My mother does the ice cube thing; hers blooms every winter. I could pass out from the jealousy. I think the ice cube thing is both kind of dumb and totally sensible. Basically it's 'throw two shot glasses of water into it a week'. I can see the appeal. It's guidance and orchids have a learning curve.
Mine didn't thrive on that method and I up-potted them into clay orchid pots with a bark/moss mixture last spring and now water when they are completely dry by submerging them for an hour or so and then ignoring them for a week or two.
I know it's not recommended, but they have lots of new roots and seem really happy. One might have a spike but I'm trying not to rorsharch that little thing into a future flower.
I'm hopeful. I got the two (phal and mini-phal) year before last. I haven't seen them bloom since our first season together, but they're healthy and I can tell...so....if nothing else I have house plants with big floppy ears.
Some day I hope to graduate to more impressive varieties but I feel like I'm still mastering phals.
