Brenna Snowie (she/her)Help! I have been gifted an orchid and have no idea what I’m doing. If you have experience to share, it is welcome.
AKingsburyIf it was a gift, it's almost certainly a phalaenopsis, AKA a moth orchid. Once a week, submerge the pot in room-temp or close to it water for 30 minutes-2 hours.
Once it stops blooming, cut off the flower spike and re-pot in mix of 5 parts shredded sphagnum moss, 5 parts small wood chips, and 1 part activated charcoal (by volume). Clean all the dirt and everything off the roots and re-pot gently in the mix in a pot with as many holes as you can find. Add some orchid food to the next watering after potting. Everything should be available at a nearby garden center. Plenty of light.
Ambient Sponge@wrensnow I have boosted this because I too was gifted an orchid a few months ago and someone on here knew their stuff so hopefully they'll see it. I just don't remember who it was.
Ko Simon toku ingoa 
@wrensnow my wife might be able to help: @MichaelaKHulse
Māmā takiwātangaPost a picture of it, so I can tell you what type of orchid it is. Second most important variable is where you live as the climate matters. @wrensnow
90% of orchid care is root care. Healthy phaleanopsis roots should be green when hydrated and grey and furry when dry. Very likely the roots on the inside of the plant or some others will be dark brown, black, or squishy, those ones are dead, and if you want to keep your orchid alive for a long time, you will have to remove them. More on that later.
Water it when the roots are fully grey and furry, then allow the roots and medium (bark or moss) to mostly dry before the next watering.
Keep it in an area with dappled or indirect sunlight, decent air circulation and that ideally isn’t too cold. Buy some orchid food, dilute according to instructions and use this to water your plant once per week.
If you just want to enjoy your flower and then hope for the best, the above is sufficient. Lots of people abuse orchids and get repeated flower spikes from them. I have researched and learned everything about orchids and have never gotten a second spike from a phaleanopsis, so realise that there are no guarantees and even good orchid hobbyists loose plants or have plants that don’t thrive.
If you want to try to keep your orchid healthy for years and maybe get another flower from it, keep reading.
If any roots are brown, black, or squishy, find an experienced orchid enthusiast in your area and ask them to help you remove the rotten roots. (Or look it up on YouTube)
Why I say your climate matters is because any other advice is going to depend on how fast the orchid roots dry out, and how fast the orchid can metabolise the water. Plants metabolise faster in warmer weather. If your indoor temperature is lower than about 21C, consider using a seedling heating pad to keep it warm. If you live in a humid environment, avoid growing in moss. If you live in a dryer environment, bark or moss can be used.
The other important thing I forgot to say is water the roots, not the leaves. Especially do not tip water on the top of the plant and leave it there. If it happens accidentally, gently dab it out with a rag or paper towel. @wrensnow
Matt
Annette C. Boehm@wrensnow They're not as difficult as people say. At least in my experience. My orchid gets water once a week: I put the whole pot in water for about an hour, enough for the substrate to soak. Drain any excess water. Then it just goes back on the windowsill again. Unless you have a very picky type, this should do the trick.
Good luck, and enjoy your plant!
Good luck, and enjoy your plant!