Phal Spike

[Martine]

Hi! What are the ideal conditions for a phal to send up a new spike? Thanks!

[mehitabel]

Hi, Martine. In my personal experience, good light (often more than you would think) is the secret to getting spikes. I was able to increase the light for my phals in April by putting them outside on carts on sunny days and rolling them back in a night, and they have set 17 new spikes since 4/1-- nearly every phal not already in bloom that is big enough to spike. Most but not all were from phals with a high % of summer bloomers in their ancestry.

A 50% increase in light is often recommended by specialists for inducing spikes on phals, see culture notes at Bedford Orchids, Robert Beddard Nurseries and Big Leaf Orchids. These are all excellent notes, written by distinguished phal breeder/growers for new growers. A few minutes reading them will repay you handsomely in better growth and blooms on your phals. And yes, they all recommend increasing light.

url to Big Leaf notes on growing and blooming phals, for new indoor growers.

Big Leaf Orchids -Information

Good luck.

[mayres]

#1 condition - Make it HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!
#2 condition - Depends upon genetics - to some degree the majority of hybrid phals typically will start sending up spikes in the late fall of the year when the temperature cools in the evening - more variation between daytime and evening. Some of the more warm zone phals tend to be summer bloomers - and will start spiking any time. I have about 30 phals of spiking maturity and all but a few of them starting spiking in the normal time frame - however a couple of them are just spiking now.
Another significant influence is when they may have been forced to spike by the grower that you purchase them from - if they are purchased off the normal climatic cycle they may take a year or two to get into our/your normal cycle and bloom/spike in odd times or not at all.
#3 condition - Make it HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! What does that mean - for each type of phal give it the ideal light, temperature, nutrients, water..........

[Martine]

Thanks!