Phal Lighting while blooming - Orchid Board

Asher · #1 02-09-2012, 10:37 AM

Hi Guys

I put my Phals on a west facing windowsill and just left them to it and finally they've made great progress

. My sick Phal has put out a new spike and i'm thrilled. My question is once the buds have formed and start to open can I move the plant to a better area to show it off or would it be a bad idea incase that decreases the light level. I'm confused as I have had conflicting arguments about this, some say its fine as the plant has preserved all the energy it needs and others say that decreasing the light level would cause the buds to fade and fall off sooner :S

Any guidance on this would be much appreciated as I dont want to do the wrong thing..i've worked sooo hard

Thanks

tucker85 · #2 02-09-2012, 10:57 AM

I grow my phals outdoors in light that is probably brighter than most people have their plants in. When they start to bloom I often bring them indoors to an area where I can display them but where there's much less light. I've never experienced a problem doing this. The flowers seem to last just as long as they would under the brighter conditions. Moving some orchids that are just starting to bud can lead to bud blast. I haven't noticed this in phals but I still wouldn't move them until the first flower opens. After that I don't think you'll have any problems.

silken · #3 02-09-2012, 11:03 AM

I move mine as well and have never had them blast or get turned around once the buds are well developed. They might even last longer being out of bright light.

Asher · #4 02-09-2012, 02:39 PM

Thanks guys that really puts my mind at ease

Freddie · #5 02-09-2012, 03:23 PM

I move mine around too with no problems, although I find that if I move them "too early" as the buds have not fully formed, the flowers tend to grow in every direction, sometimes upside down :O , which is not very esthetic. But otherwise, I'd say you can move them no problems.

camille1585 · #6 02-09-2012, 04:18 PM

Bloom duration will be much more affected by temperature and humidity than by light. I wait until at least half of the buds have opened before moving it, or else I get some facing every direction like Teddie does.

I have one Phal though that I have learned not to move, because just moving 5 feet over to the coffee table makes it drop buds! What a weird plant. So that one stays under the lights.

lily99 · #7 02-09-2012, 08:08 PM

I grow mine in the basement under lights, and then bring them up to my kitchen once at least half the buds are open. I have never had any problems with that.

grasshopper · #8 02-09-2012, 10:20 PM

This is something I've wondered about myself. It seems like half of the time I move my plants the buds blast or the flowers turn/twist. I usually wait until the buds are pretty well developed and sometimes the flowers open just fine...other times, not so much. Reading that some of you wait until the first bud (or more) opens is something I didn't think of. I will exercise a little more patience (I seem to do that a lot with orchids!) wait until at the first bud opens and then move it, and hopefully I'll have less bud blast / twisted flowers.

Asher · #9 02-11-2012, 11:26 AM

I didnt even consider the buds/flowers twisting because of the move so thanks for the heads up. I dont have any buds at all yet so i've got quite a wait ahead of me. Thanks again for the help

camille1585 · #10 02-11-2012, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asher

I didnt even consider the buds/flowers twisting because of the move so thanks for the heads up. I dont have any buds at all yet so i've got quite a wait ahead of me. Thanks again for the help

Buds try to grow to open facing the light, so even if you leave the Phal in the same place (like a windowsill), after watering for instance you need to make sure to put it back facing the same way.