Caring for my ORCHIDS indoors?

[miagardener]

My neighbor just gave me two huge potted orchids, one with beautiful purple flowers in bloom, and another one without flowers but with a healthy green stem. I have them in my backroom which gets a lot of light but no direct sun where I have my orchids on a table. I need to know how to care for them, so far, so good, but what is the correct amount of light and water and the best temperature for the orchids? I have heard so many different things when it comes to caring for orchids, tons of sun, no direct sun, soak it, let it dry, this, that and the other. I really want to keep these beauties alive, any advice is very appreciated.

[shadowsmom]

Do you know what kind of orchids they are? It makes a big difference in their care. Post a photo if you don't know.

[miagardener]

Here are two photos of my orchids.

[img]https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_FZMdDS1GIdg/TCPWE_n4O7I/AAAAAAAAACo/DddeaSq8wME/s1600/016.JPG[/img]

[img]https://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FZMdDS1GIdg/TCPWLH5p_uI/AAAAAAAAACw/ACKIdlYZfLI/s1600/017.JPG[/img][/img]

[miagardener]

Can anyone tell me what kind of orchids these are and what's the best way to care for them? Thank you.

[Kisal]

I don't grow orchids, but those look like Phalaenopsis to me. They're also known as Moth orchids. They are considered easy for indoor growth ... in other words, they don't need a greenhouse to be grown successfully.

They like bright, indirect light. An east window is good, or they will do fine in a west or south window, as long as they are kept a few feet back from the glass, perhaps on a table set before the window.

They like humidity. Some people like to mist their plants with a sprayer, but I prefer humidity trays. I feel that the trays raise the humidity more consistently and for a longer period of time than a spray of mist does. (I also don't like getting my walls and drapes wet. )

That's about all I know about growing orchids. Some species like warmer temperatures and others like things a bit cooler. I don't know the plants well enough to ID the species you have. I'm pretty sure there are other members here who grow orchids, so perhaps one of them will see your post and offer some advice.

[Sage Hermit]

Those remind me of a mothers day gift I gave my mom 10 years ago.

Easy I'll ask my mom how to care for em'

[shadowsmom]

The one toward the front - flowering is a Phalaenopsis. I grow a lot of these. If you ask my family it's too many. They are easy to grow. Kisal's info is spot on, I would only add that every other week take them to the sink and spray them with some water. They like their leaves to get wet and it keeps them dust free. Fertilize regularly. When they are done blooming, if the stem is still green, do not cut it off. Let it rest and it may very likely send out another flower stalk. If it turns brown trim it off. I'll try and post a picture this weekend of what I mean. One stalk can continue to send out flowers for over a year.

My cousin grows the kind that you have behind. I don't know the name but I'll check with her. I do know they are more difficult to get to rebloom, at least here in NJ. You may have more success in FL.

[miagardener]

@kisal, thanks for the great advice. I was actually on the phone with my Mom last night and she's like, "HELLO! I am the ORCHID LADY! My orchids last for YEARS, why didn't you ask ME!?" Lol, maybe she is a little jealous I go to helpful gardener instead of calling her for planting advice. LOL! But she lives in Toledo, OH and I live in Miami, FL so not everything is the same, unless it's house plants.
So I believe my office is the perfect place for them, I have a huge sliding glass door which faces west, I keep the yellow curtains pulled though and it's always super bright in here and warmer than the rest of the house. So pretty much, as far as watering them, I should soak them once a week, let them completely drain, and they should be good? That's what I did last night and my orchid is actually looking better today.
@shadowsmom, thanks for noticing the orchid in the back (and for replying again)! I've had that baby for about 6 months now. She hasn't reblooomed (she was in bloom when I got her) but I noticed a brand new stalk growing with new leaves so that excites me. I actually forgot about that orchid, poor baby, she just sat back here, very thirsty! I just started caring for it again and now it's doing fairly well seeing as how it's growing new greenery.
I love you guys here at the helpful gardener forum! Thanks so much!

[I like plants]

Orchids can take up to a year to bloom. But when they do, you really apreciate it. I have 2 orchids since November 2009. They havn't bloomed yet. They usually bloom in the fall. But, if they don't just put them beside a window or outside to get a 10 degrees difference at night so that they can know that fall is coming.

Orchids don't like to get moved around and love humidity. They ususally live on tree branches to get water when they live in nature.

If your orchids are growing new leafs once in a while that is a good sine.