New Member Having Orchid trouble.

[NYorchid]

Hello,

I received my first orchid as a present last year and I am trying to be a good parent to it. Somehow I got new flowers from them (there is two orchids in one pot.) and I didn't manage to cut any stems or flowers. But I think that I might have hindered my orchid by not doing that because I have only received four flowers so far. Also, one of the stems is brown and I'm not sure what is happening to it but I believe it's dead with the potential to grow a new one. The orchid stems are very strong.

I am here because I think my orchid has potential and with a little bit of education I think I can make it happier.

Also, i'm not sure what type of orchid I have. I just know that it's lovely and I can't seem to identify it online. It has purple spots on it.

I am eager to post pics if anyone can help me. I am wondering if I should cut the stem etc.

Thank you.
NYOrchid

[Leafmite]

Here is a good sight to find what type of orchid you own.

Orchid Identification

[WhiteRabbit]

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ng-photos.html
Five posts are required before you can post links (including using links to post photos)

I'm guessing you have a Phalaenopsis ... here's some pix https://www.google.com/search?q=phal...w=1364&bih=683

If the spike is brown, it won't do anything more, so you can cut it off. If it's green (or part of it green), it's a personal decision to cut or not. You can't harm the plant either way (tho do use sterile cutters on green spikes - you can just use a flame to make sure the cutting instrument is disinfected, or a disposable, unused blade). If the spike is green, but the plant has poor or no roots, cut the spike.

If your orchid is a Phalaenopsis, you may want to read the first few, to several, pages of this thread
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ends-here.html