eye on an orchid

Your orchid is a Phalaenopsis if there are no more flower buds on the stem look for the highest point where a little tiny bud sticks out from the side, that is the eye, and cut back to there. To be honest I tend to just leave mine and not bother cutting back. Keep up the same watering regime of running water through the pot but not allowing the plant to stand in water - remember only to water when the roots look almost white. Buy a little pot of orchid compost and give it a feed a per the instructions once every two weeks - for this you will need to let the orchid sit in a shallow container with the water and feed for no more than half an hour then sit to drain before putting back in the cache pot.

They are wonderful things and can flower on and off for years, they don't like direct sunlight - though that said one of mine is sitting on the kitchen windowsill facing east - they do need a lot of light and warmth.

Enjoy

I do cut mine back, to just above the 'eye', as I think the old stem looks ugly. I get new stems growing quite soon, either from the 'eye' or from between the leaves.

thanks for that. i brought miracle grow but will now get proper orchid stuff. saw that today in the shops. mine is by the window as you can see but doesnt get direct sunlight.

just a thought . do i cut at an angle or straight across.

If it doesn't get a new stem in a few weeks, give it the 'shock' treatment - move it to a room about 5-7 degrees cooler - leave it there for 3 weeks and then bring it back - it will produce a new flowering stem! Magic!

Cut at an angle

thanks

Moon Grower is right on the money concerning the orchid - I prune mine down to the base, resume feeding with orchid food (they do not like to be fed when in bloom) and wait until about the first week of December when mine reliably sets bloom again, year after year.

thank you

:0)