No New Stalks

[elbie]

I "rescued" 4 phalaenopsis orchids that were on sale for 99 cents. That was a year or so ago. They had dry leathery leaves, no flowers and pretty dried out stalks. Figured the pots were worth the price. I repotted them with a bark type soil. They are putting out leaves and roots and look really good. On one of them I did not cut the stalk since it looked green and healthy. That one turned out to be a very lovely white orchid that has 4 flowers on it and 7 more buds on it. One other orchid that I was given as a present has been blooming over and over again for the last year and a half. The problem is the other 3. Leaves look great, roots are healthy, I water them about every 4-5 days and fertilize about every two weeks. I cut the stalk between nodes but nothing happened. Finally, since the stalks looked brown and dry, I cut the stalks at the bases. It has been a year, and they are not putting out new stalks. What can I do? What did I do wrong. If the other orchids were doing poortly I would think that I was doing things wrong, but two are doing great????

[WhiteRabbit]

If they were in poor shape initially, it may take some time before they are recovered enough to bloom. Or, they may still yet start spikes in the not too distant future. Are they all getting the same light?

[Kseniya]

Hello.
They will need to grow 4-5 new leaves before they will bloom. It happened to my rescue phalaenopsis, all others were in bloom but not him. I have waited for 2 years for him to bloom, this year I got a spike. But he jumped old leaf nods and spiked from new leaf. So just be patient and you will be rewarded.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Hello and welcome from another Wyoming dweller. But I am born and raised. Where in Wyo. are you? I live South of Buffalo. I would say WhiteRabbit is right and it is just taking the other 3 longer to get ready. Some of mine are spiking and some aren't I am not sure why but think one of them is because it bloomed from Dec. last year to into the summer with 2 spikes and it is resting.

Just give them more time I'm sure the will we must have patients.

[elbie]

I have (hopefully) attached some pics. Dont' know if they are worth a thousand words? The white orchid rescue is doing great. The next in the mottled pot is over two years old and has many leaves and roots. Has never re-bloomed or put out a new stalk. The next two were rescued over a year ago (the same as the white one). No new stalks. The last pic is of an orchid that has never stopped blooming. It just keeps putting out new branches. Should these be eventually cut back? They are looking unworldly.
I am from Cody, Wy. Originally from Connecticut. First time in 14 years that I have had plants. Retired from teaching and hubby (a Vo-Ag teacher) were on the road for 14 years. Elbie

[wintergirl]

I usually don't cut my flower spikes back unless they are dried and dead. I like the motto "if they are green, don't be mean".

[elbie]

The white orchids stalk was green but all the others had turned brown and when cut seemed dried out.

[WhiteRabbit]

You can cut the spike just a bit above where the new bus are coming from.

As for the non-bloomers, I'd give them more time.