My phals wont put on a new spike - Orchid Board

Pokey49 · #1 10-10-2014, 09:25 PM

I have 3 phals that bloomed last summer. Since then they of course finished blooming, I cut off the old spike at the base and they went through last winter, this spring and summer OK. They have put on new leaves and new nice green aerial roots and seem to be healthy, but I see no evidence of a flower spike forming. Wondering if my sun room does not have enough light for them. Temps are in the 60-75 range, watered about every 10 days, feed them 1/4 strength. NO spikes. Any suggestions for what might be the problem?

RandomGemini · #2 10-10-2014, 09:34 PM

Some of my phals rebloomed and some did not. I discovered that the ones that rebloomed, are the ones I repotted as soon as blooming was done last year. I'm not sure why this made a difference at all.

I have my phals in an southeast facing window with a mini blind in it that cuts the light a bit, so that they don't get sunburned. What color are your leaves? Generally speaking, most phals leaves should be just a bit lighter than grass green, but I do have some that are a deep evergreen with purple edging and on those darker greens, that purple edge is what I think you're looking for to make sure they are getting enough light.

Edited to Add:

I also opened the window in my office for a few days when the temps outside were up in the high 50s at night. There is quite a bit of debate about whether this helps phals bloom or not, but I figured it couldn't hurt. Not all of my phals bloomed after I did this though.

Pokey49 · #3 10-11-2014, 02:06 PM

My sunroom is on the north side of the house but has windows on all three sides plus skylights. I have not measured the light but it does not get a lot of direct bright sun though the room is reasonably bright. The color of the leaves of all my orchids vary from dark green to light green. Like I said new growth is being seen in roots and leaves just no spikes ??? I have some paphs too but they bloomed more recent than the phials in question so I am not concerned about them , yet. This is my first season with orchids in a new sunroom so I don't have any history to compare to in this setting.

RandomGemini · #4 10-11-2014, 03:43 PM

Sounds like you are doing what you should be. Maybe just give them some more time.

WhiteRabbit · #5 10-11-2014, 08:18 PM

My few Phals generally spike in mid to late winter ...
I think that for sale, conditions are manipulated to get spikes at all times of year, not just when they would naturally spike, so they may skip a season afterwards while returning to their natural rhythm.

I've had Phals bloom growing in a strictly north facing window, so I would think yours are getting sufficient light, unless they are too far away from the light.

Pokey49 · #6 10-12-2014, 01:06 PM

Ok thanks. As I mentioned my plants are in our sunroom which on the north side of the house but it has lots of windows on all three sides so I don't think light is the issue. I will attempt to be more patient :-) that said I don't think its bright enough for the cyms I have. Think they need lots more bright light. I am still in a learning phase with both orchids and my sun room.

Tommyr · #7 10-12-2014, 01:13 PM

Try dropping the temperture at night for a few weeks. Cooler temps tend to initiate budding on a lot of plants.

Pokey49 · #8 10-12-2014, 03:47 PM

That is starting to happen as we go into fall. My sunroom is going down into the low 60s at night and back up into the low 70s at day. In winter I adjust the thermostat in the sun room for about a 10 degree differential.

Paul

RJSquirrel · #9 10-14-2014, 01:19 AM

lower temps will spike them up nicely usually and how they manage to have phals all year round

camille1585 · #10 10-14-2014, 04:13 AM

If those were new Phals, then as mentioned they were tricked into blooming via temp changes in the greenhouses (and, by the way, it's also a drop in day temp that they do, not just night). The other thing, is even if you had bought then during 'normal' blooming period (so winter), these plants are so dopped up on fertilizers and used to living in their nice perfect greenhouse that it's not unusual for them to skip a blooming.

At my previous place I also bloomed Phals in a north/east facing window, so even though they could do with more light, it won't stop them from blooming. I'm starting to see the first spikes on my Phals now, and see more in the coming months. So patience is the key, with any luck you should see some spikes before the end of the year!