Take them out of the bags and replant in orchid pots. Use an orchid mix so they drain well. Phals grow and die slowly. Think glacial speed. You may see some of the bottom leaves yellow and die. Don't worry about that. Next you will see a new leaf start in the top. Then new roots coming from the bottom. I water mine every 4-5 days in the summer and every 6-7 days in the winter. If you are successful keeping them alive you may see a flower spike starting in November or December. Then blooms that last for 3-6 months. Good Luck.

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

Yes on pictures! Get maxi-crop. It is an organic root stimulator. Find it on the web. use once a week for 6 weeks then once every 2 weeks. Can be added to fertilizer. I get the home depot stuff, Orchid plus, not the bloom booster. Get a spray bottle and mist the roots in the air daily. What is the humidity?

I live in Toronto Canada, cold snowy winter conditions for months now. My orchids are always indoors, and yes the house has been rather dry for a while without a whole lot of ventilation. I never take my orchids outdoors. I already have too much trouble controlling bugs on my 2 large hibiscus plants that I keep outdoors every summer as otherwise they don't bloom too well and also because they take up a lot of space indoors. I keep spraying with insecticidal soap and neem oil, as soon as I stop the little white mites are back......a few days ago I sprayed with diluted H2O2, will see how this goes... The growing medium for my orchids is bark, specific for orchids it said on the bag, but don't know what kind. I have been watering them every week to 10 days with some orchid fertilizer most of the time, with plain water in between. I have not spritzed them for months... I used to take each orchid to the sink for watering, lift it out of the ceramic pot to drain, then replace. But lately I have been lazy and just watered them on the spot with all the rest of the plants in the same location , a bay window. All of my other plants are in pots with drainage holes and sitting on a plate allowing for drainage. But the orchids came with a cheap plastic pot with a drainage hole and an outer ceramic pot without. I do now realize that I have to change this system. How do you tell the difference between black rot and mold, and would both not present similar problems and spread ? I will spray the outer pot with H2O2 today. In fact I was thinking of spraying the bottom roots of the plant with perhaps a diluted version as well. Some people on youtube suggested this, but others warned against this method, that is why I asked for help on this forum...I really appreciate your help Jane, thanks for taking time out for answering!