A few Phals in bloom

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by estación seca

With all his great photos, jkofferdahl made me order a bunch of mini Phals from Hausermann's. It was back in January when it looked like they would be able to ship in a window of good weather. But, it didn't work. Now I have to wait! WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

When I was in Miami last October-November I bought a mini Phal at a supermarket, Phalaenopsis Jiabo's Pink Girl 'MP0668'. I can't find the photos but it shows Phalaenopsis equestris influence. Since then it's grown one complete new leaf and is beginning another. I have been giving it a lot of light under a 6500K CFL so the leaves have turned purplish, but last night I heard Alan Koch, speaking to our club, say that Phalaenopsis flower much better at lower light as opposed to higher light. I'm going to move it.

It's in sphagnum moss in a small thin plastic sleeve (with holes!) tucked into a clay pot without a drain hole. I left it because the moss is in excellent shape, I can see the roots and it dries out rapidly for me. I think I'll leave it in that until the moss begins to break down. I take the plastic sleeve out of the clay pot, soak it, let it drain then replace it.

I saw that in your other thread and am going to move some Phals around to see what happens. I think it'll be interesting.

[estación seca]

From cactus and succulent growing, I always push plants with higher and higher light until they complain a little. This pretty much always gives better growth and flowering with cactus and succulents.

But Alan Koch convinced me maybe not for orchids.

[jkofferdahl]

The other day, after reading Peter Lin's post on Phal conditions, I started rethinking my arrangements. With this input on lighting I'm going to also take light into account. Fortunately, since the majority of my plants grow under artificial lighting, it's an easy aspect to control. I'm thinking I might give some plants of the same species more light, others less, in otherwise identical conditions, and see how they do over a year.

[peterlin]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

The other day, after reading Peter Lin's post on Phal conditions, I started rethinking my arrangements. With this input on lighting I'm going to also take light into account. Fortunately, since the majority of my plants grow under artificial lighting, it's an easy aspect to control. I'm thinking I might give some plants of the same species more light, others less, in otherwise identical conditions, and see how they do over a year.

We have to take all elements into consideration. The other day I post a photo of Phal aphrodite subsp formosana flowering right next to Laelia anceps. What we learn from their habitat is phalaenopsis is low light and Laelia is high light. In my experience you can push your plants with higher light - if you can keep the temperature cooler (more air circulation) and water it more often. It may sound easy but in practice you may not be able to keep up with watering. Some plants will adapt but some will eventually give up after being in a less than optimal condition for a while.

Most will blame on one element - for example, moss too tight that hold too much water. That's not quite true if this plant is grown in a warmer condition - and you don't fertilize as much. My moss can be soaked with water in the summer (when night temperature often stays at 76F or warmer) and plants are fine. But if I don't ease up on watering in the winter (when night temperature goes down to 60F or colder), I can have a plant with rot quickly.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by estación seca

With all his great photos, jkofferdahl made me order a bunch of mini Phals from Hausermann's. It was back in January when it looked like they would be able to ship in a window of good weather. But, it didn't work. Now I have to wait! WAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!

They shipped today! YAAAAAHHHHHH!

[Wendy76]

Originally Posted by estación seca

From cactus and succulent growing, I always push plants with higher and higher light until they complain a little. This pretty much always gives better growth and flowering with cactus and succulents.



But Alan Koch convinced me maybe not for orchids.

Good to know. I tried pushing it and ended up with red leaves. Now I have several Phals in recovery mode.


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[estación seca]

The high light and red leaves don't hurt the plant.