Well, the new sprouts on my old orchid stopped growing, and dried up. In fact, the whole orchid looks dead. I give up!
BUT, can anyone tell me if this is a new leaf, or bloom stem on my new orchid from tropicalplantsandmore.com? (sorry I dont speak orchid)

I think it's a new pseudobulb (stem that will have a leaf growing out of it). The orchid is definitely not dead if it has that, but death may be upon it soon or it's totally fine, I can't tell!

tk, you might want to back the camera up a bit and show the entire plant. That certainly is new growth (lead). Which orchid is this? If you have more than one orchid plant in question, take pictures of them all.

You have a new pbulb growing! Yay! Okay, now is when it is critical for your Catt. The new lead is susceptible to invasion by pests. Make sure you don't have any slugs, cockroaches, snails, or ants.

By the other photos and the thread, I assume this is the orchid that you got from Ken. It looks like a unifoliate Cattleya so you need to let that lead (pbulb) continue to grow until you see nice big roots coming out from the bottom of that pbulb. Only then is it the optimum time to repot (if needed). Sometimes that will take some time (months).

Also, it is time to feed it as it is setting the bloom for late summer/fall. I like to use the Better Gro (urea free) bloom booster once a week at 1/2 strength from the label + a tbsp per gallon of Epsom Salts every 3rd feeding (for Magnesium) + Kelp fertilizer (1-1-1) every 2nd feeding, but it depends on your inside growing condition. It also needs some bright light (not direct) in order for the bloom to set. Mine are getting 6 hours of indirect sun and 1 hour of really bright indirect hot sun (as the sun sets). BUT, don't increase the sun suddenly. It needs to be gradual so that you don't burn the leaves or stress the plant.

Good luck! If all goes well, you will have blooms by late summer/early fall!

I HAVE to repot? I'm sure to kill it. The whole plant hasnt changed any, Ken.
now:

texaskitty111 said:I HAVE to repot? I'm sure to kill it. The whole plant hasnt changed any, Ken.
now:

Thanks for posting a full photo. It looks like it will be good in that pot for at least another year and maybe two. Just keep fertilizing and give good light so it will bloom for you.

Do you have a picture of what a bloom stem looks like?

I agree, it still can stay in that container. I think it is just doing a rest mode, orchids do that, just follow what Melissa said. Definitely not dead if it is doing a new pb like that. Just be very patient.

Sharon, you have only had the plant since March, so everything looks fine. This is the Blc. Haiku Elf 'Mini Purple'.

Here are some examples of the "stem" in sheath and with bud(s).

tk, I don't mind being contacted when someone has a question or problem with plants/supplies I ship. I like to chat!

The other thing to keep in mind, orchids do grow very slowly. It seems like a glacial pace compared to other garden plants so don't expect to see huge growth especially with a new plant that has been shipped.

Also don't think you're doing anything wrong if the plant doesn't seem to be growing. Lots of different things like a change of light or temperature can stop growth for a time. These plants are epiphytes that take a lot of their nutrients and moisture from the air. So keeping up humidity and keeping a little spray bottle handy with very dilute fertilizer will help keep it moving at that slow pace.

I think its doing great. In about a month, it has grown from this:


To this:

Ah, a new lead (at least one) and nice, healthy, green roots. This plant may be getting a bit too much sun, at least during the mid-day. I think I see some sunburn on one of those leaves. Be sure you are misting it every few days and if you have it outside (preferable this time of year), just hose it down every 3-4 days. For me at least, when the temperature is above 90F, I try to hose all my plants down at least every other day, orchids and everything else.

The new lead looks nice, but I would think the plant needs a lot more water. I don't really believe in misting either, like Ken, I hose them, but I usually do that every day, if they dry up quickly.

Yikes! Last orchid, I thought I killed by watering it too much. I think it rotted. When I stopped watering, it started growing 2 stems. After about a month, I gave it just a little water. Then, It died completely. This plant, I'm watering when it gets to a certain weight. That seems to work for me, so far. I have started rinsing the leaves off each day now, ken. I can't keep a mister working here. The well water clogs and corrodes it within days.

Can anyone tell me if this is a new leaf, or bloom?

That's a new pseudobulb. That's a good sign!

Pseudo? Meaning it won't bloom?

The pseudobulb will put out a new leaf, then bloom. New pseudobulbs means the plant is growing and the blooms come on the new growth.

Jim