Stubborn NOID phal refuses to bloom
 

I know what you're thinking - yet another case of not enough light, or a lack of exposure to colder night temperatures for a week or two, or not switching to a phosphorous heavy fertilizer in the fall/winter. But I've tried it all, and this miniature phal just refuses to bloom.

The orchid in question is on an east facing windowsill with good morning light. I got it about 2 years ago, while it had the most beautiful orange blooms, but it hasn't bloomed for me since. I repotted it about a year ago in a mix of clay pellets, bark, sponge rock, and a bit of sphagnum. Lots of growing roots and leaves, though some of the roots may have a bit of fertilizer burn. I've been fertilizing every other week, weakly. The past few months I switched to a blooming fertilizer, and did expose it to some colder temperatures at night (mid 70's during day, low 60's at night) for 10 days or so when we had a cold spell). I have 6 other phals in various stages of spike/bloom, but this one refuses to put out a spike and is driving me nuts!

Anyone have any last-resort treatment for really stubborn phals?

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

It sometimes takes supermarket orchids a few years to recover from their first forced bloom.

As to lower temperatures... if you search this Board, you will find threads dealing with this. The plants need an average temperature drop that is fairly substantial for several weeks. For practical purposes this means quite a bit cooler day and night, not just a little cooler, and for more than one cooler spell.

Thanks! I actually got it from a florist, but I didn't realize there could be such a long recovery time from a forced bloom. I'll continue to dutifully care for this plant for a couple more years before I throw in the towel =)

My first thought was, Well, that's just about blooming size.

Then, when you get tired of trying, you donate it to someone who will give it a good home. It's sure to bloom if you give it away :)

It looks healthy enough, some plants are just shy bloomers and it may be that the one lost out in the genetic lottery and may always be a poor performer.

My first thpught too was not just cool nights for several weeks, cool days also and still keeping the light fairly good. Your other Phals may have needed less of a trigger to bloom and did with only cool nights, but this fall I would try the overall drop in temps.

There's a theory that says a flower is a way to propagate the plant so this means a flower occurrs sometimes when the plant is threatened.
So, when they feel "confortable", don't need to bloom.
I really don't know where I've read this but...that's an idea.

To me your leaves look a littler dryer than I like for my phals. Maybe it is still recovering from the fert. burn but maybe that is why it's not blooming.

I think the same. When my phals look like that it's a sign they need urgent watering.