How to get my phals to rebloom?
 

I have 4 dormant orchids and while they're growing roots and leaves...they are showing no signs of any spikes! I'm also worried about the leaves of 2 of them. One is a large phal, the other is a mini. Roots are all healthy, 2 new leaves on each...but the other leaves are becoming limp and leathery. Is this normal? They are both mounted on corks (tied with cotton kitchen twine). The rest are potted in sphagnum moss (loosely) or in bark.

This is the care they're all getting: Mounted ones get water everyday (because they get quite dry if I don't water them at least every other day), the others get water as needed. Then all get a good draining.

They spend a few hours on the windowsill (half-window, open for fresh air, Southern exposure. All my windows are like that)

Rest of the time they sit on top of a bookshelf under the potlights in the living room. It's a bright room (naturally lit even without lights) and there's a fan running pretty much 24 hrs.

At night, most of the time I put them back on the windowsill...in hopes that that will encourage them to spike. But it is getting quite cold at night now, so not sure if it's OK.

Am I moving them around too much? What's causing the leaf issues and spike delay?

Pictures would definitely help. How long have you had the orchids? If they're new, it could take up to a year for them to adjust, re-acclimate, and if they're healthy enough they'll put out a new spike.

Are all of the leaves on all of the orchids turning leathery? If it is then it indicates underwatering. If it's just the lower leaves then that happens, especially if they're new. If it's just the ones in moss and not the lower ones then it could indicate a root problem since the phal is preparing to drop its leaf because it can't support it.

This could be a factor. I have noticed that my phals do much better when I do not rotate their pots (to keep them from growing towards the window). These plants are very careful with how they spend their energy and constant repositioning can have an impact on their health.

The droopy leaves, however...sounds like a water issue, but as you said you water them faithfully...:dunno:

Phal spikes can be triggered by length of day/night as well as temperature drop, depending on the phal parantage. Are they being exposed to light at night?

Yes, moving them around is probably part of the issue. Orchids don't like to be moved that much. They need consistent light levels in order to store up enough energy to bloom.

Also, you don't mention how often you fertilize and this too could have an impact on how often your orchids bloom.

I will post pictures soon. They are otherwise healthy plants. I have had 3 of them for about 7/8 months now and the other 3 have been with me for 1 week- to a month (these are fine).

And yes, since they're in the living room, they are exposed to light at night, very late at night often because I'm a night owl. But i don't turn on all the lights, just usually the floor lamp on the other side.

The roots are fine in all 6, and I recently repotted the ones in moss and bark because some were recues and others were outgrowing the pots. I will soon get the pics so it will be easier for you to help me!

---------- Post added at 02:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:34 PM ----------

Oh and I haven't fertilized for a couple of months. Could that be an issue? But the others are fine without it (one is in full bloom, the other just drooped flowers)

Since most phals only bloom once a year, I think you're expecting a bit much. Give them some time. Quit moving them around and otherwise, keep doing what you're doing. And yes, you should be fertilizing about about one quarter of the strength recommended on the package, once a week. We say "Fertilize weakly, weekly." :)

Plant 1 (large phal)
1. http://i42.tinypic.com/2e1ej3l.jpg

Roots
2. http://i42.tinypic.com/25zl7qb.jpg

Roots
3. http://i42.tinypic.com/25zl7qb.jpg

Leaf
4. http://i43.tinypic.com/2yjome9.jpg

5. Limpy leaf
http://i39.tinypic.com/2ufy7ac.jpg
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Plant 2 (mini phal)
1. http://i42.tinypic.com/2yy9jye.jpg

Roots
2. http://i39.tinypic.com/msrrq.jpg

Roots
3. http://i44.tinypic.com/slhgt1.jpg

Leaf turning leathery/wrinkley
4. http://i44.tinypic.com/332pkw9.jpg
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3rd plant (also a mini), potted in coconut with moss
1. http://i44.tinypic.com/k2cnsp.jpg

Roots
2. http://i39.tinypic.com/5k3fk2.jpg

---------- Post added at 03:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:08 PM ----------

There are the pics! (I accidentally posted a pic twice oops! Also the tear on one of the minis is my fault. It's not a disease or anything. She seems to be growing fine anyway).

Hope that helps. I'm most concerned with the large phal :( It's a plant with gorgeous, huge purple blooms and one of my most favs. :(

How do I fertilize the ones on bark?

How long ago did you mount them? It looks like they are still being held in place, and not holding themselves to the mount. I think I read somewhere that orchids that have been recently mounted will not bloom until after they have attached to the mount, but I'm not sure about that information. You might want to research that yourself, just to be sure.

As for fertilizer, I assume it would be the same as if you were fertilizing a potted orchid. I just pour some weakly mixed fertilizer straight onto the roots after giving them a good soak in a bucket for about 15 minutes. I let the liquid fertilizer run right through the pot and drain out.

If someone has a better method for applying fertilizer though, I'm all ears!

They haven't been mounted too long, a month. I heard it takes about a year for them to attach themselves. So if it's true about them not blooming until they do, it makes sense. But what is causing them to get limpy leaves? :( And the one in moss has no mounting worries. Both minis have been dormant since February 2013.