Can anyone help with orchids?

zxcvbnm1

DH gave me an orchid for Valentine's Day.  It started off wtih 5 or 6 blooms and the last one just fell off.  Will it bloom again on its own?  I tried to google it but there was some conflicting info and different instructions for different types.  I have no idea what type it is.  So in general is there something I can do or can I just wait it out or is it over for good?  I am a complete black thumb so I'm actually surprised it lasted this long.  Thanks.

Alisha_A

Well if its alive, it should bloom again, but if its dead, it won't.

Is it getting sun? Are there buds for new blooms? My workmate has a ton of orchids and they bloom rather continuously.

nital

if it's been blooming for 3 months, it's a pretty happy orchid. most importantly, you're not overwatering it.

does the orchid look like this?

 

If so, it's a phalenopsis.  give it low light, water it when the moss is dry (check deep into the pot, not just the surface).  it may rebloom from one of the nodes on the spike, or it may just recover from blooming and respike in the fall.  you can trim off most of the spike, leaving just a few nodes to encourage it to rebloom.

zxcvbnm1

It is still alive.  It just looks pretty pathetic with 2 big stalks and no flowers.  The flowers were all purprle.  I'll do some more research later today and try to find what kind it is.  It is getting sun, but its indirect sunlight because the instructions that it came with said that was really important.  Thanks for your suggestions.

musgral8

I bought a cheap orchid from the grocery store one year and it bloomed for awhile and then the bloom stalk just looked dead. I cut the stalk back, kept it in indirect light, water it once a week by putting 3-4 ice cubes in the pot and it is starting to produce another stalk already (maybe 6 months later) and has produced another pair of leaves. I'm about to repot it so that it has room to grow. 

timmysgal1

We have had an orchid for 3 years now and it has bloomed every year.  It's blooming and looks amazing right now with the most blooms it has ever had.  Keep it near a window but with indirect light.  Water once a week.  Don't let it get too cold--so if it's cool by the window, you may need to put plastic over it.  You will notice new roots growing and then a new stalk will eventually come up.  It's very rewarding when it starts to bloom again.  And exciting.  Also, you will need to stake up the new stalk because the blooms are very heavy.  I think I have a pic around here of ours, and it's also purple, so probably the same as what you have:

 

 

 

angelsmile

Orchids are pretty fussy.  I had one that I did everything the book said and it wouldn't bloom.  Then I ignored it for a month or so, kept meaning to throw it out b/c I thought it was dead.  Then it bloomed.  I call them IGNORchids now for that reason.  Orchids for dummies was helpful.