Welcome to the r.g.o and the world of orchids, Daniel.

Please depersonalize the phal a bit. It's a plant, not a daughter or
girlfriend, and to be correct, it's both a "he" and a "she," so "it" is
probably more appropriate.

You will likely also learn with time that it is doing well IN SPITE of your
doting, not because of it, although I must give you lots of credit for
paying attention to the details of watering, as you're right, that's a
terrible setup for long-term success.

Phals are epiphytic, and only have those fleshy leaves as water storage, so
their roots need to be moist but have lots of air flow around them. If the
moss is very compact, or stays wet for a long time, you are likely to
experience root rot. In it's current setup, lightly dampening the moss
every few days, as opposed to soaking it, is probably the way to go. The
reservoir of water under the moss and root system will raise the internal
humidity serve to keep it moist much longer than you may think, so don't use
the top surface as your guide of the moss' moisture content. Some find that
poking a pencil point down into the middle is a good way to check, as the
wood will absorb moisture to show you if it's damp.

While it's generally not a good idea to repot a plant in bloom, risking loss
of the flowers, if you see that the roots are starting to turn brown or
black, I'd suggest repotting right away, as you're likely to lose the whole
plant if you don't. The best time to repot any plant is right when new root
grow is occurring, so after it finished flowering (or several of the
blossoms have faded and dropped), if you see new root growth, go for it
right away. (In truth, phals use one of the least sensitive plants when it
comes to repotting, but why risk it unnecessarily?)

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Daniel" wrote in message
...
This post smacks of a newbie... so be it.

I love my new and first orchid.
A great looking Phal with four wonderful leaves,
and as of today 10 flowers with one more bud yet to bloom.

I do have a few questions though.

This plant was purchesed in a crystal vase/pot.
I mean there is no drainage.
Their are tiers or strata of aquarium gravel(about two inches,
then another or black stones(about another inch,
then about four to five inches of moss with the root ball
in it. Because the vase is clear I can easily see where the
water line is. I have watered twice since I got it. Using
tepid distilled water, and have never let the water line
get up as high as any of the roots. I like to
spritz the flowers in the morning.
I also have it in a plate of rocks and water to aid in
the humidity.

This plant is gorgeous and seems to be doing fantastic.
Perhaps because I dote on her, and speak to her
often throughout the day.

But all the web resources I see, say it should have
drainage.
If I'm careful not to let the roots ever stand in water
am I OK until next spring when I repot?

Thanks....Daniel

P.S. My Phal is better then your Phal, my Phal is better than yours...