Hi, again, Wishful, Just a clarification, first ~ Sending you off to read another thread of the Orchid forum was not intended as a "brush-off." I thought it would be the quickest way for you to get some good information on the culture of your Phal. The following are based on some things I have learned about my Phals and are personal opinion, not edicts handed down from any oracle of orchid culture. It is a very good sign that you have had your Phal for a year and a half, and that it has grown several good new leaves. You are keeping its pot out of water and it apparently likes terracotta (which helps to provide good even drying between waterings). As Orchid126 suggests, your Phal should benefit from being closer to your east window--much closer. It needs bright, indirect sunlight. Also, if it were Close to the window in your climate it would get that night time temperature drop that it needs to initiate a flower spike. To deflect heat coming directly up from the heating vent, you could get (or rig) a heat deflector for the vent--or even put the plant on a larger plant tray placed on a plant rack (or shelf) right at the window. I live in a Very dry place, do not use a humidifier, and rarely mist my Phals (except for their aerial roots, and those only occasionally). They have never shown signs of needing additional humidity. Watering on time seems to provide all the moisture they need. Speaking of aerial roots, I don't worry about those, either. Some Phals are very sedate (root-wise); others seem to like to kick up their "heels." Heck; let 'em express themselves. Your air circulation sounds fine, and, close to the window, convection currents will only increase. If anything, your temperatures are a bit on the warm side. In winter, our inside daytime temps are between 68 and 75. Night temps next to the glass doors where my Phals are can dip to around 60 degrees--or a few degrees cooler. As soon as this starts, they spike. They seem to love it cool at night. Your watering sounds fine, judging from the survival and growth of your Phal. Of course, we all want to water perfectly, but it is better to underwater than to overwater. A lot of new growers get nervous way before 7 or 9 days go by. Since conditions can change with the seasons, check with a rounded skewer, Qtip, or your finger (my preferred--3" or knuckle deep). If it is cool to your lip or finger tip, it still has moisture. (If you make a hole in the medium, gently close it over.) Ok; I've said enough. Do check out that other thread and give the forum some feedback to let us know when your Phal Spikes! Sc

Most important that orchids do not sit in water so provide better drainage by putting some stones into the bottom of the outer pot until you can repot it After the blooms fade or in the spring is a good time to repot and many how-to videos when you do a search on your computer. Water seems good, plant needs to dry out between waterings. Needs more frequent watering in summertime. fertilize weakly-weekly and use urea-free fertilizer. BTW phals are ony orchid I know of that can be repotted in bloom; if you want to try it. You can take it to an orchid nursery and staff will repot for you for a fee and you can watch too. Also water in early AM so leaves can dry off and also make sure no water is in the center of plant where the leaves meet; this can lead to black rot and then you have lost the plant. Good Luck!

Louise, First, you might want to start a new thread for this. You have jumped in on the tail end of a three year old thread, and a lot of folks may just be looking over it. I'm located in the center part of South Carolina, USA and have very little experience with potting in sphagnum (in this part of the world we tend to prefer the fir bark mixes), so I'll leave potting mix preferences to someone else to comment on. Generally speaking the orchid plants sold in the "big box" stores and florist shops in the USA come double potted. the plant and potting mix are growing in a clear slotted plastic pot that is nested inside the heavy ceramic un-drained outer pot. This is the reason most new growers loose their first few orchid plants. It sounds like your plant was actually planed in the heavy non draining pot, and you have taken all the necessary steps to give it the best chance of survival. If your new plastic pot only has one or two holes in the bottom, consider cutting additional openings in the side of the pot for additional ventilation. Enclosing the pot and plant in a plastic bag increases the humidity around the plant, and this is good. You may also want to consider putting a few holes in the top and bottom of the outer bag to increase air flow. You want to enclose this plant in an atmosphere that has lots of humidity and warmth, and a bit less light than normal until the plant begins to grow. It also needs air flow to prevent any standing water from accumulating around the roots. The roots need to be moist in the potting mix, but not wet. Epiphytic orchids grow in the jungles attached to trees and rocks that are covered with moss, lichens, and other plants. When it rains, they get soaked, but as soon as it stops raining they begin to dry off. You need to duplicate this for your other orchids, but for this one plant that is already having problems, increasing humidity, temperature, and air flow without allowing standing water to collect around the roots is the proper method to deal with it.. This process is slow, and does not always produce the desired results, but when it does, it produces a great deal of satisfaction for a new grower, not to mention the knowledge and experience you have gained from the experience. Good luck. Bill

Should be okay. I would take the plastic out of the pot and water it in the sink to let the water drain out, then put the plastic back in the pot. When the roots get wet, they will green up.