Phalaenopsis won't flower anymore

[en3rmax]

I always think it's best to cut any old flower spikes right off to the base of the plant and allow the plant to send up a new spike when it's ready.

I've waited 3 years for my first ever phal to send up a spike now she has, so if you take good care of the plant it will send up a spike for you.

[Rhodic]

Thankyou for that en3rmax. I am in for quite a long wait then! Do I need to feed it around the time it would be flowering? In other words, just carry on as normal? Or leave the feed bit out? I shall definitely have to get another Orchid to look at while this one "does its thing".

[RosieC]

Hi Rhodic and welcome to orchid board.

I think you've had some really good advice above. I feed phals all through the year with a weak solution in every watering (although flushing monthly with plain water).

If you use a mix that is not too high in nitrogen that you can use the same fertiliser year round. High nitrogen can inhibit flowering. If unsure take a look at this great calculator. Fertilizer Mixing Calculators

You type in the Nitrogen level of your fertiliser and it tells you the concentration to use. (Fertiliser always quotes 3 numbers N-P-K, something like 20-10-15, the nitrogen number is the first number in this). Ray's default 'target nitrogen level' is aimed for year round watering.

[Paul Mc]

Feed during active growth. It reduce feeding and watering slightly during winter. As a side note, orchids take their cue to bloom from changes in temperatures during the Eason. If you allow your phal to feel the fall or spring evening temperatures around 60F for a few weeks, his will help cue it to bloom. Of course there are other considerations other than temp as well, such as a slight increase in light, and proper humidity, feeding, health, etc... But if all these thu gs are in order then a slight increase of light and allowing it to feel the temperature difference for a few weeks should cue it to start blooming if it is ready to do so and it may be during its next natural bloom cycle, not 3 years. I would suspect the 3 years is due to lacking one or more of the conditions above. I have some that had skipped a bloom year but it was primarily because of overall health because they were dumpster rescue plants.

[Paul Mc]

And ditto to Rosie's nitrogen comment as well.