Ice is not nice. A lot of roots will look brown until they have water on them and then they green up. What did the inside of the brown roots you cut off look like? Are those the old flower stalks being held up by those braces?

tj

Hi TJ:

First, good to know about ice... I'll stick to tepid water from here on out.

The few roots I cut were completely shriveled and collapsed, so I didn't check out what they looked like on the inside.

And yes, those are the old stalks being held with braces.

Thanks for your help!

Cut off the stalks to the base. In the spring, repot in orchid bark that has been soaked in water for several days. Make sure the pot has lots of drainage holes.

While your orchid is still in moss, only water when dry and crunchy. Make sure not to get any water in the center (the crown) of the leaves. If you want flowers, you will need a period of cooler temps - at least a couple weeks, 20 degrees cooler than what you typically experience.

Re.the ice thing. It is just a gimmick to prevent people from overwatering their orchid.....especially if the orchid is in the dreaded "moss". I am in the minority, but I think it is fine. Not that I'm about to take up that method of watering.

Blooming is initiated by a change of temperature, so that most but not all Phalaenopsis bloom in spring.

Commercial growers can get them to flower "for market" at any time of year in controlled conditions in growing houses. In an air conditioned office, heaven alone knows.

Plant looks in reasonable condition but it needs to be repotted in spring, hopefully after it blooms again for you.

Maybe find some complete culture notes written for Southern California, where, I suspect, outside like here is a death zone. Maybe take it home in the late autumn to that spot in your home where it will get that required temperature drop. Once you see the new spike return it to the office.

Arthurm2015: why do you tell dreadred moss? I have my phals in moss because my relative humidity is very low inside my house.