When is it ok to move my plant?

[lisainny1]

I've always been afraid to move my plants from the location where they've been growing. So there they stay until the blooms are done.
I recently read that it is ok to move them - only I can't remember if it is "once they are in bud" or "once they are in bloom".
Thank you in advance for your advice.

[qbie]

Hello and welcome!

If it's about getting the flowers to face the same way I think I read the same thing you did and watched some videos too. I believe it was said not to move once buds start to form then ok to move after it is in full bloom. I'm still a newbie even though I've been growing my phals for 20+ years. Never really moved any of them except I did one last year so some flowers kinda faced different directions so I hope I got this right. So far it seems to be working this year!

[Roberta]

Precisely. The developing spike will follow the sun, so if you change the direction, the direction of the flowers and spike may get somewhat twisted - won't hurt them but the display isn't as nice. If you move the plant (like to water it) and put it back in the same orientation to the light, that's fine. It's not the moving that is the problem, just changing the direction mid-development.

[estación seca]

Plants with sequentially opening flowers, like many Phals. and Oncidiums, have spikes that will continue to grow towards the light while buds remain unopened. Don't change the orientation until all buds are open.