I am great at growing orchids!

[Piper23]

Rumor has it that they actually produce flowers!

Seriously though, I have had seven orchids for ~3 years. I fertilize with Kelpak once per month and with K-lite once every 2-3 weeks. They are very healthy looking, but over three years, none of them have ever flowered.

Suggestions are appreciated!

[Piper23]

...the type that are very green with great-looking roots!

Rumor has it that they can flower!

Seriously though, I have had seven orchids that appear to be Phals and Cattleyas.

I fertilize them with Kelpak once per month and with K-lite plus every 2-3 weeks. Over four years, not one of them has flowered.

Advice is appreciated!

[estación seca]

Photos would help so we could be sure of what you have.

What are your growing conditions? What part of the US? Light? Natural or artificial? If artificial, how long are the lights on? Temperatures day/night? Relative humidity?

[Louis_W]

Almost across the board I'd suggest trying a little more light. With that said I would be an irresponsible advisor if I didn't ask what kind of orchids they are...

[Mountaineer370]

Yes, as Louis W asked, it would be helpful to know what type of orchids they are. Also, what part of the country do you live in, and what are your growing conditions? Indoors, outdoors, a mix of the two depending on season? What are your temps, humidity, and light like?

I grow indoors year-round, and the one thing that made the greatest difference when I could barely get anything to bloom was adding supplemental lights.

[Mountaineer370]

I just responded to this poster in a different thread with a slightly different title. I wonder if a moderator can combine the two threads since they seem to be asking the same question.

[Piper23]

I have seven orchids that appear to be Phals (5) and Cattleyas (2).

I am in New England and have tried them in east-facing, north-facing, and west-facing windows.

Our house temp is 70 degrees during the day and mid-low 60's overnight- I have tried warming mats and grow lights - the grow lights gave the leaves a bit of pigment but otherwise had no effect.

New England winter humidity is terrible, but they don't do any worse during those months than in the high humidity ones.

Keep the suggestions coming, and thank you!

[Roberta]

Threads merged.

---------- Post added at 07:48 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:45 AM ----------

For the Phals at least, they likely don't need more intensity of light (being low-light plants) but probably do need more duration. My own experience when growing indoors was that my reblooming success rate increased greatly when I provided supplemental light 12 hours a day. The Catts could probably benifit both from more intensity and more hours of light. Increase intensity gradually.

[Ray]

1) Kelpak is not a fertilizer.
2) You can't have been using K-Lite Plus the entire time, as it was formulated only 6 months ago.

What formula have you been using, and exasctly how much have you mixed poer gallon?

I ask because your comment that "they are very green" may indicate overfeeding - expecially if it's an "emerald green" color.

[Waterdog111]

Even though I live in a pretty high humidity area, I went to Wal Mart in their drug area and found a Vicks brand humidfyer and it is a cool air one. It has helped me to keep my humidity up inside quite well. I think it could have helped my phals and dendrobiums to bloom, heres my favorite