The Phal abuse ends here.

[Horses&Orchids]

I'm so excited I had to share. The 2 Phals I rescued from Walmart on clearance have both started new leaves and roots! I tried to post photos but I couldn't get them to work

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Horses&Orchids

I tried to post photos but I couldn't get them to work

You should be able to now. You need 5 posts to add pictures which it looks like you now have

[gingersmommy]

Horsesandorchids - good for you!!! I get so excited when my orchids get new leaves - and a spike puts me right over the top!

I just repotted all of my orchids in a premium sphag with lava rock and granite chips. Prior to that, I had them in bark, but they were starving for moisture.

I used to run them under the faucet to remove the accumulated salts, but am wondering now with the sphag, how do you flush the salts?

[Horses&Orchids]

Ok hope this works. Here are my 2 Phal rescues with their new leaves!

[gingersmommy]

Yay! They look extremely happy.

[andrew.whiley]

WOW - newbie here, but just spent almost 5 hours, 3 cups of tea and two packets of biscuits reading almost this entire thread.

So much information! Eternal gratification to all the contributors x

[gingersmommy]

Welcome! How many orchids do you have?

[mooburr]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Q: What about Phals that bloom from the same spike? Should they be removed as well?

A: For species such as Phal cornu-cervi and Phal mannii, I don't recommend it, but again, that's at the grower's discretion as to when they'd like to do so.

So, if you cut off a spike on a phal that will rebloom from old spikes, will it eventually grow a new one? Why, if ever, should you remove one of these spikes?

[cbuchman]

Typically flowers on the rebloom spike get smaller and smaller and fewer and fewer. Some Phals will throw a new spike as well, but with the fewer and smaller flowers. The plant never gets a chance to recoup if they're constantly in bloom. A really big vigorous plant, can do this more easily than an immature one. If you want vigorous flowering, you let the plant grow and re-spike.

[lyzzy]

I like this thread, as I am an amatuer orchid lover! I have gotten all my phaels either from Walmaart, or Lowes, and they really needed to come home with me. I want to recue every one i see, as these stores do not take care of them. Mine are all in an east window, and I had them all on big pebble trays, but took them off as summer is coming and here in Iowa, it gets humid. I avoid having air conditioning running, as I don't care for it. I do use a urea free fertilizer, Jacks Classic. One is a 7-5-6, for orchids not in bloom, and the other is bloom booster, 3-9-6. I use the bloom booster on my african violets, which seems to be the best i have found for them. I use to use Schultz, as my mother did, but I have found the Jacks Classic works the best. I would appreciate it feedback on the fertilizer, if it has the right numbers for my phaels.