Question
Orchid is a sophrocattleya (I THINK) from its label from the orig. grower It is potted in bark & has about 8 pseudobulbs w/ long dark green leaves apparently healthy.  Problem = every time it puts up new little leaves, they promptly turn black and die. It has always behaved this way even when freshly repotted. It has never bloomed in the several years I've had it.

I treat it exactly like my phalaenopsis which are happy & rebloom as expected. I water all of them approx. weekly/weakly w/ half strength 15-5-5 from Hausermanns. (Fertilizer strength recommendations on line vary.) I'm now collecting rain water & can also get from a dehumidifier.

Any clues to how to stop the black die-off and get it to bloom would be greatly appreciated.  TIA!

Answer
Karen, as a first step, I recommend growing the a the drier side.  When you do water, do so just in the morning to give the plant time to dry off before nightfall.  Also, you didn't mention any repotting that has occurred.  If you haven't recently repotted it, you potting mix may be degraded and may remain too wet.  Repot it in fresh orchid potting mix as that should allow more air movement through the potting mix which also helps to keep the base of the plant drier.  Using a fan, to dry off the plant after each watering may also help.  If, after trying all of these methods, you see no improvement, spray the base of the plant with a copper based fungicide-- once per week and only in the morning.  I wouldn't use a humidifier as this is likely to exasperate the situation.