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Don't cut the stem of the current flowers; new flowers will bloom ONLY on the old stem. I have yet to figure out why some of my orchids bloom again and others don't though given the exact watering and feeding schedule. It's a mystery

I don't have one, but advice from another woman: water only once a week (don't overwater!). You can make the blooms last for months (I think).

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I have an orchid which I haven't killed yet and my best advice is to get a plant mister and mist the leaves (NOT the flowers) every day. Orchids like a moist environment and not too much direct light.

If the picture is of your own orchid, it looks like a phalaenopsis (or moth) orchid. I have that kind too. They're recommended for beginners like us, so you shouldn't have too much trouble!

Thanks for the heads-up, Risako. Fixed!

(The photo's from Wikipedia.)

Lots of light (not direct sunligh though) little water.

depends on the type of orchid. This is probably the most imporant part: if there is a stake saying the type of orchid, search up what it likes. Some orchids like to be misted, others hate it. Some like lots of water, some don't. The one I think you have won't like water all the time. Only once a week, even less frequently in the winter. It will like orchid fertilizer once a month.

It depends on the type of orchid. Without knowing the type, none of this feedback is going to be helpful. If the orchid in question is the one in the picture, then it ia a dendrobium. They prefer bright filtered sunlight, allow it to dryout between waterings, and use a balanced fertilizer at half strength every other week during the growing season. After the growing season, cut back on water and do not fertilize. Follow these instructions and you'll have a happy plant with future blooms.

Your orchid does look like a Dendrobium. Because light and water requirements are very important, check out the American Orchid Societies site at www.orchidweb.org to get the details to care for your orchid. Good luck. They aren't as difficult to grow as you would think!

An important point in orchid watering: don't get water in the leaves, especially where the leaves join the stem. If you do splash water on the leaves, it will funnel down to that place and sit there. All will appear to be well.

Then, you will nudge the plant, or simply come out to water it one day, and find the beautiful, healthy-looking green leaves sitting, detached from the stem, where the basal stem rotted away. Which is truly a lousy experience. Been there, done that.

The moth orchids like it dry; underwatering won't kill them as long as you water them before the air-roots shrivel up. Overwatering will rot them out quick like a bunny. For best results, put their little bark pots into a pretty ceramic cachepot on top of an inch or so of stones or marbles, and make sure there is always water just barely covering the stones. That precludes a lot of tedious misting.

Or make the misting a feature, rather than a chore, by using an aromatherapy mister, a safe, cool-mist, quiet one, as a centerpiece for a collection of orchids, raised slightly above the pot levels so that the mist will drift down onto them. Mmm! Pretty!

best luck,
Strata
My Bay Area Garden
http://mybayareagarden.blogspot.com/