I am puzzled about Light..... - Orchid Board

hosshead · #1 10-22-2008, 11:13 AM

Okay, let me start by admitting that I'm a Stan and Species man.
My phals tend to become Foliage Plants.
Generally healthy ones, but Foliage Plants, nonetheless.

In the summer, they go outside and hang up under the roof of the "orchid porch" where they get a lot of light, but it isn't direct light. Many of them are mounted with just a bit of sphagnum, or else they are hanging upside down in mesh pots so that, no matter how much rain or spraying they get, they never get crown rot. These also have just the smallest amount of sphagnum so there is no chance for rot. A few of them get some early morning dappled sunlight, but nothing to scorch the leaves. Some of them turn a lovely greeny-maroon colour, but no burns.
They get rain and mist as the sky dictates,(the "porch" roof is deliberately a leaky one

), and get a fertilizer dose with the weekly hose down.

At autumn,(Disclaimer;I do this because a person who grows FABULOUS phals told me to),I leave them out during the first couple weeks that the night temps drop into the 40's.
Then I bring them into the greenhouse where they hang up in a similar way to how they are during the summer season. The temps in that greenhouse go 50's at night.
They get a cloud-foresty daily misting in the morning.

Okay.
So my puzzlement is this:
I have read many discussions and posts and literatures on Light for phals and how that pertains to setting spikes.
There are so many contradictions that I am very lost and confused.
I think that my lack of flowering phals must be due to light?
I do fertilize and I've even started using Bloom Booster.

Can somebody shed some Light on this for me?

I will be eternally grateful and grovel at you-allsez feet.

camille1585 · #2 10-22-2008, 11:37 AM

Seeing how far north you are, I think your phals could do with some sunlight. I think that should do the trick since everything else seems fine. (I think!)

I don't know what is your exact problem, but here is how mine grow. In Lyon (same latitude as michigan) I put my phals behind a south facing window where they get dappled sunlight from 11am to 6pm ish, so much brighter than yours. I got them used to it gradually. In the winter, it's full sun for them. They get 125ppm N at nearly every watering and are potted in bark.

I've found that such a drastic drop in temperature like you mention is not necessary. For instance, all 5 of my phals are in spike right now, and I think it was because august temps were cooler than in July (by cooler I mean that is was around 70°F during the day instead of 85°F+!) Normally just the shift in temps in the fall should initiate spikes.

Ross · #3 10-22-2008, 11:49 AM

I grow mine right in the sunniest windows I have:

I keep the one in this photo in a clear pot and water/fertilize every time the pot shows it is dry (I can see the roots and they look fantastic.) This one is in spike right now. So you might try upping the fertilizer (I am using greencare MSU blend mixed to provide 125ppm Nitrogen. I use no bloom boosters) I don't find a temperature drop of that magnitude is particularly necessary. Just the normal nightly cooldown.

s.kallima · #4 10-22-2008, 12:51 PM

I find your night temperatures (40's and 50's) very low for Phals...
Mine never get lower than 60 in winter nights and are doing well...
just my 2 cents.

hosshead · #5 10-22-2008, 12:59 PM

I appreciate the remarks.

As I mentioned in my disclaimer, I was following that low temp advice from somebody else.
I am reminded of the Obi-wan remark regarding "Who's the more foolish?The Fool? Or the fool following him?"

She's apparently one of the crowd who thinks a big temp drop set spikes on phals.

What about Light Tables? Are phals really nicely suited for growth under lights?

Again, Thank you for the inputs!

Ross · #6 10-22-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hosshead

What about Light Tables? Are phals really nicely suited for growth under lights?

Very much so. Many people here grow under lights in a basement or a dark room. I think I remember one person setting up a grow room in an unused closet. Just try to provide light in the 2000 foot candle range for best flowering (I would strive for a minimum of 1500 FCs.) Remember at our northern latitudes, even bright sunshine is rarely over 3500 foot candles and in the lower latitudes, toward the equator, it can easily go well over 5000 foot candles. When someone says "bright light" or "shade" just out your light meter and measure what you can provide, or are willing to provide, and go from there. There's a great thread running now under the "growing under lights" forum dealing with how much light for various kinds of orchids.

quiltergal · #7 10-22-2008, 10:35 PM

I think the key to setting spikes is the temp difference between night and day. You need at least a 10 degree difference. It certainly doesn't need to be as low as 50 unless you keep your house at 60 during the day.

Once they set spikes they like to be warm. I do grow mine fairly bright. They are all in a south facing windows just behind the Catts under T5s. The light tables are good up until the spike becomes too tall to fit under the light.

mehitabel · #8 10-24-2008, 12:06 PM

For a really good discussion of the importance of light in growing phals, check out the culture notes at Bedford Orchids.

Bedford Orchids

Scroll down the home page to V. Culture, A. and especially B. Notes for Windowsill growers, where light is discussed.

In my own experience, I have found that phals thrive with a lot more light than the "bright shade" people talk so much about. When acclimated, they thrive with about 1500 FC for a large part of the day.

And I agree with the people who talk about sunshine indoors or early morning sun outdoors even in summer.

I think what happens in many discussions is that people are talking about *greenhouse* light, where shade cloth is put on about March or April as "shade". That's a lot more light than what we usually mean by outdoor shade, or even "sun" in a windowsill.

The commonest cause of no blooms = insufficient light.