need more roots

[iluvorchids]

I'm not having much luck with my phals. The leaves are still green, but the roots are few and less than the width of a pencil. I think this is why I'm not getting any spikes. I'm bummed. I've put them in a southwest room. First close to the window. But that caused them to be overheated. I moved them back about 4 feet and that seems to far (but there's no space in between). I live in Ontario, so winter weather brings alot of cloudy days too.
Should I fertilize? Is this happening because not enough sun? Also, they are potted in clear pots. Any ideas would be great. :-)

[Ray]

What day- and night temperatures are they seeing? Phals in general are decidedly "warm to hot" growers, so if they get too cool, they will not be happy.

[digitalgate]

use your hand as a "light meter", Place around 30cm above a piece of paper, if you see a distinct shadow that would be too strong for Phal. (you can do this out door) Move slightly back (away from the sun getting indoor) around 5cm and check again. The moment the shadow becomes slightly fuzzy that would be perfect. Put the plant there. The alternative is T5 florescence tube lamp set up.

[Brooke]

Four feet from a window isn't enough light for anything to grow properly. A Phal would need to be about a foot from South window to receive enough light.

Not all Phal roots are huge and will depend on the ancestry of the plant. Equestris roots aren't much bigger than the lead of a pencil.

A clear pot is great, it makes watering much easier.

You can fertilize every watering if you use 1/4 of the recommended dosage.

Brooke

[iluvorchids]

Great ideas!

Ray, how can I 'warm them up'? I could move them closer to the window now, because it's winter? Other than a lamp which emits heat, any other thoughts?
Thermometer presently read 60. It's about 8:19 am

digitalgate - I'll try the 'hand' meter. :-)

brooke - I'll move them back to the window. I kinda thought where i had them wasn't a great idea. I might have to put on my thinking cap to come up with something else that will work.
(idea: I have a 2 drawer filing cabinet I could move closer to the window. The drop from the frame of the window to the top of the filing cabinet is about a foot. It would be lower than the desk I have in here. The plants would be getting the sun on the right hand side as it moves towards the west???)

Just another thought - the amount of sun on this desk is exactly what my Burr Nelly Isler likes. Since I got it late last year, it's blooming wonderfully. Does this information help?