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