Question
I am new to orchids and trying to learn fast so I don't kill my two new babies.
#1: Dendrobium.  Stick says Alcera. Maku's Sunrise.

My daughter in law gave this to me for my BD, late August (NY).  Total trauma on the long trip home- feel out of the pot, 2 flowers broke off (1 left).  I immediately repotted in  slightly larger pot (4"), potted in bark, spag moss atop, gave it low / filtered light for 2 weeks to adjust and now it's in a west window.  
?  Plant detail:  Mother plant has one add'l side cane and a stray leaf.
?  Light:  West window, now filtered in PM.
?  Humidity: hot air makes us very dry = very low; spray daily = stem, leaves and moss
?  Water: 2x/week with orchid food (1/4t/1/2 gal water).  House water is softened but I use the water from reverse osmosis system in kitchen.  I try to remember to keep the pebble tray wet but not as often as I could.

3 weeks later Status, 9/19/06:  All flowers are now gone.  A new cane just emerged from the base of the mother plant (about 2" in one week).  Leaves are starting to go a little yellow so I am filtering sun in late PM.  

Questions:  
From what I've read, this baby should be finished for this year in NY.  Any info you can provide is greatly appreciated.
?Am I doing the right things?  
?What to do with the new cane this time of year?
?When I spray water sits in the center.  Is this OK for this variety?
?Winter here is very cold and coming soon.  Expectations and suggestions for this variety at this time of year will be appreciated.

#2:  I since bought an Oncidium, looks like a Brassius Shooting Star.  
Flowers lasted 1 month, gorgeous.  Died off now.  Expectations and suggestions for this variety at this time of year will also be appreciated.  

Book suggestions also appreciated.  Thank you!
Joanne


Answer
Thanks for the detail Joanne.

Dendrobium Sunrise is a "nobile" dendrobium.  That means it likes cool temperatures and could be deciduous (ie some of all of the leaves could turn yellow and fall off. During the winter, these normally have a prolonged rest period.  By watering, you are "waking up" this baby when it should be going to sleep.  Dendrobiums need to be tightly potted. I recommend that it be potted in a clay pot and a pot no larger than will acccommodate the roots. Use rhizome clips and/or bamboo stakes to clamp the cane(s) tightly so the plant is firmly anchored in its pot.  West window is fine. Suspend all watering and feeding.  Misting is good-- only in the morning.  Pebble try is good.  I would not try to support the new growth when the plant should be going into a rest period.  In the spring, when the new growth should come, and does, you can resume watering and feeding.
Alcera does not have canes so that must be a misplaced tag.

Brassia Shooting Star should be easy to grow.  A west window is fine.  Water once per week.  When new growth comes, use a fresh orchid mix to repot the plant.  At that time you can start to feed weekly, weakly (1/4 tsp/ gal of water) of a balanced fertilizer (ie all of the numbers are about the same such as 20/20/20).

Both of these plants would like to be summered out in a semishaded location next year after danger of frost is gone.  They are fine with temps in the 40's.

Remember that more orchids are killed with kindness.  Do not overwater or overfeed.  Better to underwater and underfeed.