Why won't my orchids spike! HELP!
 

I have a total of 6 orchids. The only time I have ever gotten any of them to bloom is when I bought them from the store. I have had one orchid for about 4-5 years without a single bloom! I couldn't even tell you what color it is anymore. I have read and read on things to do and I'm still not having any luck. I will post pictures of 3 orchids that I have in different phases that I have heard. First one I haven't cut the stem after the blooms fell off, second one, I cut the stem about the second node, and the third one I cut completely to the leaves. I water them when they are bone dry alternating between a 20-14-13 water soluble orchid food. They are planted in bark and sphag moss. These particular 3 are in south facing windows, 2 in north facing, and one in an east facing. I tried putting one outside in about 80 degree weather in the shade and bringing it in at night to about 72 degrees. Still nothing. I have fans running for air circulation. Lately, I have given up and just kept them where they are where the temperature stays about 74 degrees in air conditioning. Any help would be appreciated!

Hmmm ... Phals are not my forte, but maybe move the plants closer to the window ? When inside, all of my orchids sit directly on the window sill right next to the window. The only thing I can think is they need more light. Or find a spot outside where they can get some morning sun. Or dappled sun later in the day. You can leave them outside so long as temperature isn't going below 55 I think.

I'm sure other people with more Phal experience than myself will chime in. Your plants look good otherwise - so that's an accomplishment! The people here have lots of great knowledge, and are very helpful! Hang in there!

Where are you located in the US? As far as lighting goes direct morning sun is okay anything after that they would need to be partially shaded not to burn the leaves. Phals need a temperature drop of about 15 degrees for flowering. Usually keeping them on a windowsill year round will take care of that in th fall and Winter. Also how strong do you mix your fertilizer?

I live in Illinois. I use one teaspoon for one gallon of water. I'm guessing I just don't have the temperature difference at the moment to start anything. It's about 85 degrees outside and of course, I have my air conditioning running. Maybe I'll have to wait til fall to see anything happen? Although, like I said, I have had that one cut down to the leaves for about 4 years and it always stays in the same spot and has never even tried to start a new spike. It's like it is completely happy just growing leaves. Boo :(

it sounds like they could need more light and some diffrent in night and day temps

I know that for the first few years of growing orchids, I had moved them around multiple times until I found the right place. Do I have it figured out, when I think I do another rock is thrown in the pond, it's not easy growing indoors. I have a tendency to think of their natural habitat and try to emulate this indoors. Lighting is very important and have several shelf levels within my orchid room and have to use artificial lighting to give them the light they desire, top to bottom. Windowsill growing is perfect, just be cautious of the heat coming in through the glass windows.

As for fertilizers ... NPK is the number percentage within the fertilizer bag. You stated you use water soluble 20-14-13. The N=nitrogen provides plants to produce more chlorophyll, which in turn allows plants to grow quickly and develop a darker green color (in which this I see in your photo's). The P is phosphorus and aids in root development and increase flowering ability and bloom size. The K is potassium and guards against disease and aids in drought protection and cold tolerance. Suggestively, I would alternate weak weekly the Nitrogen and Phosphorus percentages. Since I started taking on this regimen I have seen a significant change in the quantity of orchids that are blooming.

I hope you have been repotting at least every couple of years. The medium does go bad after a while. I would also cut back on your fertilizer mix strength to no more than 1/2 teaspoon per gallon if you fertilize that often.

I do repot. Actually, I just did a few weeks ago. I'll try cutting back on the fertilizer or maybe only doing it once a month.

They seem to like a temperature drop in the fall as others have said.

Mine got the temp drop this fall, going down to 66max when the heating was on and 53 min overnight.

That was enough of a drop I think BUT it seemed to send them dormant as I think it was actually TOO cold. Once the weather warned up though they suddenly all kicked in to life with new leaves, roots and most started spikes at the same time. I now have spiking Phals all over the house.

I've heard somewhere that for some types of Phals it is the light levels changing that trigger it, but most of mine do seem to respond to the temperature drop.

Here is a abstract from an article about Phals and temperature and flowering. email me and I can send you the entire article.... lasserh@hotmail.com Put something like "Article Request" in the subject or it will go to junk mail




Abstract
Phalaenopsis orchids are among the most valuable
potted flowering crops commercially produced throughout
the world because of their long flower life and ease
of crop scheduling to meet specific market dates.
During commercial production, Phalaenopsis are usually
grown at an air temperature >28
C to inhibit flower
initiation, and a cooler night than day temperature
regimen (e.g. 25/20
C day/night) is used to induce
flowering. However, the specific effect of day and night
temperature on flower initiation has not been well
described, and the reported requirement for a diurnal
temperature fluctuation to elicit flowering is unclear.
Two Phalaenopsis clones were grown in glass greenhouse
compartments with constant temperature set
points of 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, or 29
C and fluctuating
day/night (12 h/12 h) temperatures of 20/14, 23/17, 26/14,
26/20, 29/17, or 29/23
C. The photoperiod was 12 h, and
the maximum irradiance was controlled to <150 mmol
m
2 s
1. After 20 weeks, >80% of plants of both clones
had a visible inflorescence when grown at constant 14,
17, 20, or 23
C and at fluctuating day/night temperatures
of 20/14
C or 23/17
C. None of the plants were
reproductive within 20 weeks when grown at a constant
29
C or at 29/17
C or 29/23
C day/night temperature
regimens. The number of inflorescences per
plant and the number of flower buds on the first inflorescence
were greatest when the average daily temperature
was 14
C or 17
C. These results indicate that
a day/night fluctuation in temperature is not required
for inflorescence initiation in these two Phalaenopsis
clones. Furthermore, the inhibition of flowering when
the day temperature was 29
C and the night temperature
was 17
C or 23
C suggests that a warm day
temperature inhibits flower initiation in Phalaenopsis.