new orchid, help from making the same mistakes

[RosieC]

I've heard good things about that mix in the past here on OB. I've not tried it simply because I'm in the UK, so I can't comment from personal experience.

[WhiteRabbit]

I too have thought I could manage Phals in moss for a little while til they were done blooming, but it didn't work for me either. It obviously CAN be done. Just can be a very big challenge for lots of us.

[Eyebabe]

There is an article in May AOS Orchid magazine about potting Phal's in New Zealand sphagnum moss which evidently dries from the bottom up...thus you can tell when they need to be watered b/c the top of the moss is dry. It is very interesting.
I myself use either bark mix or Aussie Gold b/c I tend to overfuss and overwater.

[Orchid126]

Try the skewer method of watering. Take a shishkabob skewer, trim it down and keep it in the medium. The next time you think the plant needs watering take it out and touch it to your lip, cheek, or the back of your hand. If it's wet, don't water. If it's nearly dry, water. How wet or dry the skewer is before you water will depend on the type of orchid. Phals like to be wet and then almost, but not quite dry before being watered again.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I recommend removing the plant from the pot, asap. Check the roots and see if the roots in the middle are rotting.

The way your Phal is potted will deceive you into thinking that it's okay.

Why?

Because you're seeing the healthy roots that are hugging the inside lining of the pot, but there's no way for you to tell what's happening in the middle of the pot, where a large majority of the roots most likely are.

The moss looks very tightly packed in there btw.

As for your question about how often to water...

I think a good point of reference would be to look at in-situ pics of wild Phalaenopsis on Flickr. When you get to the Flickr home page, look for the search bar and type in "Phalaenopsis in-situ" in the field. You should be able to pull up pictures of Phals in the wild.