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.

@wrensnow