How Long For Blooms To Open, Phal

[oregon woodsmoke]

Once a phalaenopsis has flower buds, how long does it take the buds to open?

I bought a smallish phal on 2-20-20 (I checked the receipt for the date). It was about half flowers and half unopened flower buds. I was hoping for a very long flower season as the buds opened.

10 plus weeks later, I still have all the original flowers and all the original buds and not one flower bud has opened.

This is a common plant, smallish, two stalks with branches, flowers look like phals, sales tag says it is a phal. I see the same sort for sale in super markets and the big box stores, nothing rare about it.

All of my orchids, except for one, still have the original flowers. They all look happy, plump leafs, good color. They get lots of light but no direct sunlight. I water every 10-14 days with RO water, soak to water with a very weak orchid specific fertilizer.

I'm not complaining about my plants, mind you. I'm enjoying the long lasting flowers. But I keep wondering if these flower buds are going to open.

Thanks for any help.

[WaterWitchin]

Hi Oregon Woodsmoke... It's really hard to say. Could be that it stalled for awhile due to the change in conditions where it was before. Warmer, colder, less/more humidity. And sometimes it takes them a long time to open up. As long as it's not getting bud blast I'd just be patient.

[KingKong]

I have noticed a big difference in Supermarket phals compared to orchids grown from a proper orchid shop.

Like you say they just seem frozen for months on end after you buy them and I highly suspect - but mind you this is just conspiracy theory - that they use some kind of gas to stall growth on supermarket phals like they do with most fruit you can buy in supermarkets. They get treated to make them stay fresh 10 weeks after they should have started rotting and like said just my conspiracy theory but my supermarket phals stay in suspeded growth for weeks after buying them, not living, not dying not growing but most importantly for the supermarket trade - if the flowers are open- they are also frozen in time and don't fade either.

These plants do eventually start growing after about 6 months from my experience so you will end up with a lovely healthy plant eventually. They do recover from whatever horrors they go through in Supermarkets.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by KingKong

I have noticed a big difference in Supermarket phals compared to orchids grown from a proper orchid shop.

Like you say they just seem frozen for months on end after you buy them and I highly suspect - but mind you this is just conspiracy theory - that they use some kind of gas to stall growth on supermarket phals like they do with most fruit you can buy in supermarkets. They get treated to make them stay fresh 10 weeks after they should have started rotting and like said just my conspiracy theory but my supermarket phals stay in suspeded growth for weeks after buying them, not living, not dying not growing but most importantly for the supermarket trade - if the flowers are open- they are also frozen in time and don't fade either.

These plants do eventually start growing after about 6 months from my experience so you will end up with a lovely healthy plant eventually. They do recover from whatever horrors they go through in Supermarkets.

Yup, sounds like conspiracy theory to me. You have anything else to back up that thought?

[aliceinwl]

Temperature can also play a role. If your conditions are on the cool side for a Phalaenopsis, your plant can slow down.

[KingKong]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

Yup, sounds like conspiracy theory to me. You have anything else to back up that thought?

Witchin, it doesn't surprise me that you think his phal is the same as any other phal and it is his lack of a green thumb that it isn't growing. I know most supermarket phals are not designed to survive. Of course they can survive but it is far more rewarding growing a plant that thrives compared to trying to revive something that has practically been killed by the supermarket. I was just trying to point out what I believe but like with the WHO, unless they have 100% proof it cannot be reported. For months there was no evidence that face masks worked to stop coronavirus. There was no evidence they didn't work either but now months later although there still is no proof, countries are making them mandatory as you would expect them to help even if there is no official proof.

It is common knowledge that fruit is highly processed. Having found a source for you it is even more intricate and scary than I even wanted to know about but here:

Just how old are the 'fresh' fruit & vegetables we eat? | Food | The Guardian

I have no evidence to suggest a similar procedure is done to orchids except that they don't grow for 6 months after buying them. You can believe what you want witchin, I have learnt my lesson about supermarket phals and don't bother with them anymore, it works out rather expensive if every second one dies.

This is the kind of stuff that is highly relevant but you are right I have no proof so I will shut up and redact all I have said. Please ignore my statement.

I have never lost an orchid from a reputable orchid shop, not all my supermarket phals died but those are the only ones I have lost. Happy growing everyone

[SouthPark]

KK - sure, we know that bananas may be exposed to some sort of gas to make them ripen more quickly.

