Orchid hope.

I was so taken by this beautiful orchid at the Assiniboine Park Conservatory last February that I went out and bought the very same orchid for home.

I had little hope for my orchid to survive after the last bloom dropped off of the stem.  I've pretty much been ignoring it, as I didn't know how to care for it after it was finished blooming!  Somehow it has survived with my neglect, as you can see in the photo below that the leaves are still a healthy shade of green.

Luckily I came across an awesome blog post on Centsational Girl called "The Orchid Whisperer."

Kate was having the exact same issue as me with orchids - clueless after the last flower drops!  Her husband became the orchid 'whisperer' - bringing their orchids back to life with 5 basic care tips:

1. Repot!  They recommend to use a specific orchid pot with holes to aerate the roots.  I found one at my local greenhouse (pictured below)
2. Replant in new bark or moss.  I used moss, also purchased at the greenhouse.
3. Avoid overwatering.  I liked the tip to water by placing a couple of ice cubes on the outskirts of the moss.  The slow melt releases the water at the rate orchids like to be watered.
4. Fertilize.  I purchased special orchid food at my greenhouse.  It is recommended to fertilize once a month for the variety of orchid I have.  Best to read care tips for your variety, as there are many kinds of orchids!  Also - don't fertilize right after repotting.  Wait a month or so to let the roots settle in.
5. Grow in filtered light.  Orchids are picky - they don't really like to be in direct sunlight.  I have mine in a room with a window that faces West, but the plant is in a spot that is never in direct sunlight.

I found more excellent orchid care tips here.  I identified my orchid as the phalaenopsis, or 'moth' orchid.  Luckily for me this is one of the more hardy, easy to care for orchids.  

Hopefully, with a little extra TLC, my orchid will be reblooming in a few months!