Caring for houseplants, and that is what orchids in the home are, is not intuitieve nor 'easy'. It can be easier than it is sometimes made (i.e. 'it's easy when you know how) but specialist knowledge needs to be on hand. Someone with basic knowlege of houseplant culture would know that a 1/2 cup of water (4 ounces) is nothing. Nor would repeating an application of four ounces of water in 24 hours be cause for alarm. When I get new plants I hit each of them with a full quart (24 ounces) because I don't know when they last had a drink and also I want to get them started on my schedule. The lions share of that quart will run out of the pot but I can be certain the bark is well wetted. I am not certain of what could cause new plants to decline so spectacularly in so short a time but it is probably environmental: draft, too close to heat register, too cold, too hot, etc. I think the present plants are a write-off. If the o.p. really wants to get involved with orchids and try again I would suggest getting the "All About Growing Houseplants" by Ortho as well as their "All About Growing Orchids". I've seen the houseplant title for 99 cents. FWIW. H

If you want to try again, do you have Trader Joe's where you are? Their orchids are super and not expensive. The only catch is that most of the time they are planted in spaghnum moss, which is a tricky growing medium. Too wet. Check to be sure the orchid has viable roots (you can lift it out of it's ornamental pot and easily see the roots through the clear plastic) The orchids at least are in pots with slits already, though they are temporary (inserted in other more stable pots. Also some roots above the "soil" line are good, as they are usually in great shape. What you do, is get one you like (phalaenopsis is a really good choice as they are pretty tough), and be prepared with a pot slightly bigger than the one they sell the plant in and medium orchid bark. do not hesitate to repot it immediately. Like the moment you get home. You can cut the plastic pot off with scissors, two cuts opposing each other. Make a nice BIG mess carefully extracting the spaghnum, starting in the middle where the roots are likely dead. Be careful of the roots, only removing the rotten ones. If it smells bad, be sure to dust with Rootone, otherwise not really necessary, though I usually do it. Hold the plant suspended over the new pot in the right position with one hand, and gradually pour in the bark with your other. Give the pot a shake or knock periodically to get the bark to settle amongst the roots. Water once in your kitchen sink, set it in a tray or on a plate in moderate light, then don't water for a couple weeks. meanwhile, it shouldn't even blink unless something was wrong with it to start. My feeling, and others might disagree, is that it is more risky to leave the plant in the soggy spaghnum than to repot immediately. As for your one that is dying, you can see water in the bottom of the pot, so for some reason it didn't really drain. Orchids REALLY need good drainage. Good luck next time around! Janine

In my experience and from what I've read, you can repot Phals that are blooming and trim roots in the process. Full-strength bottled lemon juice and lime juice on a paper towel have removed spots on my Phal leaves when they've just arrived from a commercial grower. I've never rinsed off the leaves right after but make sure there's no liquid in the crown. I've used RealLemon and RealLime 100% Juice from concentrate, manufactured by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group. However, the leaves have never had a white film on them. If your lime juice doesn't work, perhaps the grower can offer options. WhiteCat8 Here is a link that might be useful: RealLime Juice

Sean, a belated welcome, A couple of my earlier messages to you haven't posted here. You have my sympathy and empathy with your orchid loss, especially because it was a thoughtful and special gift for your GF, and she's loved it so. You've gone to great lengths to save this plant. Not many folks would have done that. Kudos to you. Dunno if this will help ease the loss for the two of you, but the beloved Phal could have been doomed before you got it because of the no drainage factor. The only retailers who raise orchids to last beyond that one (unnatural) flowering are the smaller commercial orchid growers, and some of those mistreat their plants, so you end up with poor quality too. You're in good company: virtually every orchid hobbyist lost at least a few of their first orchids. After you and your GF have had a chance to talk, & if you decide to get another orchid, I have two suggestions that will increase chances the new orchid will thrive and bloom again (no guarantees, unfortunately - we're talking orchids. :)). First, as Jane said, get Ortho's All About Orchids by Elvin McDonald; Meredith Books, 1999. It's a paperback, and Amazon's got them new for $2.79! Then there's shipping from their vendor, but the book was about $20 @ Home Depot a couple of years ago. The Ortho book's only 96 pages long and has guided tons of folks to success. After the two of you have skimmed through the book... Second suggestion - order a Phal from a grower who sells online. Picking out the new Phal together could help brighten your moods. There are lots of good growers who sell online, and folks here will suggest solid growers, if you decide to go that route. We can also tell you which Phals might be easier than others. One drawback is a new plant may not arrive in spike (have a "stem" maybe long enough to have buds on it already), or in bloom (flowers open). That's because the orchid's environment hasn't been messed with to force it to bloom way out of its natural cycle, like orchids you find in stores, even garden centers. This process could have compromised your orchid's health, too. But, you're in luck - this is the time of year lots of Phals are in spike. I live in Minneapolis, MN and see you're in SE Nebraska. We're geographically challenged in the orchid world. There may be small commercial growers kinda near you or your GF's school, but none that sell online as far as I know. Also, the only show around here where you can buy orchids is in conjunction with the St. Paul Winter Carnival in January, and only a few vendors attend. It's the absolute worst time to buy an orchid cuz of its exposure to cold temps. People in Chicago, S CA, FL, and farther up the E coast live in paradise re: lots of good growers and big shows throughout the year. I'll be thinking about you two. Please let us know how it's going. Whitecat8 Here is a link that might be useful: Ortho's All About Orchids, Amazon.com