Question
My 3-month old orchid just lost its last flowers yesterday, so I'm left with the stems.  Will the flowers grow back next season?  Should I trim back the stems?  There seems to be new leaves growing at the bottom. Should I still water it once a week?

Thanks.

Answer
Laurel, with regard to your first question, a healthy plant will rebloom next year. You may trim back the old flower spikes.  Cut them off above a node (ie joint) in the old flower spike. The old spike could die back as that happens naturally with some phalaenopsis hybrids.  Phalaenopsis should be repotted annually following flowering.  Locate a bag of orchid potting mix and soak a portion of it while you unpot your plant.  Rinse off the roots and discard the old potting mix.  Remove any roots that are mushy before repotting. A plastic pot with lots of drainage holes is preferred for repotting your plant.  After repotting, you may water once per week and feed (1/4 tsp per gallon of water) every other week.  They like the 60-85 degree temperature range and do well in an east facing window if you have one.