Question
Hi there!
I recently bought Orchid. I did not have a lable but I suspect it is Phalaenopsis with intense deep purple/pink flowers. It's standing next to the window(facing South) in the kitchen. It does not get any direct sunlight but the room is very bright and is regulated with blinds. We usually do not cook in the kitchen and probably the humidity is normal in our apartment. If you could help me and explain how should I water my plant, I'd appreciate it very much. It has probably 4 flowers and 6 more buds. The leafs are bright green with no yellow color.
Thank you very much!


Answer
Hello Buka,

If your orchid is a phalaenopsis, here is how to care for it.  You've already found a good place to grow it.  

Phalaenopsis love to have moisture around their roots but not constant wetness.  Water it when the potting mix becomes barely moist rather than on a set schedule of X number of days.  When temperatures are very warm in summer, this can mean watering it every 3 to 7 days while in winter it may be every 7 to 10 days or longer.  Temperature should be between 60 to 85 F with humidity above 50%.  But, in the early fall allow the temperature to go down to 55 F in the evening for 3 weeks, this will tell the phal. that it is time to get ready to produce blooms.  Feed it a balance type fertilizer that is recommended for orchids, but use 1/4 the amount suggested as phals. do not require lots of fertilizer.  It would be beneficial if there is an occasional breeze or some light air movement around it.  

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.