Unusual Blooming Cocktails for Phals

[labyrinth1959]

Lately I have run across numerous proposed cocktails for enhancing blooming spikes for phals including such items as garlic water, filtered water from pureed banana peelings, diluted lemon juice, and more. My question is do any of these have any validity or basis in truth? I never get more than one blooming cycle per year and would love to double that if it is possible without damaging the orchid.

[itzi]

They may provide some very small benefits through micronutrients, but compared to the risk of introducing contaminants or messing with the pH of your media, I'd say just avoid that type of stuff. If you want to make your plant into a more vigorous grower, stick to the products that greenhouses and nurseries use. Seaweed extracts like KelPak, probiotics like Quantum-Total, and a good fertilizer regimen. There's plenty of threads here on nutrient additives and micronutient products. Happy growing!

[Dimples]

None of the “magic potions” like the ones you listed are going to do anything hugely positive for your plants. Best case, they’re smelly water (or slimy banana water, ew). Worst case, they do damage that you may or may not notice. If they’re blooming once a year, that’s not bad.

[Dalachin]

Seems pretty unnecessary. Assuming adequate light, temperature, moisture, nutrients and air movement, most phals will happily bloom at least one a year, and most newer hybrids will bloom twice a year or even sequentially. Twice a year (or more often) blooming seems more genetic than anything else. My old faithful Phal seems to bloom twice a year no matter what the abuse or luxury it is given (but better displays with better care).