Phal fert question
 

I can't seem to grow these lovelies but I am going to try again. I found a beauty at Wegman's in Mass. Its tag said it was a Matsui Nursery Phal and the tag also stated the following regarding fertilizing: "After your Phalaenopsis orchid drops its last flower, you can start fertilizing once a month with an orchid fertilizer." Is this safe to do? Seems a little scant for the health of the plant but this is what they recommend to get a rebloom. I would love to take this lazy approach and I may since I haven't really had much luck doing the weekly weakly thing. Just curious to see what you folks think about it.

I am a poor fertilizer and my phals are doing great. Phals are not "big eaters" of fertilizers IMO.

oooh, interesting. Thanks for that wintergirl.

If your Phals are growing OK but not blooming for you, it is likely they aren't getting a cool little rest in the fall. For 4 or 6 weeks in Sept. or Oct. give them cooler temps. Not below around 55 at night tho. This helps bring on spikes.

I shall certainly take that advice,Silken. 4 or 6 weeks - a good long time. I think I have the perfect exposure for it right now - east facing - very slight amount of sun through a venetian blind but lots of bright light the rest of the day. I am determined to make this one re-bloom!! Thank you.
P.S. I just looked at your photo of Fire Dance (Patricia). GORGEOUS!! I must find one. That's my name as well, Patricia.

Some say only a couple of weeks of cool is req'd, but I have always given them that much. Good luck.

I think I am on the right track with everyone's good advice, I will keep you posted with picts if I do succeed. Fire Dance as I mentioned in my edit, is absolutely fabo!!

Phal fert question
 

University studies have shown that about two weeks of a 10-15-degree F reduction in the average growing temperature will reliably trick the plants into spike initiation, and that returning them to a very warm environment after that results in the fastest, most well-developed growth of them.

That is how we see blooming phals coming from Taiwan all year.

Interesting... Is it ok to move them to a cooler room for this? I'll do my best to get 10 down - probably difficult for me to get 15 in my house. Thanks for good info.

Yes, if the room is 10 degrees cooler that should do. Sometimes cracking a window in the fall, depending where you live can cool things off a bit.