phaelanopsis growing healthy roots and leaves but will not flower

[mook]

I bought a phaelanopsis orchid from a nursery for 2 dollars because it was done blooming and pretty pathetic looking. That was almost a year ago. I water it when the sphagnum moss gets dry and it is in indirect sunlight. The roots are growing like crazy and it grew a brand new leaf but will not flower. Any suggestions?

[psyc1210]

Maybe it needs more time, or maybe it needs better culture. Try looking at the culture sheets on AOS.org

My first orchid was in flower from June til October 2007, and then didn't flower again for me til this past month. So it took about 1.5 years for it to respike for me. I chalk it up to it needing to adjust to my environment.

[kmarch]

I don't grow many phals but it is not uncommon for a new orchid in my care to skip the first flowering cycle after I bring it home.

[digitalgate]

did U fertilize the plant with 67 fertilizer?

[lmartiny]

Many Phals bloom around springtime so maybe it is just not in season for it yet.

[bill_asia]

You just need to induce flowering. It will flower again if it is located in temperatures between 65 - 70F (18 - 20C). Your watering cycle based on the sphagnum moss moisture level is very good. Within 2 weeks of reduced temperatures you should see spikes forming just above the roots.

[mehitabel]

Congratulations on restoring your orchid to health.

I have two suggestions to make about blooming your phal:

1. They do bloom on their own when they are mature enough if they are receiving enough light. It could be your phal needs a little more time and that's all.

2. Read this article written by Peter Linn of Big Leaf Orchids on how to grow and flower phal. It is written for new indoor growers

A Beginner Guide to Grow and to Flower The Moth Orchid

You talk about "indirect sun". Peter Linn mentions that increasing the light by 50% to at least 1500FC helps bring on flowering. What people call indirect sun is very likely to be quite dim light, not enough for flowering. The human eye adapts to light, so we can register quite dim light as "bright"

The commonest cause of orchids not flowering is insufficient light. Flowering requires more light than growth does. IMO, phals should be receiving at least a couple of hours of early morning or late afternoon sun per day. Mine get a lot more than that.

The "bright indirect light" the books talk about most likely refers to greenhouse light with glass overhead. In a house, overhead light is already cut off by the roof, so the light even a few feet away from a window, or in a north window, can be too little for flowering.

Hope this helps.

[Malula]

Hello. I read several posts in this forum and they suit my doubts. I am desperately trying to get my Phals to bloom. I have been watering them once a week with Mairol which is a balanced nutrient, and now I bought another nutrient called Orquidex which is supposedly for flowering. I am alternating both (one week I water with Mairol and the next week with Orquidex and so on).
I bought my 4 Phals in bloom around May-June of this year. They have grown new roots and leaves (and they have also shedded the old leaves which I understand is normal), so I think they are healthy from that point of view. Some questions:
1) The temps: I live in Venezuela and it's been pretty warm here lately (It's always warm because it is a tropical country so we don't have seasons other than dry/rainy and it gets cooler by december-January) . SO, do you think it is OK if I put my Phals in a/c all night since I have a/c in my room? What is the lowest temp they can take without being harmed? You say this might help them bloom so I am willing to try it out.
2) They are receiving direct sunlight in the morning, about 3 hours every day. I was a little worried the other day though because the leaves get so hot to the touch with the sun! But I am risking it because they are not burning out or anything and morning sun is supposed to be safe. So, you think they need more than 2-3 hours of daily sunlight in order to bloom?
3) I am sending a picture of what I initially thought was a flower spike but now I have my doubts whether it is a Keiki
Thank you so much in advance!!!!!

[mehitabel]

Malula, there are a lot of variables that determine whether a phal will spike or not. Since you got them in May, and they have been growing since then, I would say they can probably set spikes at any time from now on. I have some that have set a new spikes just a month or two after the old spike expired, and others that take 4, 5, 6 months. Even a couple that skipped a whole year and went 18 months.

My own experience is that they do respond to the increasing light in the spring here with a rush of spiking, and now I am getting spikes in response to coolish nights (60-65F) and warm days (app 83F). Warm days, but not hot ones. It's not the same ones that spike in spring and fall. In the spring, there's a lot of waxy yellows and reds that spike. In the fall it's the big pinks and whites and striped ones that spike. This is related to the ancestry.

It's very possible in your climate, which is warmer and without such marked seasons, the spiking of the big pinks and whites will come later in the year. I believe that is what happens here in Florida, where the spiking comes on in Nov-Dec rather than in Sept as here.

I also believe that the very best thing you can do to help a phal spike is to grow it the very best you can, giving it good light. I give mine as much light as they can take without burning. When they are mature enough and have gathered their strength enough, they will spike.

