Can I get some spikes!

[Henry]

So I moved the pots to the garage for a cold temp change.

The garage stays around 10-12 C / 50-53 F, 79% humidity winter.
They were in the shower room which is around 20 C / 68 F.
So that's around a 10 degree drop, hopefully to get some spikes.

Not sure if the Bromeliad gets the same treatment.

And the light is 3000K

[Roberta]

That is 'way too cold for Phalaenopsis. Even the shower room temperature is on the low side for the Phals. 3000K is color temperature (should be higher for daylight), has nothing to do with intensity. Instead of flowers, likely to get compost.

[Henry]

Originally Posted by Roberta

That is 'way too cold for Phalaenopsis. Even the shower room temperature is on the low side for the Phals. 3000K is color temperature (should be higher for daylight), has nothing to do with intensity. Instead of flowers, likely to get compost.

Thank you Roberta, well back to the drawing board. LOL

[Canadienne]

I have found that Phal’s ( grocery store ones) after they’re done blooming in late spring, go into a slower period, generally growing roots and new leaves right thru the summer, then in September when cooler weather gets here they’ll start spiking and bloom in January. So maybe you’re working against their natural blooming time? Mine spend the summer outside in the shade, they have not yet missed blooming in the last 5 years.
My southern Ontario climate is comparable to that of France, depending ofcourse where you’re located.

[Henry]

Originally Posted by Canadienne

My southern Ontario climate is comparable to that of France, depending ofcourse where you’re located.

Yes, we're pretty close at 51° longitude. It actually has seasons, which I'm not used to having grown up in the SF Bay Area.
Ontario looks beautiful!

Yes my poor Orchids, so much to learn. Seems I'm having trouble with the pace of Orchids. I suppose that could be one reason for having many.

Anyway they're back in the bathroom, which isn't all that warm either. LOL And yes I was certainly late thinking I could get some spikes going.

My recent grocery store phal has just two buds left about to open. Which makes me wonder because I just watered it and they started to open. Maybe a concidence.

The yellow curve is it and shows returning to store bought water weight and then the watering.
It's in a 9cm pot with sphagnum moss, so it's a lot lighter.

Bamby meets Godzilla is a very short film, as you can imagine! LOL

[Canadienne]

If your phals are in the spagnum moss in the pot it came in, it’s likely very tightly packed in there. You may want to poke some holes all around in the plastic pot so a bit more air can get to the roots.
I think your Phal will do fine in your bathroom, mine have a night temp of 18 at night, 20-22 in the day inside the house. But like you, there’s a warm to hot summer coming and they do their best then. I’ve been to France many times and I know it can get hot! Just make sure they never see sun, just shade.

[Roberta]

Henry,
Remember that most orchids (and Phals in particular) only put out blooms once per year. So if you received the plant in bloom, your "job" is to nurture it so it is healthy, and let it put out the next spike when it is ready. Especially during the shorter days, you may want to add supplemental light (daylight LED, does not have to be specificly for plants) so that it gets 12 hours per day of light. And if it's in the original potting mix, you will want to consider repotting..

[Blueszz]

Originally Posted by Henry

So I moved the pots to the garage for a cold temp change.

Attachment 170384

The garage stays around 10-12 C / 50-53 F, 79% humidity winter.
They were in the shower room which is around 20 C / 68 F.
So that's around a 10 degree drop, hopefully to get some spikes.

Not sure if the Bromeliad gets the same treatment.

Attachment 170383

And the light is 3000K

Like Roberta wrote, 12 C is way too cold for Phalaenopsis.
Orchids teach you patience, look at my signature. I truly believe that. You can't hasten plants. They do everything in their own pace in an order they think is best.

Orchids (and other flowering plants) you buy in grocery stores are often forced to bloom. Newly acquired plants need to recover from that. Let them do their own things. Likely they'll grow roots and new leaves to start with.

Where I live you can expect a new spike late fall. I think for where you live it's about the same.
My Phals always have been reliable bloomers during the winter months. In fact, I have still one in full bloom right now.

Don't force them too bloom, it takes a lot of energy away from the plant. And where you live it should flower for you in a natural cycle. I don't think you have to do something special for it. It will get a night chill anyway during fall, if the plants need that at all. I doubt it.

About your light. 900 lumen is how strong the light is. When it's about 50 cm above the plants, it should be enough for Phalaenopsis.
Do a lumen to lux conversion online and you'll see you'll have a 1000 lux above the plants then.

It's not ideal but for lengthening the days during winter months it could be enough.

3000 Kelvin is warm light.
6500 Kelvin is day light

I've been using 4200 Kelvin in the past with success. Maybe not optimal but it did the trick.

Color temperature alone doesn't tell everything about how well suited the light is for growing plants. But for non commercial use I think most TL will do.
I have no experience with LED.

[Henry]

Thank you all for your great responses!
Well I'm learning the aspects of grocery store phals.
I see them in great numbers in nurseries having come from Thailand.
It's a business I see. And my job is to understand the Orchid could use a rest! LOL

And thank you for the tip to poke holes in the sphagnum that it came in.
I can't wait to repot to semi-hydroponics.

On the plus side I'm going to try to have the bathroom heater set at 22 C.
We'll see how that flys.

On a good note, there's just one bud left to open.
It's so cool, first the bud turns color, then it bursts open in one day!

Also I will shop for a decent light source, with a higher K number.

These are on my desk with an East setting sun backlight.
Not really strong peeking through typical FR clouds.
OMG it rains so much here!

[Roberta]

Phals don't need or want strong light - they are shade plants. But they want light for enough hours a day - they come from near the equator where days and nights are approximately equal all year around. You can use any generic light with daylight-type bulb (LED is cheapest to operate, fluorescents will work too) Put it on a timer for 12 hours per day to supplement what comes in the window. (Shop lights from your favorite big-box home improvement store are fine. ) Don't overthink this!