*sigh* I have a problem...

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by Mervin

I agree with Ben.

From my limited experience I find that bellinas are a lot easier to bloom while violaceas are tricky, especially Indigos.

Mine never grow at bit for past few months......it still has the 'baby' small round leaves which still has not elongate.....

Something else I realized is that violeaceas tend to need more light and heat too.

So what would be the optimal temps?? Mine are in a controlled environment so I can make it warmer if needed, but presently the ambient air temp is between 70 and 75, and the plants are on a seedling mat, so bump the root temp by 10 degrees (possibly less due to them growing in s/h?).

[orchidsarefun]

mine are doing well - temps not lower than 65f at night, and , because they are in a south-facing window, highs go to 85f sometimes. They receive dappled sun, through a burlap screen. One of my plants has 4 new spikes, never seen that before. I have a seedling that lives on a heat mat so that temp doesn't go below 75f. Humidity has ranged from 45 to around 77.
Another thing - they are all in sphag and small pots.
All my phals get fert weakly, weekly - with a full dose of fish fertilizer monthly.
So - I would agree that light, temp are good indicators. Maybe potting medium as well ? Try sphag with one of them and see.
I have never grown under lights so maybe that requires its own unique cultivation methods.....ignore what I have just said..

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

mine are doing well - temps not lower than 65f at night, and , because they are in a south-facing window, highs go to 85f sometimes. They receive dappled sun, through a burlap screen. One of my plants has 4 new spikes, never seen that before. I have a seedling that lives on a heat mat so that temp doesn't go below 75f. Humidity has ranged from 45 to around 77.
Another thing - they are all in sphag and small pots.
All my phals get fert weakly, weekly - with a full dose of fish fertilizer monthly.
So - I would agree that light, temp are good indicators. Maybe potting medium as well ? Try sphag with one of them and see.
I have never grown under lights so maybe that requires its own unique cultivation methods.....ignore what I have just said..

Having grown under lights and in my solarium I can tell you the culture isn't much different between the two.

I have a horrible experience with sphag-- it simply never lasts long for me and I think it's because of the battle i wage constantly with keeping my humidity up. It will dry to a crisp on the outside and remain wet on the inside. Zero even drying. That is why s/h has worked so well for me with all of my other plants.

I think, having read everyone's input, that I have a few plants that are still quite young and I'm not giving them the best treatment that most adult phals seem to love. And the few older ones I have simply haven't established themselves well enough in their s/h environment. All of my plants had new roots going into s/h and I've kept them warm but they just seem to take their time.

If i go to the Lowe's bargain rack right now and take a half-dead NOID hybrid, call it awful names, and then plant it in s/h even without new roots, I'll see a spike in the next growing season. LOL

But not with these Bellinas and Violaceas.

I do have a Violacea x that seems to be doing well. I believe it has George Vasquez in it (reading that it sounds really funny as if I have a person in my plant). Even it isn't the strongest growing but its clearly not suffering.

I have couple adult violaceas and a seedling of violacea v. metawai. They are growing well producing new leaves and roots in temps around 68 - 72 F and humidity around 50-60%. I keep them in moderate light, away from windows, on the wall shelf in not controlled environment. When currently growing new leaf will mature I will move my older violaceas to higher light closer to window and will hope for spike.
Adult ones are in clay pots with sphagnum moss, little one is in plastic pot with sphagnum.
In plastic pots I usually feel sphagnum by the weight when to water. In clay pots I wasn't very good until someone here suggested to smell the moss. Even when it is crispy dry on the top, the bottom wet moss will have specific smell. I now water when there is no smell and it works pretty good for me .

[Vanda lover]

That's a good tip. I have been trying the wooden skewer method but it doesn't always work well.