New Phalaenopsis Lover

[AnnieW]

Hi Everyone!

I am so glad I found this site. I have had my Phals for about 1 1/2 years. I have two whites and 1 purple. I bought them when I was in Hawaii. They are doing great I think. One or the other have been blooming ever since I brought them home. I finally have a new spike growing on one and one has a keiki growing on it. The other I have finally cut the old spike down. It just kept flowering and flowering when I would cut the spike back a couple of inches. Is there a way to speed up the spike process? I think that a new spike is starting, then it turns out to be a root. I feed them everytime I water with a week solution of miracle grow. I keep them in my kitchen window with addtional light from above. (Floresant) which I leave on most of the time. I live in Kansas, USA and they can only go outside in the summer. That is when the wind is not blowing gail force. Any comments or help would be greatly appreciated.

[Ethan]

Hi, Annie - Welcome to the orchid world!! I'm fairly new to orchids myself so I can't give you as much info as some other members can, but here's what I can tell you - Miracle grow is a no-no with orchids. I used to use it myself in the beginning - then people yelled at me. You should probably find some orchid fertilizer.

As far as speeding up the spiking process, they will flower pretty much when they want to. Mine usually bloom anywhere from fall to spring, but not in the summer. Most phals seem to be winter bloomers.

You also should probably not have the light on them 24/7 either. They need some darkness. I believe phals are photropic (did I spell that right?) meaning they have to have a certain number of daylight hours in order to bloom. Too much or too little will prevent blooming.

Anyone else know if this is right?

[AnnieW]

Thanks, Ethan
I will try a different fertilizer. As far as the light. I might start turning it off at night. I do know that when I am in bloom the flowers have been staying for at least 2 to 2 1/2 months and are quick to produce another flower spike when I cut them back a coule of inches. I have got them to flower 3 times off the one original spike. It is the getting a spike started that is slow.

[jkofferdahl]

Hi Annie! Welcome to the OB.

Your Phals sound like they are doing well, so congratulations! I've never heard that MiracleGro is a no-no, but there are orchid-specific fertilizers which are going to be better. Use them weekly and at quarter-strength and you should get good results.

Regarding the flower spikes, I'd advise not cutting them back. Let them do what they will. Some naturally start a new bloom cycle, while others don't, but let them do what is natural for them. If they stop blooming, then rest, then start a new spurt, enjoy it. If they stop blooming, then begin to yellow, cut them back completely.

I'd also urge you to turn the light off at night. Orchids really do need a rest period of darkness. If you can connect the light to a timer you'll do best. In the summer they should get the longest light periods, and the shortest in winter, though the light period can be longer than natural daylight.

[Ethan]

That sounds about right, Annie. Most of my phal flowers have lasted 2-3 months. I even had one where the flowers lasted four months. It is common for a phal spike to rebloom when you cut it back. I've had a couple do that. One of mine has been blooming for almost a year because I keep cutting the spike back just a little bit. Some people disagree with this method, however - some people feel that you should cut the spike off completely when it's finished blooming so the plant will put all its energy into making a new spike. However the new spikes will probably only initiate at a certain time of year.

Either way, if your orchid is health and has flowers, what more could you ask for? =)