General Phal Care

[The Rookie]

Hi all. Please bear with me, this is my very first post! So I have a few questions about my phal. Currently I own four phals and the first one I purchased had all it's blooms fall about 3 weeks ago. I cut the spike down to above the 2nd node and dipped the tip in cinnamon. I recently (about two weeks ago) re-potted it and used black gold's orchid potting mix. It says it is for epiphytes, but it seems like there may be too much soil and not enough bark in the mix. Has anyone had any success, or bad experiences with this particular mix. I read a review about miracle gro's orchid mix saying that it had too much soil and that it almost killed someone's phal so I'm a bit gun shy now. My phal seems to be doing ok, however I know nothing about what to look for in the roots, plus even if I did, I can't see the roots below the potting mix, only a few "air"roots. What I can see are the leaves, there are four and three are a beautiful green, firm, and seem to be healthy. The fourth, a bottom leaf is turning yellow, but from what I understand that just means a growth spurt is about to occur. I suppose I am being a bit paranoid, but this particular phal is the first orchid I purchased and it was in memory of my mom. Silly I suppose.
My next question is if I should invest in a light or two for them. They are all sitting in my windowsill, however I live in a basement so the light NEVER shines directly in here or on the plants. The window faces the south as well so I was thinking maybe they weren't getting enough light especially living in the wet northwest!!
Lastly I have an oncidium (Sharry baby?) on it's way along with some mounting media. Does anyone have any basic care tips for this particular plant/set up? I will be mounting it to cork bark and use sphagnum moss over the roots. I know that they require much more frequent watering than potted plants so I intend on watering it at least once daily unless it shows signs of over watering.
Any other suggestions are much appreciated!!
Thanks all!!!

[Zoi2]

There is a LOT of phal info on this link that may be of interest to you.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ends-here.html
Your basement south window should be fine, if the leaves start getting a red-purple tint they are getting enough sun.
I am not familiar with the potting mix you used, is it heavy? Phals like air on their roots so you want something that does not compact when you water. Using a clear plastic pot is helpful as you can see your roots and know when to water. Roots that are green are ok, silvery/white need water.
The bottom yellow leaf could be natural die off or a root problem. If your roots are healthy, I wouldn't worry about the leaf and let it fall when its ready.
If you're going to mount your 'Sharry Baby', get a large piee of cork, these plants can get big.
Joann

[scy]

If it is like the Miracle Gro's Orchid Mix, then it needs to be switched as the mix is too fine for phals. It will be too moist for the roots, which may lead to root rot. It is more for terrestrials like cymbidiums. It is important to look at the roots to make sure that they are in good condition. They should be firm and not mushy. Mushy roots are dead roots and should be trimmed off with sterilized instruments. I would also google a video on how to repot. Hope this helps!

[piaffe97]

I have to agree about repotting, definitely do it! When I first repotted my Phals, I You-tubed videos on how-to and they were very helpful. I have all of mine in clear pots and it's so much easier to keep an eye on things. Roots should always be plump and a nice, green color. When they need water, they get a silvery/white sheen on them. Good luck!