But no grower has heard of a system .... eg. a gas ...... that makes an orchid go into a suspended state ..... suspended growth for marketing purposes or marketing benefits.

The supermarkets kill the orchids because the orchids go into there, and stay on the shelves with nobody to look after them. They don't get humidity, or watered etc. They just stay on the shelf and degrade, which is full-on orchid abuse.

In general, if an orchid comes out of a supermarket into very good growing conditions, and care, and provided the time of year is for active growth, then the orchid can do really well.

Also - the links you provided don't involve full-on plants, with roots, flowers, leaves, stem and all ....... which is very different when compared with a fruit or a vegetable (with roots cut off etc).

Originally Posted by KingKong

I know most supermarket phals are not designed to survive.

I know that you meant ----- the seller knows that a lot are not 'intended' to survive ....... which is different from 'designed' to not survive.

Originally Posted by KingKong

but it is far more rewarding growing a plant that thrives compared to trying to revive something that has practically been killed by the supermarket

It's a perspective/point of view thing. Some growers feel sorry for a plant when they walk past and see it like that. And the plant becomes a rescue plant. And some satisfaction or reward can come of it.

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by KingKong

Witchin, it doesn't surprise me that you think his phal is the same as any other phal and it is his lack of a green thumb that it isn't growing. I know most supermarket phals are not designed to survive. Of course they can survive but it is far more rewarding growing a plant that thrives compared to trying to revive something that has practically been killed by the supermarket. I was just trying to point out what I believe but like with the WHO, unless they have 100% proof it cannot be reported. For months there was no evidence that face masks worked to stop coronavirus. There was no evidence they didn't work either but now months later although there still is no proof, countries are making them mandatory as you would expect them to help even if there is no official proof.

It is common knowledge that fruit is highly processed. Having found a source for you it is even more intricate and scary than I even wanted to know about but here:

Just how old are the 'fresh' fruit & vegetables we eat? | Food | The Guardian

I have no evidence to suggest a similar procedure is done to orchids except that they don't grow for 6 months after buying them. You can believe what you want witchin, I have learnt my lesson about supermarket phals and don't bother with them anymore, it works out rather expensive if every second one dies.

This is the kind of stuff that is highly relevant but you are right I have no proof so I will shut up and redact all I have said. Please ignore my statement.

I have never lost an orchid from a reputable orchid shop, not all my supermarket phals died but those are the only ones I have lost. Happy growing everyone

Why doesn't it surprise you KingKong, what my opinion is? Do I even know you? And I said nothing about the grower not having a green thumb.

I certainly have no desire to discuss viruses or politics with you in a beginner's thread. Very inappropriate. And I'm not at all surprised you choose The Guardian as your source for the waxing, gassing, chemicaling, etc., of fruits and vegetables for market. It's not really new news either. Yes, some fruits and vegetables are treated for longer survival at the grocery store. I tend to not buy them.

Comparing a growing plant to the fruit or vegetable is like comparing apples to... a rose bush? Most grocery store Phals are mass produced, mass shipped, and then depend on the care or lack thereof by the floral department of any particular store. They're also usually cheaper for that reason. I've grown quite a few "grocery store" orchids, and all kept growing. Blasted buds a few times... As I originally stated, probably a change in climate, culture, etc, which can stall any orchid's growth.

[aliceinwl]

I probably have close to a hundred grocery store / hardware store orchids (I don’t want to count). I’d say my survival rate is at least 90%. The big factors I’ve seen are what condition the plant is in upon arrival at the store, how long it’s been sitting in the store, and my level of competence with the species.

If I get a plant that just arrived, is in good health, and I know how to care for it in my growing conditions: it hits the ground running.

If it has poor roots or other health issues, if I drag my feet on intervention (repotting if it’s in bad media), or provide it with less than ideal environmental conditions, it may stall out.

Some of my favorite orchids are from box stores

[oregon woodsmoke]

Thanks, everyone. I am going to assume it is temperature. My house is on the cool end of what a phal will tolerate. Maybe when summer finally gets here and it warms up, the buds will open.

As for delayed blooming.... potted flowers intended for indoor display are forced. Perhaps orchids are not forced per se, but bulk raised phals are going to be coming out of ideal conditions and have to adapt to living in a house instead of a greenhouse with drip irrigation and perfect temperature and humidity. It's a big change.