Phal bellina var coerulea, growth stalled out?

[RandomGemini]

I purchased a phalaenopsis bellina var. coerulea in October. It was growing a single new leaf when purchased, once that finished growth has seemed to stall. I have seen ZERO root or leaf growth since.

I follow the same culture that I do for all of my phals. Watered when the medium is bone dry and I mist the aerial root when it's dry. I fertilize with better gro orchid plus at a rate of one quarter teaspoon/gal. I do this weekly.

I keep it in the same conditions as my other mini phals and they are all putting out new roots and leaves and several folks here just identified my first spike on one of my mini phals, so I must be doing something right for them, but not for the bellina. It's potted in bark in a square seedling type pot. I didn't want to repot it into slotted plastic until I saw some new root growth and I haven't seen anything.

Do bellinas have different temperature requirements from other phals? I have this sitting on a window sill with my other minis, but if they like to be warmer, I should move it. My other phals all seem to be doing well, particularly the minis, but this bellina has me concerned.

Any thoughts on what I could be doing to help this little guy along?

Thanks!

[zxyqu]

Bellina and violacea like it on the warm side for sure. This isn't a mini by any means once they get big. I'd boost the temps a bit. Also consider watering with warmer water so the roots get a boost in temp as well. But it's winter and they tend to slow down when grown indoors at this time of year. If it doesn't start getting active as it warms up, let us know. Otherwise if think this is fairly normal. I might also water a bit more occasionally than bone dry, but that's me.

[RandomGemini]

It's hard for this one to not get bone dry. The bark it's in is not the bark I use for potting my phals, it's in the mix that the nursery I purchased it from uses. I don't think there's any CHC in it, or perlite. It's just bark chunks so it dries out really fast. I have thought about repotting it, but I worry that would just slow things down more, and I really want to see new growth before I repot it, so that I know that it's healthy enough to latch on to a new medium.

Could I put a little spag on top of the pot to help keep things a little more moist? Do you think that would help?

[zxyqu]

I wouldn't repot it unless it's in active growth. As a species plant, they are a bit more "grumpy" when it comes to repotting, so wait until spring or so when it perks up to do that. You could dunk the plant a let it sit for a few second to allow the bark to absorb some water, or just increase the frequency of watering. Either should work. Definitely raise the temps, and keep us posted tho.

[RandomGemini]

Oh... also, I didn't write it down when I bought it, but I'm pretty sure this is not a blooming sized plant. I'm okay with waiting for blooms on this guy, I just want to see some sort of growth and seeing no new roots in four months has me a little concerned for it.

---------- Post added at 12:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:11 PM ----------

I do soak the bark when I water it, but the medium is dry again in about three or four days. I'm watering it on the same schedule as my paphs because the medium is just not retaining moisture.

Humidity in the room its in hovers around 55%. I can move it away from the window to let it get warmer though. That little plastic pot can't be helping to keep it very warm either.

Thank you so much for your help!

[Masdyman]

I have got a Phal tetrapis C 1 and the leaves started to go pale and spikes started to stall once the UK autumn/ winter kicked in. So I thought I would try it under my cool white flasking tube light for 12 hours a day and it soon started to pick up. Now it has optimum light, thus dries quicker, so it now gets more feed. It is now nice and green and has developed a new leaf.

Sent from my HTC Desire X using Tapatalk

[RandomGemini]

I have a CFL set up in my office to supplement sunlight for my orchids for the winter. I can definitely find a spot for this phal closer to my p. sogo yukidian, which I've been told is also a light loving phal.

[digriz]

Sounds like not enough water.

[RandomGemini]

Could be, but until I get some kind of growth from it, there's not a lot I can do about that without repotting it. If it's just in a rest period, then it's probably not a good idea for me to repot it, because that will shock the roots and set it back even further. I water it about twice a week right now, which is about twice as often as I water my other phals.