Wilting Petals

[Mary W]

Hello All! I am new to this site and new to orchids.

One of my good friends gave me an orchid for my birthday about a month ago. I have no idea what I’m doing and need some help. For the first couple of weeks, my orchid looked great. But now, the petals are starting to wilt, and I’m not sure if it’s dying or not. It’s in a clear pot so I can see the roots. Some of them are a healthy looking green, but others are looking rather dry and unhealthy. I have been giving the plant 3 ice cubes once a week, every week. My plant sits in my office with me without any natural sunlight and I’m not sure if this is ok or not either. One of my biggest problems is that I don’t even know what kind of orchid I have. I am clueless to this stuff.
Do I need to take the plant home for a weekend and set the roots in my bathtub to get it healthy again? I’ve read that some people do that to keep their plants healthy. Or, should I take the plant to a local florist and see if they can help me? I really do not want this plant to die because I have grown quite fond of it in this short amount of time we’ve spent together . I should probably also mention that about 2 weeks ago, I pulled off part of a root that looked dead. It was an innocent mistake because of my limited knowledge of plants in general. I don’t think I was supposed to do that. I’m afraid that because of that mistake, that might be why the plant is now not doing as well as when I first got it. How do I keep it alive? Can anyone here help me? I can take pictures and upload them in a little bit so you get a better idea of what I’m working with.

[Mary W]

Here are some pictures of my orchid that might help determine my problem.

[Leafmite]

I don't know anything about growing plants in a work environment but if it looks healthy, the lighting must be fine. I water my phals very well, letting water pour out of the bottom of the pot, then let them dry completely. The flowers might just be nearing the end of their bloom cycle. Flowers, unfortunately, don't bloom forever.
Two things to note:
1) Don't get water on the leaves (especially in the middle of the top leaves)
2) Be careful not to overwater (let dry completely before watering, make certain it dries within a week, don't let the pot stand in water)
Good Luck, welcome, and ask as many questions as needed!

[WhiteRabbit]

Glad you found us!

The plant may just be finished blooming. Drafts on the blooms could cause pre-mature wilting. The light in your office is most likely not sufficient to get the plant blooming, but would not have caused the blooms to wilt prematurely.

The green roots are good - the others look dead.

The best way to water is to run lots of water thru the potting media. Allow the pot to drain before returning it to your planter. Wait for the media to be very nearly dry before watering again. Usually the roots will be greenish while moist, and turn a whitish color when water is needed again.

If your plant is finished blooming, take it home, repot it (fresh media, cut off dead roots), put it in a window so it can get enough light that it will hopefully bloom again for you down the road.

good luck!