New Orchid owner needs help!

[dwickizer]

Originally Posted by FinnBar

congrats on getting started.. and a warm from me too
i'm sure you'll soon realise growing orchids isn't half as tricky as you were afraid of.

Thanks for the encouragement FinnBar. I going to give it my best!
Deb

[Graham]

Originally Posted by dwickizer

Hello everyone.
I am new to the wonderful world of Orchids but am seasoned with house plants gardeneing and even greenhouse growing. I just haven't owned orchids before...afraid to I guess. My home is in the USA but my husband and I are currently living in Seoul Korea serving a volunteer mission here for 2 years. I have been admiring the fabulous variety of plants and orchids here and have picked up a few small house plants for the apartment but, again, no orchids because we are gone much of the time and I don't know how to care for them.

In September a guest brought a beautiful orchid for a gift and it had several buds on a stalk that gloriously bloomed and gave off a wondrful fragrance. Than in October another guest brought an orchid with 3 stalks full of blossoms that lasted for about 5 weeks, and now have shriveled and died. I am also losing leaves on that plant.

I can't identify the plants as they came without tags and I don't know where to start to get information on the care of these plants. I posted a few photos of the first orchid that is doing well, and a cropped photo of the 2nd orchid, as well as Freddy Frog the Humidifier. The purple orchid resembles a photo I saw called a "Floppy Phal" or "Phal Hilo" but the leaves are a little bit stubbier and more rounded.

Can anyone help me identify these plants and suggest care for them? What type of potting soil is required? How about direct sunlight? Moisture and watering? I have a humidifier on all the time close to the plants to keep them from drying out. I don't see any pests but there might be some black mold or rot on the purple plant that is causing it to die back.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Deb

Hi Deb...how did you do that thumbnail picture/preview thing?

_______
Graham.

[dwickizer]

Originally Posted by Graham

Hi Deb...how did you do that thumbnail picture/preview thing?

_______
Graham.

Graham,
I'm not really certain how I did it! I just clicked on things until I found one that let me upload photos from my photo file. Technology is wonderful but I don't even begin to claim I understand it very well! Good luck.
Deb

[Graham]

Originally Posted by dwickizer

Graham,
I'm not really certain how I did it! I just clicked on things until I found one that let me upload photos from my photo file. Technology is wonderful but I don't even begin to claim I understand it very well! Good luck.
Deb

Nevermind, I thought it looked pretty good; thanks for the reply.

_______
Graham.