When do you take in an orchid when the flower spike starts to show???

[katied]

I was wondering when an Phal. is supposed to be taken inside when a flower spike starts to show. I live in Louisiana and it hasn't started to get cold yet but I wasn't sure if it would be too hot outside with temps around in the 70s. I didn't want the flowers to die off. This is the first year that I have gotten three orchids to grow flower spikes within the last 2 weeks. I am so confused on when the orchids are suppose to be brought in and how much more are they suppose to be watered and fertilized.

[Bud]

If you havent seen a bloom open then continue whatever you are doing...it is detrimental that the plant must not be moved at this point in time...you might have a bud blast...only when a flower opens that you can put it indoors to make the flowers last longer....only then the plant will have finished giving energy to the spike.

[camille1585]

Yes, it's better to move it either before the buds appear on the spike, or after most of the flowers have opened. Helps avoid bud blast and also avoids issues of flowers facing different directions if a plant in bud is moved.

Don't worry about the temperature, that's actually perfect for phals since they are tropical plants. They don't mind if it's somewhat cooler than that, but really do better at higher temperatures. A Phal in spike should be watered/fertilized the same way as a non spiking plant.

[katied]

Thank you for the help, I didn't want to loose my flowers. One of the Phal. orchids is only about 5 inches wide from one side to the other and I have never seen the flower before so I so excited. I will wait til the flowers open then I'll put it inside. I am so glad that they are going to bloom.

[drone]

what about sequential bloomers, are those never moved?

[camille1585]

I move my sequential bloomers when they're blooming, usually the following bud is still much to small to have an risk of blasting.