Is this a flower spike?

[yager]

Hi, my phal is grown under T-5's and has always produced numerous roots but today i noticed this little green bulb sticking out and the roots are normally silver!

[Ranchnanny]

Well its in the right place but I would give it a few more days. If it looks like a mitten its a spike.

Sheridan

[Sandy4453]

Originally Posted by Ranchnanny

Well its in the right place but I would give it a few more days. If it looks like a mitten its a spike.

Sheridan

You took the words right outta my mouth, Sheridan. A flat tipped mitten and you've got yourself a spike! Fingers crossed for you!!!

[jkofferdahl]

I'm going to go ahead and call it a spike, 'cause it sure doesn't look like a root to me! Congratulations.

[HPS Chris]

Definitly a flower spike! congrats! First spike?

[Bird Song Farm]

I vote fo spike also. Isn't it a great feeling?
Congrats, I remember my first spike and watching it daily!

Al

[camille1585]

Sure looks like a spike to me as well, but you should know for sure in a couple days.

[violetta]

It's a spike

[yager]

Thanks guys, this will actually be the second spike this phal has produced, the last one was beautiful with large white fluffy flowers. That was back in May of 2008. Should i change water regimin and switch to a bloom booster? Or will the current fish emulsion work just fine. i know the flowers will be effected by temp but at what point should i move up the T-5's?

[RosieC]

It looks like a spike to me as well, but it will be easier to tell once it grows a bit more.

I feed mine the usual fertiliser until buds start to form, then switch to a bloom booster (that's what it advises on the packet). Many people say that bloom boosters don't do much anyway (I'm not convinced either way) so it's probably fine to stay on the standard one all the way through if that's what you've got.

Phals don't need as bright a light as other types of 'chids. Mine tend to actually get moved to lower light when they are blooming. (Off the windowledge and onto the mantlepiece in the same room, so that I can enjoy them.) It does not seem to affect how long they bloom for (although if you do move them be careful when they are moved, this last time I got twisted buds because I moved them after the buds were forming).