My ‘Orange Marmalade’ phalaenopsis orchid is blooming for the third time since a friend gave it to me for Christmas several years ago. I consider that a miracle since orchids can be tricky (although phalaenopsis types are supposed to be the most user-friendly) and I have a hit-or-miss record with houseplants.
Maybe it keeps blooming as a result of dumb luck, but I’d like to think it has something to do with the watering system I rigged up. When I received my orchid it was growing out of a small, clear-plastic pot. I bought a glass bowl and filled it with glass stones and propped up the orchid pot in the center of it.
I just make sure there’s always water in the bottom of the glass bowl. The air around the plant stays moist, which orchids love, and I only have to water the plant about once a month rather than once a week.