How do you get phalaenopsis to throw out multiple spikes?

[james mickelso]

Husbandry is genetics. Understanding the genetic makeup of the hybrid/species is what growers use to decide what they want from a parent so they can get a better plant or a plant that, say, throws double spikes.

[Bud]

The numbers of spikes is affected significantly by the temperature difference between the vegetative and cooling phases and the longer exposure to daylight. The Phalaenopsis Sogo Yukidian can be used to illustrate the effect of temperature difference on number of spikes. The adequate day and night temperature for the vegetative stage is 80F and 60F, respectively. If the cooling temperature of day and night is kept at 80F and 60F, 100％ these plants have one spike....even if you lower the cooling temperature of day and night and maintained it at 70F and 60F, 40％ of these plants have spikes and 60％ of these plants have one spike. But then lowering even more the environment of 70F day temperature and 50F night temperature, 100% of these plants have two spikes. Humidity is at least 55%....and lighting from 6pm to 8pm must be artificially added to provide longer light exposure for longer spikes.
If the night temperature at the flowering stage is higher than the adequate condition, the number of blossoms is decreased and the flower size is reduced.
If the day temperature at the flowering stage is the same or higher than that of the vegetative stage, a leaf will appear in the spike or a keiki. Despite the day temperature not being higher than the temperature of vegetative stage, it is still higher than the normal condition and the high day temperature will reduce the flower quality. The position of the first bud is heightened, all buds will be blocked up in the end of stem, the flower color will fade and the number of branches is decreased.

---------- Post added at 09:50 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:48 PM ----------

Yet many Phalaenopsis will only provide one spike no matter what trick you do....depends on the DNA factor.

[james mickelso]

Exactly. The grower looks for number of inflorescences that the plant normally produces and selects that cultivar for their production. Phals that normally produce one spike will normally produce larger, longer inflorescences while those normally producing two spikes have fewer flowers but almost always produce two inflorescences. Manipulating the temps at those certain stages of growth enhance what is already there. There are many studies and experiments that are conducted to produce one effect or another and money is sought to perform these studies. Patents are always sought to protect the information gathered by these studies in the event that something comes of it.

[LoveOscar]

I cheated and bought a small noid phal. with multiple spikes already.

LO