Is this a spike or root?

[rbarata]

Some phals respond with a spike to the increase of daylight duration. The fact that your friend's cabinet is farther from the window can be an explanation. Also, window size can also be a factor.
Can she put it closer to the window, in her office?

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by katsjam

I'm not sure why mine flowers and hers doesn't. We're both on the east side of the building, but my cabinet is closer to the window I guess. I tend to water mine once every 2-3 weeks and she was doing the ice until we switched. I've attached a photo of my orchid.

No ice!!! Please, no ice. Tell her to do exactly what you are doing. Is the potting medium the same? If all conditions are the same, have her match yours. Under the Phalenopsis forum, there is a thread titled "The Phal Abuse Stops Here," it would be informative to read that.

[jkofferdahl]

Ice on orchids. Who came up with the idea of putting ice cubes on TROPICAL plants? Whomever, that person has probably been responsible for more many orchids deaths than a tractor in a rainforest. What a completely stupid idea.

[GoldStar135]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

Ice on orchids. Who came up with the idea of putting ice cubes on TROPICAL plants? Whomever, that person has probably been responsible for more many orchids deaths than a tractor in a rainforest. What a completely stupid idea.

I've also seen "Just Add Ice Bonsai." It's truly ridiculous.
I wonder which poor plant will be next? Maybe "Just Add Ice Cacti"...

[rbarata]

What a completely stupid idea.

From our point of view, well informed/more experienced orchid growers, yes.
From the point of view of a business trying to sell a lot of orchids in a short time, it's clever.

I've also seen "Just Add Ice Bonsai." It's truly ridiculous.

Now that too many orchid buyers are informed about this "technique" (and scam) it's time to move to another market: Bonsay buyers.

wonder which poor plant will be next? Maybe "Just Add Ice Cacti"...

Yes, they might be next.

[estación seca]

First, Welcome to the Orchid Board!

In the first photo it looks as though your plant has an old, brown spike. Did you get the plant in bloom recently? Most hybrid Phals make spikes once a year, in winter through spring. If it flowered already this winter/spring, it would not be expected to rebloom until next year.

And many store-bought Phals have been forced along to bloom early, so they may rest from exhaustion for a year or so before beginning regular annual flowering.

---------- Post added at 05:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:46 PM ----------

Originally Posted by GoldStar135

...I wonder which poor plant will be next? Maybe "Just Add Ice Cacti"...

I doubt it would hurt cacti during their growing season, except perhaps the very warm-growing epiphytic ones. Most desert cacti grow best with warm to hot days and cool to cold nights.

[katsjam]

Thanks all for your comments. Her desk is further away from the window and she would not be able to get it any closer, unfortunately. Both orchids have the same planting medium, I think. Whatever it was that it came with. :/

The dead spike you see in the photo was the original that had flowers when she got the plant @1 year ago. It has not bloomed since (while mine has bloomed 3 times at least).

[bil]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

Ice on orchids. Who came up with the idea of putting ice cubes on TROPICAL plants? Whomever, that person has probably been responsible for more many orchids deaths than a tractor in a rainforest. What a completely stupid idea.

Dude, I laughed out loud.

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by katsjam

Thanks all for your comments. Her desk is further away from the window and she would not be able to get it any closer, unfortunately. Both orchids have the same planting medium, I think. Whatever it was that it came with. :/

The dead spike you see in the photo was the original that had flowers when she got the plant @1 year ago. It has not bloomed since (while mine has bloomed 3 times at least).

There are small, attractive, inexpensive, grow lights available at Amazon. That might help. Or put them both on your desk. If light is the only variable, then that should solve the problem. Please don't lock it in the loo again.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by katsjam

Thanks Dollythehun. Darn it, it looks different than the roots my orchid throws out I've really done nothing with my orchid other than to water it every 1-3 weeks. I'd read an article that said orchids need a season change to spike, hence the cool & darker bathroom. Do you or anyone know of any tricks to get it to spike?

Thanks

I've never heard darker, but cooler seems to work. A drop of 10 degrees F at night (compared to your warm-season night temperature), for a period of a few weeks, seems to work, assuming the plant is old enough and otherwise healthy.