This is my second orchid, and I am trying to keep it alive the best I can. Many of its buds have bloomed since I got it, but many have also begun to wither and die, and some buds are withering and falling off before even maturing. Also, a yellow spot has formed on one of the leaves, and has gotten bigger with concentric rings. The spot has stopped growing, but now a lower leaf has the beginnings of a yellow spot as well.
How can I stop/prevent these problems? Also, what are the most important things to do for my plant to thrive? At the moment, it is still in the plastic container it came in, and seems to have mainly some foam peanuts and a little moss for substrate. It is sitting on a dish of large gravel with water. Also, I am wondering if I am giving it enough light. My window does not get much more than weak indirect light, so I have two compact-fluorescent bulbs on it; a "100" watt and a "150" watt (real wattage is less, thats their equivalent in an incandescent bulb). Everything happens so slowly with this plant, it is hard to tell what is hurting it and what is helping...
I have been watering it lightly whenever it gets really dry, and just got some Miracle Gro acid orchid/plant food. Will the food help prevent the problems I am getting?
Pics:
First bloom on the second, newer spike/branch/thing, best one yet, but the top is a little mangled
The other blooms, less than half of what used to be there. They are all getting limp and withery. All the blooms behind them have died, and the two buds immediately following them have dropped off.
current setup:
So what do you all think?
Yellow leaf spot, withered dropping buds, withering flowers...
Threaded Mode