So, to answer your questions:

1. No, I wouldn't be fooling with bringing them inside at night for a cool down in the A/C. Phals are tropical. They looooove warms nights. They grow like crazy when the nights are warm. Let them grow. The more they grow the better the blooms will be when you get them and the likelier you are to get them. They love 70F nights, can tolerate 65. Some can go to 60. Don't go below that.

2. The light. Three hours of morning sun is terrific. They will love you for that. However, if the leaves feel warm, you may need to reposition them for a little bit less sun. It's a judgment call, you are the one that has to make it. I burn some every year, and hate myself for it. Barely warm is okay. Actively warm, back off a little. It's the heat that damages the tissue. They can take more light when there's higher humidity and breezes.

3. The growth in your pictures looks like a spike to me. Just because the plant made a keiki before doesn't mean this isn't a flowering spike. In my experience a keiki is fatter than a flower spike. It just never does look quite like a spike. But I haven't seen that many keikis.

IMO, you are worrying yourself too much, thinking that the spike depends on you, on something you do. Honestly, the spike depends on the plant and the external conditions. They are like cats-- they know what they want and manage to do it whether we like it or not. I have accidentally broken spikes and had a plant set a new one right away. They weren't going to let some big goofus interfere with them wanting to bloom!

Relax and enjoy the growing and the flowering that will come in its own time. While you're waiting for that spike to bloom and more to form, learn all you can. Your knowledge will help you enjoy your phals more and grow them better.

Remember phals are *tropical*. They love your climate and will thrive and bloom like crazy there.

[Malula]

Thanks Mehitabel!!! you're right I am a little obsessed with my Phals. I have a cat so I know what you mean by letting them do their thing but providing basic care. I will take your advice for sure and leave them alone. Like I said in the other thread, I got this advice about not using the flowering fertilizer from you and someone else so I will continue to use the balanced one weekly like I was doing before I got obsessed with the flowering issue! Anyway, I promise I will let them be, hahaha
Oh, I came up with another question: I just came back home and I found one of my Phals on the floor with all the medium outside, probably my cat playing with the sticks that hold the spikes (when I have spikes of course) So, scared as I was, I was forced to "repot it". I watched a repotting video in youtube and I took the chance to cut off some dead and rotten roots and I just put it back in the same medium which looks pretty good to me. Do you think I should repot the other 3 plants?
Thanks again!!

[mehitabel]

Hi again, malulu Cats! I had one years ago that knocked over vases so he could drink the water more conveniently from the puddle. LOL. I'd come home and find all the flowers shriveling up. They really do do what they want to do, don't they?

Phals don't resent being repotted, so you should do what you think is right based on what you know about your own plants. I don't see any harm to repotting or to not repotting.

I hope you'll let us know if your spike nub starts developing into a flowering spike, and when you start to get spikes on the others.

[Malula]

Ok, thanks!
About cats+flower vases, my cat does that all the time!! she loves to knock over my flower vases to drink the water in them, I think I will have to get her one of these pet drinking fountains so she can have fresh water.
I will keep you posted about my spike!

[kmarch]

As I have said before I dont' grow many phals so those who do can correct me if I'm wrong, but there seems to be some confusion about the "cooling off". I have seen many posts (many as in 3-4) recently (as in the last few months) where people seem to be under the impression that phals need to be cooled off like a cymbidium or some dendrobiums in order to flower. My understanding is that this is not correct.

As has been stated helpfully above, phals are tropical orchids and appreciate warmth. The "cooling off" comes not in the form of a cool season but in a 10-15F dirunal temperature. The diurnal temperature is the difference between the day time high and the night time low. And I have heard many people say (and have read several times) that this dirnal temperature is what makes the phals spike. So a phal can get this big day-night temperature differential and still be grown warm. If the day time temp is 75-80F and the night temp is 65F that's a 10-15F drop yet the plant is still being grown warm.

It's that temperature differential we're looking for, not a general cooling off.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by mook

I bought a phaelanopsis orchid from a nursery for 2 dollars because it was done blooming and pretty pathetic looking. That was almost a year ago. I water it when the sphagnum moss gets dry and it is in indirect sunlight. The roots are growing like crazy and it grew a brand new leaf but will not flower. Any suggestions?

I would give it a little more light..Not beat down ful sun, but a tiny bit of direct sun in the morning or evening. Patience is also a great thing to have!

[dillon935]

Glad I read through the threads as I was about to post this same question. The phal that I thought was growing a spike was actually sending out another root. Thanks to all of these great responses you gave Mook I know know to relax and appreciate the fact that my phal is healthy, growing new leaves and roots and will bloom when it's time. I love this forum been sitting here most of the day just reading away and learning so much. : )