My Phal is going crazy...

[jen.kirsten]

Hi everyone,

I haven't been too active on the boards for a while because everything with my orchids has been going pretty well. Today I noticed something as I was watering my huge Phal. It's had blooms since the middle of October last year and today I noticed three things:1) None of the blooms look like they're even close to wilting or dropping off or anything, 2) there is a tip of a new leaf coming up and 3) there are tons of new roots growing! My question is: can they do all three things at once? Sustain blooms, grow roots and produce new leaves? I feel like as a beginner with these plants this is some sort of dumb luck. All I do is water every 10 days (or when the roots look silvery) and fertilize every other watering and leave the plant in a southwest facing window where it gets a mix of direct light in the morning and filtered light in the afternoon.

Thanks for any input!

[SlipperGirl]

yes they can do all three but it can stress the plant. If the plant is healthy I would let it finish blooming.

[jen.kirsten]

I think the plant is pretty healthy: good firm leaves, no drooping anywhere, no bugs or scale, no rotting roots.

Thank you!

[bballr4567]

Once the spike is produced and all flowers have opened it really takes the plant little resources to keep the flowers on. Some species phals bloom for a very long time. If its doing all three its just a healthy plant.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by jen.kirsten

Hi everyone,

I haven't been too active on the boards for a while because everything with my orchids has been going pretty well. Today I noticed something as I was watering my huge Phal. It's had blooms since the middle of October last year and today I noticed three things:1) None of the blooms look like they're even close to wilting or dropping off or anything, 2) there is a tip of a new leaf coming up and 3) there are tons of new roots growing! My question is: can they do all three things at once? Sustain blooms, grow roots and produce new leaves? I feel like as a beginner with these plants this is some sort of dumb luck. All I do is water every 10 days (or when the roots look silvery) and fertilize every other watering and leave the plant in a southwest facing window where it gets a mix of direct light in the morning and filtered light in the afternoon.

Thanks for any input!

Based on your description, you are giving your phals almost ideal home growing condition. No wonder it is doing so well.

Most of my phals do two things at the same time (flowering and growing roots), but some of them do all three at the same time like yours. No problem at all. They do what they want to do.

[Becky15349]

This is totally normal, mine do this all the time! They grow leaves, are blooming and do roots simultaneously. No worries - you just have a happy plant! Don't overthink it

[jen.kirsten]

Thanks everyone! I don't think I would have such a healthy plant if it weren't for all the help I got from you guys here on these boards! Big thanks!!