will my phals spike? - Orchid Board

joeyiac · #1 09-05-2014, 08:26 PM

Hi All, I have about 20 Phals & they have been in my Dinning Room all summer where it has been 71 degrees F. They had good lighting and watered weekly. I plan on putting them outside for a few weeks to get the lower night temperature. What do u guys think..should they spike with having such a cold growing season. They did get a few new leaves and some new roots during the summer.

orchidsarefun · #2 09-05-2014, 09:37 PM

if they haven't spiked by now, I would put them outside while temps are still warm. See my thread on Temperature Experiment. You should have the rest of Sept and part Oct with reasonable lows - above 60f.

lotis146 · #3 09-05-2014, 11:00 PM

I would have to agree that leaving them outside to get both the hot and the cool would be beneficial. I've got two Phals, NoIDs, outside that have been there all summer and are spiking, 2nd time this year. One is growing a new spike while the other is growing a new spike AND growing two new branches off the spike I left (I rescued it with two spikes). I also have two keikis I potted earlier this year that have been indoors where sometimes I leave the A/C all day, other times I've turned it off and back on at night. They've really had a bit of everything but A LOT MORE consistent temps than those outdoors. One of them spiked starting maybe two months ago and just bloomed a third bud, while the other has been growing its for a couple weeks now. Maybe if you can even stand to let the temps rise to upper 70s during the day - no A/C - and A/C at night...but don't take my word for it.

Good luck whatever you do!

orchidsarefun · #4 09-05-2014, 11:17 PM

interestingly only certain phals seem to need the temperature variation to spike. I have a couple that spike regularly indoors despite us leaving the aircon/heating on most of the year - with temps between 70 and 74f. I think we only get about 2 months a year where we have the windows and doors open because temperatures are moderately pleasant.
I read somewhere that temps above 27c/80f stimulate vegetative growth ( roots and leaves ) and temps below that stimulate reproductive growth. A study wasn't quoted but it seems to be "true" for most phals.