Box Phals
 

I'm just wondering. Should most box store phals be repotted after they finish their bloom cycle or can they be left as they are for another cycle? I have repotted several and after a year plus they still have no spikes forming though the plants have put on new growth and look fine. Just wondering if leaving them alone for another cycle would have yielded different results.

Pokey

I think you are much better off repotting as soon as you can. The media used for Phals for mass market sale is usually not what you want to use at home. And repotting shortly after a bloom cycle ended should have nothing to do with lack of blooms over a year later. You may need to examine some other aspect of your culture.

Ok thanks. I have looked at other aspects of my culture as u suggest and I am stumped. They sit next to some of my paphs and they seem to be doing ok. I have them in a sun room which is on the north side of the house but has multiple windows on the east west and north and two sky lights. No hot direct sunlight. Temp is 60 at night 70 at day. Watered and fed weekly or every other week depending on moisture. All are putting on new growth and nice aerial roots ???????????

Sometimes, orchid just skip a cycle as they acclimate to a new environment. This happens to me all the time. Patience :)

Exactly what I was thinking next.

Do they get cooler temperatures? Some Phals need cooler temperatures to initiate a spike.

60F at night. That should be cool enough.

I believe that a phalaenopsis is supposed to start spiking around November, and blooming by January. Box store phals have been forced to bloom, by providing a cooler environment or a few weeks. If yours have just finished blooming, your plant probably needs a few months of rest.

I have found that if you put them in an environment that experiences a daily temperature fluctuation of about a 15 degrees, (i.e. 55 - 70) for about 3 or 4 weeks, that spiking will occur.

I have a couple that bloomed summer 2013 and currently show no sign of a spike forming but otherwise look good.

---------- Post added at 07:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:59 PM ----------

Regarding temps. My sun room is heated and cooled by a ductless mini split unit. I set the temp during the day at 70 and 58-60 at night.

That is a reasonable temp split between day and night. It probably just needs a little more time to adjust it's schedule. Most orchids from box stores are packed tight in sphagnum moss and roots would rot off before the year went by. Repotting is always the best choice

I think this entirely depends on what hybrid/species it is. My equestris and Ambotris, always spike during spring and flower in the summer. My Little Sister flowers during summer as well, and might flower during winter if it feels up to it. My schilleriana, stuartiana, Wiganiae, and philippinense (and my mini phal which has schilleriana in its background) all usually spike around now. My Tzu Chiang Orange has never stopped flowering. My Queen Beer 'Tiny Doll' starts a new spike, as soon as it's done flowering on the previous one, and same does my Princess Kaiulani. My other NoID is almost also constantly in flower.

So, as I said. It all depends on the particulars of the species/hybrids and their genes, I think.


P.s. It might sound like I'm a wizard at getting my Phals to flower; I'm not. I've just given away most of the reluctant bloomers. :evil:

North side of the house? I think that's your problem right there. Not enough light. Phals like more sun then people like to admit. Put them in a east or west window they will do better.

Mine are in a south facing window and get a bit of direct light most of the sun is filtered by large tree. they bloom like clock work.

mature ready to bloom phals will spike if given approx. 2-3 weeks of 55- 60 degrees with a diurnal spread of 20 degrees during the day

night time 55-60
day 75-80

the temp drop is the signal and how mass grown greenhouses have phals all year round

after the recent cold Ive had the past few weeks I have quite a few spikes going. :biggrin:

I am a Wizard!!! and there is no big secret to getting phals to bloom. Its not inner sanctum illuminati material.

My sunroom gets most of the light that we get in the house. I don't have enough window space on the south side of the house for more than a couple three plants and we have big trees shading part of the south. I have added lights to shine on my orchids in the sun room. I also bring the temp down to 58-60 at night and back up to 70 during the day. 75-80 is much to warm for our physical comfort not to mention energy cost. If all the above won't work in the long run I may end up being a paph fancier only 😀

I have all my orchids in a north facing sliding door window in racks. I have a lot of phals, they get the side with the shear curtain. They do well and have big buds getting ready to rebloom shortly. I do get a temperature change at night of about 10 degrees. North windows can work for phals.

I bought 6 Phals at Lowe's this summer in various states of dehydration and neglect. I repotted all of them immediately, cutting off all dead/dying roots, trimmed sunburnt leaves, and removed spent spikes.

They spent the rest of the summer outside in the heat and humidity, under a tree, with a good watering 2-3 times a week.

By October, when they were brought in for the winter, temps at night were in the 40's. A couple were already showing signs of spikes. Now, in December, 5 out of the 6 have spikes. Some have just spiked within the past couple of weeks.

You may see something yet. Winter hasn't even started, technically :) Fingers crossed for you.