So now what...????? got my first phal and not sure about leaf

[Masonsmommy]

Ok so I am new to orchids and new to blogging, i never had one because of the stories of how easy they were to kill but my husband surprised me with one and i would love to keep it around for a LONG time! so I have had it almost a week and put it in my south facing living room window, it gets alot of light but is shaded by our wrap around porch the window is large so not sure if it is maybe too cool there? or wrong light?, my house is for the most part dark because of the porch and the north side is close to a wooded area....now I am looking and one of the lower, smaller leaves toward the window has turned red and feels a little spongey??? I did water it by letting the water run through and drain out because i have read that a few different places (not sure if that is right but??)while i was watering i noticed it was in a sort of plastic thick bag type container with a drain hole and woodchips at the bottom (it was from proflowers.com?) some of the root was sticking out and were dried up, the root in the container look ok. should i leave it or repot it? also is it burning should i move it to my north window i will post pics....

[Zoi2]

Hello and welcome to the OB.
Your phal is lovely, it is getting quite a bit of light--purple leaves. I also looks like the plant is going to shed that lower leaf, this is normal.
As to repotting, that is a personal preference unless the plant is ailing. I repot everything the day I get it. That way I know the root condition and I have the growing medium I am comfortable with.
Orchid roots need air so depending on the kind of pot yours is in may help you decide.
Phals will tell you when to water. If the roots are green they're fine. Roots silvery/white it's time to water.
Joann

[james mickelso]

The purplish/green leaves are the cultivar of the phal. From the color of the flower it has some ascocentrum in it. It is probably in a thin clear plastic pot in a decorative pot. Does it have spagnum moss around the roots? Or are you lucky and it came potted in bark? I agree with Zoi2. It can be repotted in the correct mix now if you are careful not the damage the roots as it is flowering. Or you can wait until it has finished flowering and then repot. But I wouldn't pot after july. The old leaf is a concern. The phal may be too wet which is why I think it may be potted in spagnum moss. If the temp is under 80, then watewr it once a week. If over 80 every three days. The best way to tell ius to lift the pot and if it feels very light, water. If it has some weight to it, wait a couple of days. Phals can survive quite well on the dry side as long as it isn't too warm. They like 75 in the day and 60 at night. And lots of air movement. I find most people don't give their orchids enough air movement. Anyway, take a look at the plant and send a picture of the roots. Just lift it out of it's decorative pot.

[Masonsmommy]

Thank you both for your thoughts, i do appriciate them very much, i added a few more pics, it is potted in moss and a saw dust looking material, i have had it for going on 7 days and watered it earlier today for the first time when i posted, the roots sticking out were out and dried like that when i got the orchid, should they be like that? I have read alot about getting it enough air and I am not quite sure what how/what is meant by that...

[silken]

Welcome!!
Phals in the wild live on trees with no potting media around them. They get rained on and then warm breezes waft over them and dry the roots fairly quickly. Being in rainforest areas, there is quite a bit of humidity. Think of that and try to consider how you pot them to imitate their natural growth habit. Short of mounting it , it is difficult to imitate it, but basically they need some open air pockets in the pot and should be well watered, but then be allowed to drain well, not sit in water, and dry out well before re-watering.

You seem to have some decent roots. But what often happens when they come from the store packed tightly in wet moss, is that these roots rot before the flowers are finished. So rather than wait for the blooms to finish, which can take months, I always pull it from the pot right away and inspect the roots. You need to handle it carefully with the long lower stem, but it is doable. I pull away about half of the moss and add a bit of bark and put it back in it's pot. You could see if you can find a sturdier clear pot about the same size as those soft ones are flimsy. It should have good drainage holes and just fit the roots, not too big. If nothing else, you could inspect the roots and remove some of the moss so more air can get at the roots. Then when it is finished blooming, consider re-potting in new media of your choice and a new pot.