Struggling to get phal position right
 

Hello my little oracles!

I have 4 Phals that I have had for about 5 years. They have always lived on my north facing kitchen windowsill. They have plenty of beautiful leaves and roots, but never any flowers. I came to the conclusion that because my kitchen is always warm, they maybe weren't getting the temperature drop they needed so I have now moved them to a west facing window. We are now approaching autumn in the UK with lower light levels. Have I done the right thing?

University studies have shown that a simple day-night temperature drop is not reliable for initiating inflorescences in phalaenopsis. To do so, the plant must be exposed to a 10-14 day period in which the average growing temperature is 10°-15°F lower than the average temperature in which it had been growing. After that period, best spike growth and flowering was achieved when the plant was returned to the warmer conditions.

Ah that's good. My living is much cooler all day than my kitchen so hopefully that will help. Thank you

Keep them on the cool side until they show a spike. From there, it should be fine returning them back.

I'm also in the UK and grow my Phals on windowsills. Some are east facing and others have a westerly outlook, I never move them and they hardly ever stop blooming!

My guess is that despite being lower light orchids, they aren't getting quite enough light in a northern aspect?

I'll certainly be interested to see if moving them changes things! My Mum's face north and never stop blooming. I did once get told I look after them too well and that's why they don't flower...how true that is I have no idea but it makes me chuckle

Too much nitrogen also inhibits Phal. flowering. How are you fertilizing?

Over the summer I used an orchid specific fertiliser once or twice a month but I've eased that back off now

Once or twice a month might be appropriate, depending on what's in it. What are the numbers on the fertilizer? In what proportions are you mixing it?

Nitrogen 5.3%
Phosphorus 2.2%
Potassium Oxide 0.85%

5 drops to 1 pint of rain water and then I run it through the bark rather than letting it soak in it