How do I know if my orchid is alive or dead?

I am having problems getting it to bloom I purchased some orchid bark and orchid plant food for it. It bloomed once I cut the stem back and now three weeks later nothing....HELP.

How do I know if my orchid is alive or dead?
Orchids take a long time to bloom. Don't overfertilize or you will burn the plant. Keep it well drained and water/mist it every 3-5 days depending on how hot it is in your area. Some orchids bloom when there is a big change in weather, and some just bloom several times year round. Be patient and take good care of it.
Reply:if it blooms then you can say its going to live.
Reply:If its green its still alive. Granniesgrow is a good website for plants.
Reply:Bring your orchid to a phytologist and ask for an examination of it.


The scientist should tell you his or her opinion at first observaton.


He or she should then bring to the orchid a Labrador Retriever which will paw then smell the plant. After taking the dog away the scientist should then bring to the plant a house cat which will do the same thing.





The results of that lab report and cat scan should indicate the condition of the orchid and the cost of the examination.
Reply:Cut a piece of the stem, if it's green inside it's still alive. It might just be dormant because of the summer heat.
Reply:3 weeks is too soon!


just keep moist with spray, and ambient light
Reply:Orchids do not bloom year around. I live in the tropics and have had several kinds of orchids over the years. I don't know of orchids that will bloom more than once or twice a year. Secondly, they are a tropical winter bloomer, which means the best blooming weather for them is when it is between 60-75 degrees farenheit. (16-24 celcius). Most people think that because orchids are a tropical plant that they love the sun and heat. This is not true. Orchids should remain in shaded areas and it is unusual for them to bloom in the heat of summer. If your orchid has the cool temperatures that it prefers, the blooms will last for 2 months or a little more. Too much heat can wilt blooms within a couple of days. Be patient with your orchid. Keep it in a shady cooler place, give it small amounts of water only about once a week. Orchids do better when they are in a small pot with not a lot of moving space. Repotting into a large pot will cause your orchid to not produce as well. I was living in France a few months ago and had an orchid resting in the basement, because it was not it's flowering season. I kept it watered and it bloomed in February (in a cold basement). I was even surprised at that even though I knew they bloom during the cooler season on the islands. Hope this helps some. Good luck with it. By the way, you will have new stems. The old ones that flowered will not flower again. It is good that you cut them back.
Reply:Me thinks you are very impatient! Orchids will bloom once a year and after they have finished blooming and you have cut them back then you just have to look after it as you are doing but be a Little more patient. If it has bloomed I would think it is still alive as you seem to be doing the right things. See what it is like in 3 months!