Question
Hello. I'm very new to orchid culture and need help.I bought a moth orchid in November 2009. It was in two pots, and when I removed it from the outer pot, to my horror the inner pot was sitting in 1/2 inch of water. Its former owner said it came  from a supermarket, it was an ice cube orchid, and it should be given three ice cubes every week. No label. After reading  about orchids, I decided that could not be a good way to care for it. I took it out of its inner pot and saw that it had only three roots, and only one looked anything close to healthy. So I just put it back in its pot and tried to meet its light, water and temperature needs. It came with two flower spikes and twelve  flowers that lasted three months.  Then, new flowers bloomed from little bumps that were already on the tips of the old spikes. The second group of flowers are the same size as the first, but they are a different color that I think is ugly. Does this usually happen? Will all future flowers (how optimistic is that for a beginner!) be like the new ugly ones? Or will a new spike revert to the original colors? I've not repotted it yet because it has flowers, and it looks like a new flower spike is forming at the base of the plant, and two nodes on the spikes have a new something starting to grow from them. Should I repot anyway? It has  also gotten a  beautiful new leaf, and a healthy  new root since November. I have never fertilized it because I read that one should not do so while the plant is in bloom. Is that true? Also, the plant is crooked and keeps leaning over sideways in its pot, even though it has a stick attached to each spike. Is there a way to correct this? It has fallen out of its pot four times already.  Thank you.

Answer
Thank you Judith for your questions.  Yes, under the circumstances, you should repot.  Be sure to use fir-bark based orchid potting mix and be sure to soak it well prior to use. Repot to a plastic pot with lots of drainage holes.  I wonder if you have one plant or two separate plants.  The idea of one plant being in two pots is unusual, hence I think you actually have two different plants.  This, also, might account for the different bloom colors. The only time I have seen a plant have different bloom colors is a color change with flower age and that is on the same flowers. If my suspicion is correct, you have one plant with "ugly" flowers and a second plant with more desirable flowers.  Both should bloom true to the way they have bloomed.  When you repot, see if you can determine where you can separate these plants.  You can then separate them and pot them up separately.  It is not unusual to find store bought plants packaged this way.  The grower simply failed to separate two young plants and potted them up together and they may take on the appearance of one plant.

It is typical for a large phalaenopsis plant to grow leaning in one direction.  This may be because the plant is top heavy and/or because the plant is growing toward the light.  When you repot, with a deep enough pot, you should be able to reposition the plant upon repotting so the pot better supports the plant.  Since root mass helps stabilize the plant when repotting, this would work best if the three roots provide good anchoring for the plant. If not, you will need to do a creative job in repotting to use the potting mix to help stabilize the plant.

What you have read or heard about repotting after flowering is correct.  However, if the plant has lost root mass, the potting mix is broken down, and/or you have new flower spikes and/or roots beginning, these are the exceptions that break the rule for repotting.  Since the plant has been grown wet, soaking the fresh potting mix before use will provide a stable transition between the old and new potting mixes.  After repotting, give the plant(s) a week or more to dry down to a more stable watering schedule of once weekly.

Thank you for your observations on the "ice watering" approach.  I don't know who came up with this "innovative idea".  I know of no reputable growers who use this approach-- nor do I.  Generally, when watering, use luke warm room temperature water.  Roots do not like to be cold or cool from ice melt and that can promote rot.  Let me know if I have overlooked any of your issues and I'd be happy to address any followup questions.