New to Orchids and forum... NO spechin de orchid?

[princessss]

Hi

I received my very first orchid for my birthday this year when I happened to mention that they were my favorite flower because they always look like they are sticking their tongue out at the world. Actually I received 2 potted orchids..

Here they are when I got them...



Now please understand that I do not know what a brac or otherwise is, If you could also point me to a place with terminology I would appreciate it very much.

Here is the Orchid I am concerned about...




Now I got the healthy orchid from a Orchid Nursery...
This one I got from a store, It did not have direct sunlight, however I did put it in the sun and the next thing I knew three leaves had yellowed, which I removed. The others are fine, and I am not sure what to do at this point and am lost because I do not speak orchid.

I need to save these orchids, by the way the dark purple one I named Anastasia and the white and pink is Tatiana...

I am "in love" with them and can't bare to lose them, Please help...

oops the 2 first pictures are the help pictures and the last two pictures are when i got them, sorry bout the backwards

I should also mention that I use boiled and cooled tap water, and orchid food for my orchid at this point... I am in Winnipeg , Manitoba, Canada and am not sure what i would do to make a better formula for my orchid.

Have i posted wrong?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Hi Tammy,

Welcome to OrchidTalk. I just saw your posting. Regarding the fading blooms: It looks normal to me. The sunburned leaves you have already removed, so no worries there. I know several people grow orchids in sphag, but I prefer a bark mix. I drown orchids growing in sphag. lol. If you would like to repot your phal after the blooms fall off, I can direct you to a repotting article or two here in the forum.

As far as cutting the spike back, I would cut it about one inch above the base of the plant and seal the cut with pruning seal if it is still green.

Cheers,
BD

[princessss]

Thank you BD, I will pick up the bark mix and put that instead, now if i cut the stalk of the plant will it still grow once it goes dormant? I would like those links please.

Thanks

Tammy

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Cut the flower spike, Tammy, not the plant stalk. And here are the Phalaenopsis links:

Growing the Phalaenopsis Orchid

So what is normal for a phalenopsis

Re-potting my Phalaenopsis



Cheers,
BD