| I experimented on the temp drops and the light increase.
I kept half my collection (big hybrid phals with 4-7 leaves each) outside for September-October, when the temps were ideally 59F at night at 85% humidity and in the morning I would keep them in my home office of 70-71F in the day, near a huge southern french window.
I kept my species phals (schilleriana, violacea, bellina, equestris, lindenii and parishiiXlobbii) in a shelf in the same room, where the temp change is minor (66-71F) but I implemented the light by placing them under a small (22W) compact fluorescent light (4000 lumens) that are be on for 4-6 hours every day from 5pm to 11 pm. The species phals are a little over the seedling phase, with 1-4 leaves.
All phals get same fertiliser (now get bloom booster formula), planted in the same s/h media, and watered when necessary.
The result was that the big phals with the temp swing have not spiked yet. I must note however they are all out of blooms for 6 months now.
The small species phals have spiked, even tiny parishiiXlobbii which only has one and a half leaves! It is also growing 2 more roots and one more leaf. The tiny schilleriana, (leaf span 6", 3 leaves in total, pot size 2") has popped 2!! spikes.
So I must say that, in my case, light is the dominating element.  |