Question
Hi,

I brought my first phaleopnsis orchid about a month ago.  I placed it by a window and watered it every 7 days and the flowers were blooming and I thought it was doing well.  However, one day my Dad turned on our attic fan which was blowing cold air and accidently opened the window by my orchid.  By the time I realized it was getting too much cool air the flowers were already wilted, the buds are still blooming but one by one the stems are turning yellow and the flowers are wilting.  Is my orchid dying?  I am very concerned, what should I do now?  Thanks for your help.

Answer
It is natural for the flower spikes to die back after blooming.  The temperature may have shortened the life of your flowers which normally last 2-4 weeks but that apparently has not affected your plant (I assume your leaves are still OK).  When the plant finishes its flowering, you may remove the old flower spike.  With a healthy plant, it will rebloom again (probably next spring).

When flowering has finished I recommend that you repot your plant in fresh orchid potting mix.  You should be able to purchase a small bag of this from a garden center. When you have the orchid potting mix, soak a small portion in water for an hour or so.  Remove the plant from its pot and thoroughly rinse the roots to remove all old potting mix. Then check the roots and remove any that are "mushy" or in bad condition.  Healthy roots are firm.  Then choose a plastic pot that will comfortably accommodate the root mass and place all of the roots into the plastic pot and slowly add the new damp potting mix to cover all of the roots up to the base of the plant.  Tap the pot several times as you add the new mix to help settle the new potting mix around the roots.  Then place the plant in an east facing window or your favorite growing location (no direct sunlight other then morning sun) and don't water it further for a week.

The reason we use the special orchid potting mix is to allow air movement through the mix to the roots.  In nature, tropical orchids such as the phalaenopsis, live with their roots dirctly exposed to the air, so we used a coarse textured special orchid potting mix.  Each year, after flowering, repeat this process of repotting.