Orchid hasn't spiked in a few years!

[alisanoel]

Help! I have an orchid, the first one I ever got, and it hasn't bloomed or had a new spike since I first got it (September of 2011). It seems healthy, new leaves and roots since then but it's hasn't produced any flowers.

Any idea of what I can do to encourage it to spike?

Thank you!

[Orchid Whisperer]

We need to know (at least generally) what kind it is.

If you don't know, post a few more times (at least 5), then you can attach a photo of the plant to your post.

Also, how have you been growing it (describe the light/shade conditions, water, indoors or outdoors, etc.)? Does it seem to have good roots?

[alisanoel]

Oops sorry! It's a Phal, it's been growing near a window with indirect sunlight. I water every so often (I've come to realize I need to start watering more). It has really good roots, I repotted it recently and it did have some root rot (which has been delt with) but ever since the repot there have been new healthy roots like crazy.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Try dropping the temperature to 70 F day/60 F night for about 1 week, then raising the temperature to 95 F day/70 F night.

[WhiteRabbit]

How "near" the window is it? What direction does the window face?

[tarev]

It does need a temperature drop..I usually get mine to do its spike around Fall season to winter time.

You may have to wait a bit..well....you have been waiting already for awhile, just wait a little more..and now that you know it needs that temp variance, just continue to give its other cultural needs. Water, good air circulation, dappled light, some fertilizer and hopefully it would be truly ready come Fall season to throw that spike.

[alisanoel]

It is right in front of it, maybe 8 inches away from the window with the lace curtain in between.

And how do you suggest I give it a temperature change? My house has no air conditioner and Southern California has pretty average temps year round.

I also forgot to mention that one of my newer orchids has spiked and bloomed since I've gotten it.

[tarev]

During Fall or winter, some leave their Phals during early evenings outdoors for a few hours. I do not know if you have a patio there. Or you can leave your window open if you can at night just to let it get that sense of temperature variance. That is how I would do it if it were my orchid. I used to live in SoCal so I know temperatures do go down a bit around that time of the year at night.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Temperatures here in SoCal are not that even throughout the year, and certainly not between day and night. We have a subtropical/mediterranean/semi-arid desert type of climate, it is not equatorial, where temperatures throughout the year are relatively even, and there is not a huge differential in temperatures between night and day.

Indoors temperatures can fluctuate between day and night and seasons as well, but not as much as it would outdoors.

Night and day temperatures here can vary by up to 20 F - 40 F here, this is certainly enough to do the trick.

Try opening the window a little or do the patio thing that was suggested, whichever is convenient for you and/or gets results.

[lexusnexus]

Why do you think you should be watering it more often? Phals like to almost dry out between waterings. I water mine once a week (bark mixture). The potting medium is also a driving factor. Sphagnum moss retains water longer than a bark mixture for me. Also, as the moss ages it tends to pack down and hold water longer. You've also said that it has a new blooming spike and blooms. It sounds like it is pretty happy to me.