How can I take care of my Orchid I got for Xmas?

Here is what the experts recommend.

http://www.aos.org/orchids/orchid-care.aspx

I have many orchids. The orchid flowers last a fairly long time, it is hard to say how long the flowers you have been in bloom, so they may start going down hill earlier than you would think normal, but the plant should still be healthy. We have ours all in orchid pots or the two pot system with a plastic pot for the orchid and a decorative pot holding the other. We soak our orchids every seven to ten days in tepid water for ten to fifteen minutes so the orchid bark can absorb water. Take the inner pot out and drain it for a while, you don't water to be inside the decorative pot and get root rot. The orchid pots are ceramic pots made with holes all over it, those we soak in a plastic basin that is tall enough to get the wood all covered with water, again using tepid water. I use the Miracle Grow orchid fertilizer that is in a spray bottle just follow the directions. Orchids like light, but not direct sunlight from south windows. We have all our orchids in our south windows and they do really well. They do not like cold, so don't have them so they are against the windows in cold weather. They do like high humidity, so we try to mist them every couple of days, but they won't die if they don't get misted. They love to be root bound and don't have to be repotted but every few years. Some roots will grow above the soil, but they are okay, they help collect humidity and do well in the air. The orchid you were gifted is probably the common kind, they tend to bloom twice a year. Once the blooms are gone, let the stem dry out, occasionally it doesn't, that is okay, I have had new blooms form on them more than once. If it does dry out, cut it back to just above where they come up off the plant. I have a couple of mini orchids and one of the flower stems didn't die off and about six months later, I had a baby plant starting to grow on the stem. I am still waiting on roots to form so I can start another mini orchid plant in the pot. I hope this helps you Loretha! Any other questions, just ask!

Hi Loretha, hope this link helps

http://www.beautifulorchids.com/orchids/orchid_care_tips/faq/frequently_asked_questions.html

My friend Has some good orchid tips this one is on repotting and basic care.

https://hearthandvine.com/growing-repotting-orchids/