Help! am I killing the ordchids? :(

[a_goat]

Hi,
My boss is a big fan of orchids, he has 4 phals, and I've seem them all bloom and rebloom in the 2 years I've worked for him, and for the 1st year I was responsible for watering and taking care of them in general and they were nice, firm and blooming. Last year he hired one more assistant, and taking care of the orchids was her responsability now, and they were pretty good. 2 weeks ago, the new assistant got moved to another department, so the orchids are my responsibility again, and ever since, 3 of them are losing the flowers alarmingly, I am attaching the before (full blooms, taken about 3 weeks ago) and the current state of the orchids, 3 of them have lost most of their blooms, (all but the purple one, that is keeping a good shape and all its flowers). Do orchids "feel" or resent the person who's watering them? What can I do to save them and bring them to bloom again?
I must add that I taught her how to water the orchids, the frequency,quantity of water, when to feed them, etc. so I have no idea what is going on and I am so sad

[Optimist]

They don't feel. What do the roots look like. What is the overall health of the plant. It just looks and sounds to me that they have finished their blooming period and are preparing to go dormant.

[a_goat]

Hi Optimist, roots are some green and some of a grayish green, leaves are bright green and solid, as they've always been. I've never saw them losing the flowers so dramatically, should I cut the "empty" spikes?

[tarev]

I think the Phals are just done with their bloom cycle.
If the spikes are turning brown already, you can cut them off. If still green, it may still send out blooms, but typically some will cut them off so the plant can rest and redirect its energy to growing new roots and leaves.

[Optimist]

The roots sound healthy as you describe them. A phal can carry its blooms for many months, sometimes six or more. Any kind of moving, light change, introduction of stress, like turning on air conditionioning, might shorten that bloom cycle slightly. I notice that they are in different places in the room. It is better not to move them much when they are blooming. Try to keep them in one spot to get all the flowers pointing the same location. An orchid will adapt to its spot. Unnessesary moving can introduce stress. Also, the genetics of the white and the purple are very slightly different, so the white might give up more easily. As long as the leaves are thick and turgid, the roots are healthy, its a healthy plant.