Are your orchids left or right "mittened" ?
 

Ok - I have noticed a curious thing whilst doing my watering. You may not know this but according to stats approx 10-15% of the human population is left-handed. Well that stat applies EXACTLY IN REVERSE to my phals :rofl:
I have 7 phals spiking and 1, violacea , is the only one that has the spike originating on the right side of the plant.
So - the way I have done this highly scientific observation is by looking at the phals from the back side/behind the phal/the opposite side to the natural inclination of the phal to grow towards the light.
So 85% of my phals are left-mittened. Now I am left-handed. Could it be coincidental that only left-mittened phals follow me home ? :rofl: Have I proved that birds of a feather do flock together ?
What is your experience ?

Guess I'll have to go up and look, I haven't the faintest idea:lol::lol:
Joann

It may have something to do with your light source probably coming from an angle that is slightly to the right of the plant, idk. ;)

Unfortunately an observation of 1 plant is not sufficient enough to draw a valid scientific conclusion. You'd have to set up controls and designate a control group and an experimental group of, ideally, more than 10 individuals of the same species or hybrid of plant - preferably genetically unidentical (i.e. not clones). :lol:

What you're doing is an observational case study of one plant, if you reeeally wanna know.

But for kicks and giggles, I guess you can nickname your "odd man out" Phal "Right-Said-Fred". ;) :biggrin:

I think King said it right, as light source seems to play a role here. Under lights, my plants don't tend to care. In windows though, I get something similar, in that all will spike from the left side, and some will spike both left and right. Here left is with the Phal getting East sun, and right being the West sun side.
As the scientist, I'd love to test it.

How do you tell which is the right side and which is the left? Mine look the same from both sides.

Eeeh? I thought spikes are supposed to grow on the alternate sides of a plant? (if that is the word I want- in a zig-zag manner?) All of mine are doing so, one year at the left, next at the right.

After checking I have to correct myself, I do have one right-handed phal.

Most plants are left-handed, study says | COSMOS magazine

already been a study done :hello

Aha!
 

thanks for that Cosmo article.
Taken to the next level, and being a leftie ( therefore at one with the plant universe :bowing ), I think they are onto something. I successfully grow a wide range of plants:dance13:
How many other lefties out there can say the same ?

All my phals are south-facing, so light direction is not a factor
the first spike is always on the left . Subsequent spikes may alternate
those of you who can't tell which side ( is up ? :rofl::llama: ) -take a look from behind the plant. Hold your hands up. The hand that has the letter L shape made with your thumb and first finger is the left hand side.
Have a great :sleigh:

Well, I'm right handed, and I grow my 'chids and a few other plants wonderfully! :D My brother, though, who is a leftie, couldn't keep a spider plant alive to save his life! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Just looking through my closet now, I have 3 right handed phals developing spikes, and 3 left handed ones.

My orchids certainly wouldnt be voting for Bachman, Perry, or Gingrich if that makes a difference.