Phal won't grow new leaves

[Aubs86]

Hi everyone!
I live in the northeast and have been growing orchids for about 6 years. I have them in a west window without any direct sun hitting them. I have Noid phals and a few oncidiums and a Maxilaria Tenufolia. 9 in total. So far they are all thriving except for one. It happens to be the first one that I bought.
It's a phal that I have had for about 6 years. Since I bought it it has never grown a new leaf. Once a year it puts out a short spike but only gives me one flower. The color of the leaves indicate to me that it gets good light, it has a good root system, no rotting roots. I fertilize every other watering. Any ideas what could be the problem with him?
Thanks sooooo much!

[Leafmite]

Six years and never a new leaf? I can see why you are concerned. How warm is your home? Some of the Phals need temperatures above 80'F to grow (it really depends on the ancestry) and if your home is cooler due to air conditioning, it will just happily sit there, doing nothing. If it does get the warm temperatures, try a little more light.

[Aubs86]

Well, our house is about 76 degrees, we don't run the ac very often at all. I will try to find a way to get it more light and see what happens. Do you think the fact that it only gives me one flower is a clue that something is wrong? When I first bought it it had a nice long spike with lots of blooms. Thanks again for taking the time to respond!

[Irielicious]

Originally Posted by Aubs86

Well, our house is about 76 degrees, we don't run the ac very often at all. I will try to find a way to get it more light and see what happens. Do you think the fact that it only gives me one flower is a clue that something is wrong? When I first bought it it had a nice long spike with lots of blooms. Thanks again for taking the time to respond!

I have that same fertilizer and it says teaspoon not tablespoon per gallon!!!

[Aubs86]

Originally Posted by Irielicious

I have that same fertilizer and it say TEASPOON not tablespoon per GALLON!!!

Well, I fertalize every 14 to 21 days, EVERY OTHER watering. According to the bag I have it says ONE TABLESPOON to one gallon.
The one teaspoon per gallon is if you want to fertalize once a week, or with every watering.

[Irielicious]

Originally Posted by Aubs86

Well, I fertalize every 14 to 21 days, EVERY OTHER watering. According to the bag I have it says ONE TABLESPOON to one gallon.
The one teaspoon per gallon is if you want to fertalize once a week, or with every watering.

How odd that yours says that...I've looked on my bag several times to make sure I didn't read it wrong or missed some other set of directions, but my bag for sure is one teaspoon/gallon. Nevertheless, if you've had success with it good for you . I just bought mine so they might have changed the formula a bit from your batch to mine or vice versa. Either way good luck, hope it works out and you get the leaf you are looking for!!!

[estación seca]

It looks like it's getting enough light. Phals are shade plants, so that is not the problem. I would not risk burning it by giving it more light.

76 F / 24C is not warm from the perspective of a Phal. I would also vote for temperature as the issue. Many houses in the US are not warm enough for phals to be truly happy in the summer if they are air conditioned. Many houses in the winter are so cold, the phals just barely survive. Some hybrids may need more warmth than others.

[Ray]

How often do you water, how much fertilizer do you use per-gallon, and what is the formula?

[Aubs86]

Originally Posted by Ray

How often do you water, how much fertilizer do you use per-gallon, and what is the formula?

I water each orchid as needed, usually once a week to every 10 days. I'm using the Better-Gro Orchid Plus,
20-14-13. I use the fertilizer every other watering at the suggested amount of 1 tbls per gallon. I would love to see this little guy start growing!

[Purpoh]

That is so strange! Our phalaenopsis orchids never go above 78 and never drop below 65 or so. They send out tons of blooms every year, good roots, and new leaves. From what you've said, I'd think it would be thriving. We have about 20 phals.
P.s. About fertilizer
We fertilize ours weekly or every other week with a full tablespoon per gallon. It seems to work, not sure on the standard. A local orchid hybridizer fertilizes once week no matter what (except in winter of course)