Phal bud blast mystery

[methanalmkay]

My mini phal again has some bud blast. The same thing happened last year, and I was trying to be extra careful, but still it happened.

She's on a northeast facing window, same as all my other orchids, which all love it. Currently three more phals next to this one also have spikes, but none of them have bud blast. It's winter now, but I never open windows, and the humidity is around 60-65% all the time. I didn't move the orchid except when I took the picture.

I've been growing orchids for over 4 years now, and only this orchid is having issues. I got it around 4 years ago, and it was very small, and didn't bloom until last year (she had one spike, this year she has two). She has grown so many leaves and roots though, and looks very healthy.

Also I'm keeping her in water culture, as my other orchids and I add a bit of fertilizer every now and then, again same as the other orchids, and those are doing great. I mean this one is doing great too, except bud blast. The flowers don't last very long either on this one, no more than a week or two, while my other phals flowers last for months.

Does anyone know what the problem could be?

Picture: Phal bud blast - Album on Imgur

[Shadeflower]

as long as it's just a couple at the back that happens. I mean look at how many flowers it is trying to support.

Did most of them make it last year?

Most of the time it is a watering issue. Orchids need nutrients all the time so if you don't water regularly enough they can run out. In these times it is good to spray a little daily on to the air roots to provide more water and nutrients.
Lots just stop fertilizing in winter completely but you can see this phal is a winter bloomer. The rest of the year it will grow a leaf but it's main activity produing all these buds is this time of year. Now they do store nutrients all year long in the build up but they can easily run out and will just sacrifice a couple of back buds but if all the buds drop then than is a far more serious issue and there are several reasons that could contribute but if it's just the two at the back (and was last year too) then that is just the plant saying look I was bred to produce lots of flowers but with these temps this is the best I can do..

Last year as your only reference you say it flowered for one week only. That is of course far too short but can happen if the plant is still a bit immature. Like you say the plant has grown really well, there doesn't seem to be anything wong with it and I know the bud blast is like "oh no not again" but I am sure the flowers will last longer this time, unless there is an issue we can't see but I don't think it's time to panic just yet.

[methanalmkay]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

as long as it's just a couple at the back that happens. I mean look at how many flowers it is trying to support.

Did most of them make it last year?

Most of the time it is a watering issue. Orchids need nutrients all the time so if you don't water regularly enough they can run out. In these times it is good to spray a little daily on to the air roots to provide more water and nutrients.
Lots just stop fertilizing in winter completely but you can see this phal is a winter bloomer. The rest of the year it will grow a leaf but it's main activity produing all these buds is this time of year. Now they do store nutrients all year long in the build up but they can easily run out and will just sacrifice a couple of back buds but if all the buds drop then than is a far more serious issue and there are several reasons that could contribute but if it's just the two at the back (and was last year too) then that is just the plant saying look I was bred to produce lots of flowers but with these temps this is the best I can do..

Last year as your only reference you say it flowered for one week only. That is of course far too short but can happen if the plant is still a bit immature. Like you say the plant has grown really well, there doesn't seem to be anything wong with it and I know the bud blast is like "oh no not again" but I am sure the flowers will last longer this time, unless there is an issue we can't see but I don't think it's time to panic just yet.

Thanks for the reply!

Last year it was something like this. And the flowering didn't really last a week, but each flower lasted for about a week. The flowers would drop after a week or so, while new ones were opening.

I guess it makes sense that it can't support all of the flowers. Maybe I'll try fertilizing a bit more, or even keeping it in a sunnier spot, and see what happens. I won't move her now, since I feel like that would just make things worse, so maybe next year.

[estación seca]

It looks like a healthy plant. It should be able to support all those flowers.

Many minis have Phal. equestris in the background. This species requires more winter warmth than others. Better growers than I have written here they try to keep equestris above 21C / 70 F in winter. What is the temperature at night next to that window? Is there a heat radiator under that window?

[methanalmkay]

Originally Posted by estación seca

It looks like a healthy plant. It should be able to support all those flowers.

Many minis have Phal. equestris in the background. This species requires more winter warmth than others. Better growers than I have written here they try to keep equestris above 21C / 70 F in winter. What is the temperature at night next to that window? Is there a heat radiator under that window?

Thank you, this is something I didn't know! The room temp is usually 21°C at night, but since it's close to the window it could be a bit lower. There is a radiator close to it, but at night it isn't on. I'll place a thermometer next to it tonight, so I'll see how low it gets. I think this could be the issue!

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by methanalmkay

I've been growing orchids for over 4 years now, and only this orchid is having issues.

I have one phal that is much more prone to bud blast than any others. Sometimes it would drop all its buds or all but one when none of my others did.

Last winter I ran an unintentional experiment where I learned that a new gas range caused phalaenopsis bud drop (but didn't effect the catts). The one phal I mentioned was completely de-budded by the gas range fumes whereas others just lost a few buds and catts were not affected. The buds most susceptible were the ones just about to open and flowers that had opened.

-Keith

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by methanalmkay

Thanks for the reply!

...the flowering didn't really last a week, but each flower lasted for about a week.

Individual flowers on a standard white Phalaenopsis should last a month to two months. The plant can be in bloom on a single spike for three to four months and sometimes more. This one, Phalaenopsis White Dream 'V3' AM/AOS, has had all its flowers open for about 6 weeks now.

If the flowers only lasted a week, they may have been getting blasted. The problem I had with fumes from a gas range blasting buds could be interpreted as short flower life.

-Keith