New Leaves Not Growing on Phalaenopsis

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It looks decent.

How often do you water?

[Caroline_81]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

It looks decent.

How often do you water?

I've always watered it once a week. But for the first three months or so I didn't soak it completely. I just watered around the leaves. I don't think the bottom roots were getting enough water.

Caroline

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Right now, during the warmer months, try watering twice a week and see if it is too much water for it or not.

[Caroline_81]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Right now, during the warmer months, try watering twice a week and see if it is too much water for it or not.

Thanks, I'll try that! It seems to be absorbing water fairly quickly, which probably means it needs more.

[Caroline_81]

This is what the flowers looked like. When I first got it, some of the blooms were already fading. I'm assuming it had been in bloom for a while. But overall, it was in a healthy condition, so I'm hoping it will re-bloom next year!

[bil]

Apart from the fact that it isn't growing, it looks fine.

[Caroline_81]

Originally Posted by bil

Apart from the fact that it isn't growing, it looks fine.

Thanks! That's good to know. I'm not sure why it's not producing new leaves. Is is possible that some plants have a certain lifespan? Does this look like an older or newer plant?

At this time, it can't even produce new flower spikes since it needs leaves at the top.

Hopefully it will start growing during these warmer months.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Caroline_81

Thanks! That's good to know. I'm not sure why it's not producing new leaves. Is is possible that some plants have a certain lifespan? Does this look like an older or newer plant?

At this time, it can't even produce new flower spikes since it needs leaves at the top.

Hopefully it will start growing during these warmer months.

Don't worry, plant looks healthy. New leaves will come, slowly. (Orchids teach patience....) When you water, let the water run through the pot, then drain well. That pulls air (which the roots also need) into the root zone.

[nogreenthumbs]

Originally Posted by Caroline_81

Thanks! That's good to know. I'm not sure why it's not producing new leaves. Is is possible that some plants have a certain lifespan? Does this look like an older or newer plant?

At this time, it can't even produce new flower spikes since it needs leaves at the top.

Hopefully it will start growing during these warmer months.

Orchids can live (if we don't kill them) a VERY long time, practically indefinitely. We can't tell the age. The way a phal grows is that the central stem/stalk grows longer as it puts on more leaves. The lower/older leaves then wither and fall off, but the old stem stays and keeps roots. For folks that are growing them, usually once the portion of the stem with no leaves gets long, folks will often cut the oldest part leaving some that still has roots so it fits nicely into a pot.

[fishmom]

Caroline, welcome. Your roots do look healthy, as you said. You didn't mention if you had repotted the plant after the blooms dropped. Although your medium does not look badly decomposed, I have noticed that my phals often reward me with new growth shortly after I repot.

Also, if it is possible, you might want to put them in a location where they get some morning sun. It's true they are low-light plants, but "bright" to a plant is not the same as "bright" to a human. They may not be getting as much light as you think.

In nature, phals like warmth and humidity. Anything you can do to improve those elements might help also.