Fred Clark 'After Dark and Monnierara 'Witchcraft' ready for feeding?

[Zoren]

Good morning all. Looking for help with my Fred Clark 'After Dark' and Monn. Millennium Magic 'Witchcraft', should I be watering/feeding these plants they have large new growth (see attached). This would be my first time of new growths for these 2 type orchids and I have NO experience with them. I like how they grow and enjoy there beauty, any help would be appreciated. I might have a problem I found some white what I think is either a fungus or a bug of some sort, I cleaned off the white stuff with alcohol, and I have 'Orange Guard' should I spray with this insect spray? Also I have a Phrag that had or has either collar rot or leaf tip die back, my question is should I cut spike and repot, I have flushed out the salts in the plant yesterday so should I see what happens if I continue watering and lightly feeding this Phrag and see what happens? The first attachment is the Monn. 'Witchcraft', the second attachment is the Fred Clark 'After Dark', the third attachment is the Phrag that I am having trouble with. Thank all of you in advance and I'm looking for forward some help and answers.

[Roberta]

For the two Catasetinae (Monniera and Fredclarkeara) they look to me like you can start watering them - the new growths are pretty far along. (They woke up early!) Read Fred Clarke's notes on this group. Sunset Valley Orchids - Catasetinae Culture Notes - lots of good practical information. And if you have further questions, email him, he is extremely helpful and one of the most knowledgeable about this group in the world. On the Phrag, the spike is spend so it doesn't matter whether you cut it or not (you probably do just for appearance) When in doubt, repot (because Phrags like to stay wet, media breaks down rapidly). Phrags can be repotted at any time

[Zoren]

Roberta, thank you for your advice, I cut the spike & repotted the phrag. There was a lot of what I call green moss, I've scene this 'moss' on many plants that I've bought, but my plants never has this moss. I separated the moss from the old medium on the phrag and put on the new repotted plant, will this moss grow and is it beneficial to Orchids? Do you know what this moss is? As for the two Catasetinae I went to Fred Clarks site and decided to wait until late March or April 1 to fully water & fertilize (I have a few more Catasetinae type that are not showing sign of new growth, but I think they will start in April. Again Thank you for your advice, looking forward to your answers and advice....Zoren....

[Roberta]

Zoren -
Phrags do like to be wet, but if the moss chokes off the air, not so good. I use small bark mixed with #2 perlite (about 3 parts bark to 1 part perlite by volume, very approximately) Also I suggest putting about 1" (2.5 cm) of rocks at the bottom of the pot , so that I can set the Phrag in a shallow pan of water (which they like) - by adding the rocks, the roots are not directly in the water (until they grow down into it, which they tend to do) but their root environment is very humid (and water wicks up into the media by capillary action) So their roots do like air, but moist air. This mimics their natural environment, which tends to be stream banks or seeps.