Phal spikes going crazy this year

[Sandy4453]

Hi all. I've got about 10 Phals currently spiking and this year, the growth has been very different than the past with quite a few of these growing double spikes. This one recently began growing a second spike, so while the show may not be as grand if they grew and bloomed at the same time, I expect to have flowers on this one through spring and probably into July. What's also interesting are the few sub spikes growing off the mother spike....never had this happen with this plant before. The one thing I did different this past summer was use blooming fertilizer, religiously.

This one had the tag, Wedding Promenade but a couple of years back, every Phal in this part of So. Fla., was labeled that so I'm not sure what this really is except, beautiful. white with heavy purple spotting.

I've heard so many pros and cons about blooming fert. and unless something else was a factor in the different and better growth I'm getting this year, I think I'm subscribing to the stuff from hereon.

[greenbean]

Great job! Interesting that blooming fert. may be the reason for the better performance. Everything else I've seen on OB disregards it. Unless your phal simply reached a new stage of maturity, this could be evidence that blooming fert. does help. I'd be interested to see this tested and hear more experienced opinions on this.

[cb977]

According to the experts, bloom booster is not necessary...

that being said:

our mantra here is "Do what works for you!"...if bloom booster makes your chids...and you...happy, go for it!

[Ethan]

Wow, you're going to have quite a show there. Make sure you post pictures later on so we can see!

[quiltergal]

This may just be an exceptional year for Phals. All of mine are spiking except for the summer bloomers. One has double spikes. Even my seedlings and recovering sickies are spiking, some for the first time. Mine get watered year round at 125ppm MSU weekly.

[Blueszz]

Good growing!

[sarahrm]

Interesting about the bloom booster. I haven't read those threads, nor have I heard those discussions. That being said, I have about 35 phals in spike and some blooming. About 10 have double spikes, and several have sub spikes off of last years spikes that I did not cut off. I did not use a bloom booster, and it was the first year I even bothered to fertilize any of my orchids, (I know, I know, bad, bad). I used a schultz orchid fertilizer that the label said could be used all the time at each watering. It seems to have worked. My dends bloomed like crazy too. The orchids are suffering in my garage lately due to the weather.

[Sandy4453]

I tend to think that greenbean's assumption, "simply reached a new stage of maturity" is probably the reason and not the bloom fert. except, some of the Phals will be first time bloomers and the spikes are thick, growing a lot of buds which I usually don't see on first timers. I'm quite surprised at how well they're doing especailly since using neem on them in Sept. which set them back drastically....never again.

Terri, it's probably just their year!

[Gwenchanter]

Hi sandy! That is a great looking branching inflorecence! Please make sure and post pics when it's in full bloom! I have a white phal with purple harlequin spots and it's branching this year too. I just use regular fertilizer though. I think this particular hybrid likes to make branches. Last year when I bought it, it had two short branches coming off the main stem.

What kind of neem did you use? I use neem wipes called Botaniwipes on the leaves to make them clean and shiny and I never had any adverse reactions so I'm really curious what form the neem was in?