Just bought an Orchid and confused!! Photos inside

[angelic]

I just bought an Orchid for my mom for her bday next week. I also bought her cut ones for mother's day so I wanted to wait until next week to give her the potted one.

Anyway, I just bought it and the florist told me the 3-4 cubes a week idea. I got home and did some googling and found out this isn't recommended but after all of the reading I did I am more confused than ever!

I took some photos of the Orchid as well so everyone can see. It's in a plastic pot that's inside of a ceramic pot. The plastic pot has holes throughout the bottom. I just picked it up about an hour ago so I'm not going to water it until the morning.

Please give me ideas to keep this plant from dying!!! and what is that hanging over the pot!?

[Zoi2]

Welcome to the OB!! That's a beautiful phal.
Do not water with the ice cube method. I don't know why a florist would tell you to do that. When you water, take the plastic pot out of the ceramic one, and water with tepid water. Wait until the water has drained out before replacing in the ceramic pot. Orchids don't want their roots in standing water. That's an aerial root coming out, it's normal and you might want to mist it to keep it alive. Water orchids when the roots are silver/white. No water if roots are green.
Joann

[sisyphus]

I agree with Joann use tepid water and a weak fertilizer. I seen at Wal Mart orchids stating the same thing. If you only have one orchid when you water feel the weight of the pot and you have an idear of when to water.

dan

[angelic]

Thanks for the responses!

Yeah a florist told me about the ice cubes. I went to a local 1800flowers.com store and the florist even said that she uses 3-4 ice cubes a week to care for her own.

The aerial roots were silver/white looking, especially the one hanging over the pot. But that one is also partially torn so should I cut it where it's torn or just leave it alone?

I just finished watering it and I have it draining in the kitchen sink for a little while. It will be sitting on my counter by a window but I assume I should keep the curtains closed so that it doesn't burn. My window faces North and the curtains are a cream color...not black out ones. The temp also dropped a bit in Chicago (50's) so should I keep that window closed also?

[Zoi2]

I'd just leave the aerial root alone. Phals do need light and a North window is not really bright enough, especially with curtains. Do you have an East window? or South with sheer curtains? They also like humidity.
Joann

[RosieC]

I would agree with Joann's watering advice.

If you can see the roots at all through the inner pot you should make sure they turn silver/white between each watering.

When you water, water thoroughly but let it drain before putting back in the outer pot.

I would also agree that it needs more light that a shaded north window. I have mine in an unshaded east window, but I don't know what your light levels are like where you are.

[Joanie]

You can re water your phal when the potting medium dries out. You can stick a bamboo skewer in to check the moisture down in the pot as the medium may be dry on top but wet further down.