada.

As far as cutting the flower spike off down to the node, do that, just for education and see what happens. Also read the FAQ (frequently asked questions) on that subject.

Welcome to the wonderful world of orchid growing and good luck with your new orchids

Here is a link that might be useful: New grower thread on Phalaenopsis

Thank you arthurm. I realize the chances of them thriving in this environment is slim but they were all free from work and I couldn't resist. I will try and keep them happy and most likely learn much in the process.

Welcome to the forum Patti Rose. Lots of people are highly successful with Phals in appartments so it could turn out well.

Read the FAQ and you will do fine.

Richard

Patti Rose, you're on your way!
Two things: If you have screens on your windows, or if they are as dirty as mine, you don't need the glass curtains. I have phals in my kitchen window facing east, with no curtain.
Also, you are right in thinking that their stay at the store was stressful. It's likely that they were chilled and overwatered. So gently tip them out of their pots and look at their roots. If the sphagnum is densely packed, thin it out so more air can reach the roots. If it is mushy, replace it. If the roots are mushy, trim them off with a new razorblade for each plant, dust them with cinnamon, and put them into new clean sphagnum. This is more important than the feeding.
Also, given what they've been through, don't feel too badly if a plant doesn't make it. Try again with something that hasn't been waiting for a buyer so long.
Best success!

My windows are screened and dirty, lol! Thanks for the tip.

Just checked the roots on all three. On two of them the roots are a green and white color, they are thick and fat and only take up the upper third of the six inch pot. The sphagnum looks loosely packed and better than any sphagnum I've ever seen.
On one plant a few of the roots have broken in places and are rather flat and mushy and black. I'm assuming that's rot? The sphagnum is very tightly jammed in there also. I removed it and am letting it sit naked for a couple hours to dry the roots up a little then I will cut and dust as you suggested and repack with new sphagnum. The roots on the top half are fat and green and white, it's the bottom half that are black and broken. A few are a yellow white color but broken off and flat and threadlike.

When I repack with new sphagnum should it be dry or misted? And when should I water next?

Patti Rose,
White and green roots are good;black and broken are bad. Just surgically remove the bad ones.
The new sphagnum doesn't have to be wet; I usually put it in dry as it stays fluffier that way. It's a good step to leave the roots dry out for a few hours.
Once you have them repotted, go with the regular watering routine--when the sphagnum gets dry and crispy on top, water; don't water when it's still damp. The basic idea is that the roots are nicely damp most of the time but not wet and certainly not wet and cold.
Good luck with them!

thank you so much!!

Patti Rose, welcome to the Forum. You may be at the beginning of a magical orchid adventure, depending on your capacity for addiction. :)

Margo's spot on about checking the roots. In addition to using a new razorblade for each plant, wash your hands between plants if the previous plant has had any raw tissue - if you've cut off black tips of green roots or trimmed live roots, for example.

For plants in sphag, fertilize every third watering. Most people can use tap water for watering, unless they soften their water. Softened water is death to orchids because of the salts. When water is softened, many people buy "RO," reverse osmosis water. Many grocery stores carry it.

"Leach" every third watering, which means fill up the pot 4 times with water. This washes out salts from the fertilizer so it doesn't burn the roots. Also, this is a good time to rinse off the leaves w/ water - between your fingers - to get off dust and maybe any pests or bacteria. The other watering is with regular water or RO, depending.

Pots - orchids need more drainage than most houseplants. If your Phals are in pots with one hole in the bottom for drainage, the sphag may not dry out soon enough and therefore, the roots may rot. Phal pots often have slits in the sides, as well as numerous holes in the bottom. If your pots have only one hole in the bottom, let us know, and we can suggest sources for Phal pots.

Phals can get direct sun till about 1:00 pm. Afternoon sun may be too strong.

Cutting a Phal spike back to the first node may result in smaller flowers and fewer flowers. If you cut the spike off at its base, once all the flowers have faded, the Phal will send up another spike with "regular" size flowers and perhaps more, IF cultural conditions are favorable. If you cut back to the first node of the spike, cultural conditions need to be favorable, too, for the Phal to put out a side spike.

As for humidity, I have quite a few Phals that have rebloomed for 3-4 years now in low humidity - 30%-40% during the winter. No humidity trays and no humidifier. As Margo said, wait till the sphag is crispy crunchy on top before watering.

Let us know how it's going for you.

Whitecat8

It's been a month since I've got these and they are not dead yet!

#1 is still in bloom, has healthy looking roots, leaves look okay. I just now loosened some of the spag as it was tight.

#2 just finished blooming and has a new leaf coming out YIPPEE! That means it's happy - right? I also loosened up the spag a little on it and the roots look good - no rot or brown nice and fat just like #1.

#3 is not doing well. It's the one that I removed the mushy black roots and dusted with cinnamon. 3 lower leaves are badly wilted and turning yellow, one leaf is just wilted but not yellow and the other 2 leaves are starting to wilt. It also just finished blooming and is the same kind of flower as the one with the new leaf.

Spag is slightly damp on all of them. Today is watering day and I'm thinking of waiting another day or 2 to water. Last week I gave them all a weak dose of fertilizer.

I have them on a pebble tray behind sheers facing West and I try to mist every day and clean the leaves every week. I pour the water through till it comes out the bottom, then I put them back on the pebble tray.

Is there anything I can do for the wilting one?
Am I watering too much?
Should the spag be dry before I water or still slightly damp?

I'm wondering if the wilt is due to the conditions in the bigbox store before I got it or if it is something I'm doing as it wasn't wilted a month ago.

Don't fuss too much. I find orchids thrive with benign neglect. Let them dry out completely or water when a little damp. It doesn't matter. I don't believe in checking roots, the plant will tell you when there is a problem.

Just leave well enough alone and try to enjoy.

Pattirose, Jane is right about not fussing too much.

Also about letting them dry out completely. The top of the sphagnum should be crispy dry--remember it stays moist in the middle much longer. Also, by misting you are probably dampening the moss too.

Your third plant might have had too hard a time to recover so don't take it too hard if it doesn't make it. Especially when your other two seem to be going strong!

Margo

Benign neglect - good because that's how I treat all my plants, I don't fuss. I do have to be careful with the light though. I have lost many a plant over the winter because of the lack of light compared to abundance of light in the summer.

Thanks for the replies.