My Phal dropped a flower - time to worry?

[Politik]

Uh-oh! One of my flowers fell off... Is this the beginning of the end? Even if all the rest of the flowers seem healthy? I water once a week and the roots look nice and healthy... Should i be worried, or does this just happen sometimes?

Thanks!

[Kath]

Sounds ok, but I'm anything but an expert! Where is it? Does it get lots of light? I have a phal with a flower that shrivelled up and died, but as it has been flowering since November and there are more to come I'm not complaining. Good luck!

[Politik]

its on my window ledge - getting plenty of light... Fingers crossed it's nothing serious!

[Phalguy]

how long has it been blooming?

claude

[camille1585]

If the plant seems otherwise healthy to you, it sounds normal. How long has it been in bloom? While phal blooms do last a long time (anywhere from 2 to 8 months, depending on the plant and the conditions) they don't last forever either, and have to fall off one day or another!

[Politik]

I got it a few weeks ago, it has been in bloom all this while... How often should i use orchid feed? maybe that's related?

[camille1585]

No I don't think fertilizer is a problem. Since you only got it a few weeks ago, the blooms may be starting to wilt because of the change in conditions. Phals in bud/bloom do not like changes in conditions, it makes them blast.
Also, was it in full bloom when you got it, or were there still some unopened buds. If you buy a plant in full bloom, you have no way of knowing how long the flowers have been there.

[Politik]

Thanks Camille,

Yeah, it was in full bloom when i got it... Does that mean that i'll lose the rest of the flowers then? Or is there just no way of knowing?

[RosieC]

It probably means the other flowers are on the way out. Although I had one recently where half the flowers dropped, but the oldest ones hung on another three weeks. Never seen that before.

But just because the flowers may be over does not mean the end for you plant. With care it will flower again for you in several months time.

I was really suprised when my first Phal flowered for the second time. Of course I knew they could, but I had thought it would need really special treatment, rather than just being looked after by little old me. But it did flower again, and again and again, which is what made me decide to get more and get into keeping Orchids even more.

[Politik]

thats great then! Even if they all fall off - something to look forward to! I'll just monitor it and see what happens... and if they do all fall off, i'll be back for more advice.