Leaning Phals.

[larrylwill]

It seems sooner or later all my Phals start to lean away from the window. They get a lot of air roots. How can I keep or make them grow straight?

[NYCorchidman]

Mine does that too.
I used to turn the pot every so often to maintain them to grow upright, but then once I got lazy doing that for a while, they are all about to walk out of the pot. lol

Eventually, they will all lean as long as they are grown near the window.
I had less of this "issue" when I had overhead light in the past.

[Ordphien]

They lean naturally. Overhead lighting will help.
I used to repot them upright again but lately I find that I'm just planting them sideways

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[larrylwill]

Good to hear, I will be building a lean too green house as soon as the weather gets above freezing in the 50s
it will be 10ft long and 6ft deep against the house, with tinted plastic for the roof and sliding glass windows from a sun room for the front, they are slightly tinted. The back wall is painted white brick. Around noon the sun will start to shine in from the top as it gos down so it will get sun from noon to setting.

[seaj]

All of my older phals now lean. Their spikes emerge on the top side. I actually let the plants lean towards my windows to let them get as much light as possible. I think it's better to let them lean since every leaf gets more sun exposure.

[jeremyinsf]

It's how they grow in the wild. Very, very normal behavior. We only know different because nurseries train them different to look nice in the store.

[Ryan.Walsh]

Phals will always do that in the wild or even when mounted. You can mount one perfectly straight up and in a couple of years it will be all hanging down. It's actually a pretty cool adaptation on the plants part. By leaning over or drooping like that it effectively prevents water from accumulating in the axils of the leaves which encourages fungal growth and rot.

[larrylwill]

Originally Posted by Ryan.Walsh

Phals will always do that in the wild or even when mounted. You can mount one perfectly straight up and in a couple of years it will be all hanging down. It's actually a pretty cool adaptation on the plants part. By leaning over or drooping like that it effectively prevents water from accumulating in the axils of the leaves which encourages fungal growth and rot.

Thanks to all

[james mickelso]

The roots look for something to attach to and naturally grow above the media.