They're making a run for it!! Yikes

[MattWoelfsen]

I agree Rosie, temperature is a relative thing--depending on your environment. I think what sets spiking is the drop from night to day over a season. From what I've read, this is how the mass producers force Phals into blooming when they come to market.

They get them to near bloom size, and then they get them into a green house with bright light, set up in a warm, humid environment and then at night fall, lower the temps down ten degrees. They do this for several days until the spikes get to their desired length, and as they becoming close to blooming, harden them off to temperatures that are human home normal (relatively speaking), entomb the roots in more planting media, throw them in a decorative pot, and ship them off to market.

This forced growth yields an attractive plant but it sure gives the new owner a lot of challenges to get the plant adapted to their environment.

[lornaheath]

OK Guys you have convinced me!!

Looks like I'll have to pack up and leave town for a month.

I plan to spend the first two weeks at your house Rosie and then I'll be joining you Matt for the second fortnight.

That way, I can turn the heating off and leave the Orchids in cool/cold dark surroundings to winter themselves and then all will be happy. Especially ME having had two great weeks holidays to visit you and your Orchids.

Problem solved!

Lorna
x x x

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by lornaheath

OK Guys you have convinced me!!

Looks like I'll have to pack up and leave town for a month.

I plan to spend the first two weeks at your house Rosie and then I'll be joining you Matt for the second fortnight.

That way, I can turn the heating off and leave the Orchids in cool/cold dark surroundings to winter themselves and then all will be happy. Especially ME having had two great weeks holidays to visit you and your Orchids.

Problem solved!

Lorna
x x x

Hehe, sounds good! You can come stay with me if ya like!

And, your roots look very happy!! Good Growing!

[lornaheath]

Aaawwwww Sug,

Thank you soooo much.

Aaaahhh you made me toes curl up.

I fink I'll come to you for Easter. Bless.

Lornie
x x x

[My Green Pets]

Lorna that reminds me of my English friend who always says 'Bless your little cotton socks', haha

Rosie my flat is also kept pretty darn cold in the winter. We only have electric heaters which are very expensive to run so my plants experience pretty similar temps to yours. And, like you mentioned, it seems like they all just kind of went into 'hibernation' last winter.

I would love to have flower spikes in the dead of winter, but I won't be surprised if my plants decide to go to sleep until March or so.

[larrylwill]

Originally Posted by lornaheath

Hey Hun,

Send me your postal address in a Private Message and I'll send you enough clay balls (Chips) to re-pot your pot.

Seramis is only available in 2 locations in the UK too. I bought my last big bagful on Amazon.

It weighs nothing so it won't cost much to send you some.

Send me your address Matey and I'll post it tomorrow. It'll take a full 7 days to get to you.

Lornie
x x x

Is this what your talking about? They sell them on Ebay fairly cheap.

[lornaheath]

Yes, That's the critters Larry. Well done to you for finding them.

I bought my last huge bag from Amazon.

There's only 2 places that supply these in the UK so they are hard to get here.

Well done to you for finding them. They are exactly the things you need to mix in with your Orchid Bark mix to hydrate the mix and water those darned roots.

Lorna
x x x

[larrylwill]

$6.95 lb and free shipping. Although there is no way of knowing how big a pile a pound is.
Do you know? About how many pounds to fill a pot. Or how many pots would a lb fill, you choose the size, 4" 5" 6" 7"

[lornaheath]

Hi Larry, I sent some Clay balls off to my friend here in the Forum (Island Girl). She lives in the USA. I sent her enough to fill a large pot with her bark mix and It was a generous amount.

IT DIDN'T WEIGH ANYTHING!!

It cost me a few dollars (Pounds) to post over but it was because of the size of the packet. There was no weight to speak of.

I think for a pound of granules you would be able to mix enough to fill 5 or 6 good pots for your Orchids, so you don't need to buy tons of the stuff.

Hope that helps some?

Lorna
x x x

PS I'm off to beddies now, it's gone midnight in the UK Matey.

[MattWoelfsen]

Hello Lorna? I got an email from repotme.com, they provide the carousel pot that I have used to pot my special Phal. There are smaller sized pots available now, so I got another one or two in order for the smaller pots.

Here is an update of my plant, a month later since we last talked. I left a flower spike on this plant, and sure enough, it is growing another keiki. The two basel keiki on this plant are also continuing to grow. This has become a truly healthy plant.