Question
My orchid (not sure what kind) had a stem with buds that looked like they would bloom in the next few weeks - it then started oozing a sticking sap-like substance out of the buds & now the buds are withered and dead looking.  Any thoughts?

Answer
Hello Kris,

Knowing what kind of orchid you have would make answering your question a lot easier but I'll go ahead and try to offer some ideas.  A photo could help in identifying what kind of orchid it is.  

At first while reading your question, my thought was that the oozing sap was fairly normal but when you said the bud withered and died I'm not sure that it is normal.  Many orchids when growing happily will ooze a little sap from the flower buds but since yours withered, that would indicate it wasn't happy with something.  

Are there any other buds on it and if there are, do they still look okay?  If they are, let's hope they continue to grow and mature into flowers.  One question I have is if there are any fruits nearby?  If there are, that could be why the bud died as ripening fruits can emit a gas that is deadly to buds and flowers.  Another thing is if there is a heater or a/c vent close by, sudden temperature changes can cause the same to happen.  These two are the most common causes for buds dying.  

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but hope this heled a little.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.