Reblooming question from a somewhat newb

[Emo]

Hi all,
New to the forums and happy to find this website.

I have to Phals, one is large, the other smaller. My main question is about getting the plants to re-bloom. Each plant has a different scenario and I do not know if what I am doing is right.

The larger plant was knocked over while in bloom and unfortunately the blooms/stem broke. I cut the stem about 1 foot from the plant but under where it broke and left it. It is healthy, regrowing new leaves and I noticed the other day a new stem growing off the side of the existing cut stem. What do I do with this? Is this my rebloom?

The smaller plant bloomed for a long time and died, I cut this stem back to the base of the plant (about 3 or 4 cm from the base), it is growing new leaves but no sign of reblooming. It badly needs to be repotted.

When the plant is done blooming do you cut the stem back to the base or just cut off the dead bloom section? I found conflicting opinions on this.

Can I repot in moss? They are currently in clear plastic pots with moss-I like this as I can easily see if they are dry or still have moisture in them and need watering. Both gettings lots of light, temps harder to control as I live in Canada and we still have snow, house is occaisonally chilly at night but nothing ever under 17-18 degrees.

Thanks all, off to read more of the forums.

[sadiejoy08]

Welcome!!

Yes, the new stem growing off the side of the existing cut stem is your new spike. Good job!

I'll let others weigh in on your other questions --

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If you have had long term success with your Phals grown potted in moss (by long term I mean you've grown an individual specimen for more than a year without too many problems), then by all means go for it.

If not, maybe something such as coconut husk chips might work better for you, idk. Just a suggestion, considering I don't really know what it's like in Quebec, Canada.

One of the problems with moss is acidity that the Phal may not be used to (moss has pH values that range between 2 - 4, Phals most likely enjoy a pH of somewhere between 5 - 7; remember pH values are non-linear functions, i.e. they're exponential).

[Emo]

Haha I live in Alberta, we just had a big dump of snow overnight and "winter storm warnings" all of yesterday. It will melt in the next day or so I am sure...

The smaller plant is about two years old and the larger is 6-8 months (at least that is how long I have owned it).

I tried poking around in the smaller one and there may be a potential spike growing from the bottom of it. Too soon to tell. They are growing like crazy now as our days are longer, more hours of sunlight, previously warmer weather etc...

With the bigger one growing a spike off the side of the old one, do I need to start wiring this eventually to get it to grow into the typical arc or "spray" shape?

It would seem to me since the larger one is growing a spike so soon vs. the smaller older one that it makes more sense to leave the stem on after blooming instead of cutting it back to the base of the plant??

Have to say I went to Japan last year and was jealous, gianormous orchids (phals) with huge huge sprays (3 feet, and 3-4 per plant) for only a couple hundred dollars. Many other varieties grown out on the street in pots in front of their homes just like any old plant you would grow here... must be nice.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Emo

With the bigger one growing a spike off the side of the old one, do I need to start wiring this eventually to get it to grow into the typical arc or "spray" shape?

Yes. Wait until it gets about at least 5 cm (2 in) tall.

Newly forming spikes have tips that point upward. Roots can emerge either downwards or straight out. They don't look the same as newly forming roots. Newly forming roots have those bright green tips (sometimes reddish brown tips) that are glossy. Emerging spikes have sheaths (the texture looks like the petioles on the plant).

BTW, the actual stem of the plant is underneath the petioles. Each petiole wraps around the stem and the leaf is attached to it. When a leaf falls off the Phalaenopsis, it's falling off the petioles, not the stem. When there's a new root or spike that pokes through, they're poking through the petioles.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I forgot...

This is more technical stuff, so bear with me here.

What you're referring to as the stem is actually the inflorescence.

The real stem of the plant is covered up by the petioles as I had mentioned prior.

[Emo]

Awesome thanks. Def a spike as it is pointing up and is already about 4 inches long. I have the old wire the plant came with before it broke, do I do the same thing, try to gently wire it so it is supported growing up and just use twist ties or are the tiny clips better?

Thanks for you help, much appreciated.