Growing Orchids without staking

[AccidentalGreenThumb]

I see I'll have to try that with mine next year! Thank you very much for your insight!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You're welcome.

[RosieC]

Some of my phals, especially those that grow towards the side of the pot like in Philip's link will grow a nice arching spike if left unstaked with the flowers down below the plant.

Here is one you can just see the corner of the table above the flowers and you can see the spike coming down. I'm trying to find some pictures of my natural spikes with the plant as well but no luck so far.



However other Phals I do stake, usually the ones with much thicker spikes that don't curve on their own so naturally and would break if not supported.

---------- Post added at 03:39 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:34 PM ----------

Here are a couple of others where you can see the plant as well... One of these the plant is leaning a bit, but the spikes have gone the other way



---------- Post added at 03:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 PM ----------

Finally, here is another where the plant is REALLY leaning in the pot, but the spikes have grown the other way and curved naturally.



I know I've had ones where the plant is leaning and the spike has gone out the same way, just don't seen to have the pictures. Just shows you they will go the way they want.

I have found some pictures of one of mine with a very thick spike that I allowed to stay unstaked, it just gracefully curved at the end and was fine. So that throws out my theory that the thicker ones need staking

Maybe they are most likely to break if staked and forced to grow straight, then the stake is removed. I don't think I've had one break if grown completely naturally, though I do still choose to stake some of them.

[tucker85]

I agree with everything Rosie said (BTW, those are some great pictures, Rosie). I prefer to grow all my phals without staking them, but I've found that a few of them need to be staked to look nice. The biggest problem is how to display them. With big spikes you need to put them on a shelf or hanging so the spike has room to cascade down. Look for phals with short flower spikes like the ones in Rosie's pictures. They often look good without staking them. But even some tall spikes can be allowed to grow naturally. This is one of mine that has tall spikes and big flowers but it does well hanging in this basket. I have clips holding the spikes to the wires of the basket so the spikes won't break.

[Silje]

I think the 'unstaked' phals look amazing. I like the 'wildness' and the natural look much more than staked plants. I noticed that they are becoming more common in shops and nurseries in Norway now, and they just look so great when they have 3-4 small spikes that go in all direction with cascades of flowers on.

[WhiteRabbit]

I don't have as much experience with Phals, but I do love the look of unstaked spikes, phals, Oncidiums, etc. And agree that even very long heavy spikes don't break if left alone, in my experience - the plant should be able to hold it's spike, tho perhaps hybrids that have been bred for exceptionally large blooms and long spikes, could be possible they may break ....

I have just had problems not staking some when growing in a windowsill with spikes hitting the window. Had a Phal that had very upright spikes that just kept growing. I kept turning the plant and got spiralling spikes

Others (Oncidium alliance for me) plants just become very prone to toppling over when they are in smaller pots especially, with unstaked spikes. Spikes grow very upright, but with all flowers open, bow heavily.

[rosemadder]

I want one of these.

[Joyorchid]

Are those phals?? If so, I want one too!

[RosieC]

Wow!

[Paddle_grl]

I rarely stake my phal's spikes. They do just fine on their own. You do need to be careful when moving them around to water.