Millennium Magic Orchid Skipping Dormancy or Needing Forced Dormancy?

[Roberta]

That could easily bloom next year. Not a baby. Encourage dormancy just as for any in the Catasetinae group. Time to reduce, then stop watering as mentioned above.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by Roberta

That could easily bloom next year. Not a baby.

I agree with Roberta. I'd go so far as to say it should bloom next year.
-Keith

[TheOrchidsHaveEyes]

I'm sorry it took me so long to respond but I wanted to thank everyone for their input - I read everyon's suggestions and have checked out Sunset Valley Orchid's culture sheet as well! My orchid now has lost all of her leaves and it looks like a second growth is coming in. I'll wait to see if any roots develop and hold off on watering until they get to the point Fred Clarke suggests.

Thank you all again for your input and advice - I love growing orchids and am so happy to have this one and learn about caring for her

[SouthPark]

Yes ---- for sure. That plant can definitely have a flower spike next time around. Give it lots of bright --- as much as possible for the next growing phase. These sorts of orchids can grow nice big bulbs etc --- and keep doing it --- with no spikes coming out if there's not enough light.

[TheOrchidsHaveEyes]

Originally Posted by SouthPark

with no spikes coming out if there's not enough light.

That is surprising since I have her in a south facing window and she gets a lot of bright, direct light during the day. I figured she either wasn't old/big enough or went through some sort of setback from when I got her. I do think I wasn't watering her enough the first few months I got her because I was so afraid of root rot (PTSD from my first phal). I'm prepared with fertilizer and a better watering schedule this time.

[plantanalyst]

It will probably spike and bloom next year. Mine did not spike last year. I suspect that similar to what you are thinking, I allowed it to dry out a bit too much. They like to have water and be kept moist when not in the dormant stage. I also find that mind takes a really long time to bloom. This year it produced a spike in early December and didn't actually bloom until last week. I've attached a picture from last week.

[Roberta]

When these are in active growth, they need LOTS of water.. Fred Clarke of Sunset Valley Orchids says "Water like a monsoon!" They are also growing very rapidly and so need extra fertilizer. (Most orchids grow slowly, and so need very little... these are very different, they grow so fast that you can almost watch them grow... they grow more like a tomato than an orchid, and so need to be fertilized accordingly because they are building vast amounts of new tissue rapidly). Since I have a large collection, can't give each plant a lot of individual attention, I supplement my "normal" fertilizing that everybody gets with a top dressing of a time-release fertilizer (examples Osmocote, Nutricote, Dynamite) for an extra boost. I apply that in the spring, it lasts 6-9 months, which is perfect -at the time that the time-release stuff is spent, it's time to slow down.