Question
I received an orchid as a gift.  The only tag on it is labeled "phal. snowappel".  It has lost it's flowers and I would like to know howto get it to re-bloom.  I just noticed today that it has grown what appear to be tubers of some sort at the base, underneath the leaves.  Are these roots, coming out, which means I have to repot it?  Any assistance you can give me wouldbe greatly appreciated.

Answer
Hello Brenda,

Now that the flowers are gone on your phalaenopsis Snow Apple, it would be a good time to repot it.  Before starting, gather the supplies you will need such as large orchid bark and potting tools (shears or cutters).  To repot it, remove it from the pot then clean off as much of the old mix from the roots.  Also remove any roots that may be soft and mushy.  Place some bark in the pot then lower the phal into it then add more bark around it while holding the phal near the center of the pot.  That's about it.  

Getting it to re-bloom isn't that hard either if you keep it growing happily.  Phalaenopsis love bright indirect sunlight, temperatures between 60F to 85F, humidity above 50%, some light air movement around it.  Water and feed it a balance type orchid fertilizer when the orchid bark becomes barely moist.  

Those tubers you see are probably new roots growing, late summer is a time of growth but not blooming for most phals.  

By the way, is this what your phalaenopsis flower looked like?  Copy and paste this link into your browser:   http://www.easyorchids.co.uk/shop/product.php?productid=16822&cat=251&page=3

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.