Hello everyone! My first post here. I noticed the four stickies, thank you all for sharing all that information, I added them to my reading list.

I'm only familiar with Phals. I've been buying them for quite a few years and, for the most part, have been able to keep them happy and healthy. When we relocated, I had to leave behind the ones I'd been keeping in the Northeast. Where I live now, the climate is completely different but, luckily, my studio window is rather large and faces east so these four orchids get direct morning sun for a few hours and bright shade the rest of the time.



Frankly, all I've done for them is water at the sink, when their pots feel light (every 6-10 days depending on the season), make sure that there is no residual water in their cachepots, and clean their leaves with a moist soft cloth every now and then.

These plants, just like the ones I've had in the past, keep their blooms for a very long time (#1,2 and 3 from the right have been in bloom since early last November; #4 just started blooming in March, after I moved it so that it would get more light). I found them at Trader Joe's in December 2017, they were the only ones with close buds and plump leaves.

I would like to hear your comments on these points:

- The second orchid from the right, the one with smaller pink flowers, shows some wrinkling on its older leaves. Is this because I may have underwatered it at some point? The newer leaves look better but not as plump as I think they should be.

- The third orchid from the right, the one with dotted flowers, has dark magenta dots on white. Four of the blooms have a yellowish tint to them. Is this expected or caused by some nutrient deficiency?

- Some of the aerial roots seem rather dry. Why is this happening?

- Should I repot or renew their medium when they are done blooming?

When you fully read the sticky on Supermarket orchids-Phalaenopsis, you'll have a greater understanding on how to grow them.
The wrinkling comes from water loss due to root loss. Older leaves and developing buds suffer first. As the media breaks down, roots suffocate, they die causing more water loss. Phalaenopsis need to be repotted once a year, 2 at the most. When you take them to the sink, get the aerial roots wet too.
You could be contributing to some of it by stressing them a little with sunshine. They don't need any, just bright. That extra sun may be causing too rapid of water loss. Thusly, your watering schedule should be increased a little.
Growing plants should be looked at as an ecosystem, as one factor changes, light, heat, humidity etc. change, they all change.
Flowers can change colors as they age.
Most people repot after blooming.
Phalaenopsis are NOT heavy feeders, 2-3 X per year is more then enough.
Hopes this helps you! .

If you need me for more answers, I remain at your service! BigBill

Thanks, Bill. The flowers with dots on yellow looked like that as they opened up. There's a bud that is just opening now, the photo shows it but not very clearly, and is yellow. Actually, now that I think of it, all of the flowers with a yellow tint have opened recently. Could it be that they turn white as they mature?

Yes. Usually colors fade as they mature. But some of it is not fading technically. As the flower ages, it gets larger, flatter, the tissue expands. As it expands, the color spreads out, it isn't as dense as it appeared when it first opened. Yellow can go whitish, a minty green goes to ice green, etc.
Spots or bars on flowers can also get less intense over time.

Good to know.

These plants continue to produce buds, I'm amazed. None of the ones I kept in the Northeast would bloom this long nor would they continue making buds.

If I move them to some other spot where they can get bright light, but not direct sun, I will not be able to enjoy them as I do now so I'm being very selfish BUT since they've been blooming like mad for a year and a half now, I'm thinking maybe they don't mind it much.

Well, time to take them to the sink and, this time, water their aerial roots.

I will read up on repotting.

Once the flowers open, you can enjoy them anywhere you please. Kitchen table, coffee table, end table, your choice. When they are finished blooming, or you get tired of looking at them, return them to the growing area.

Bleu; You might want to consider buying a few Humidity Trays to place under the orchids / along that windowsill. Also remove the Phals. from the Ceramic pots for better air circulation.


I grow all my orchids in an East facing bay window on these humidity trays.. Sure makes watering easier !
https://www.kkorchid.com/humid...