Only leaves

[Burti]

Hi

Very new to all this and have spent hours going through the posts, please don't shoot me down if I have been a muppet and missed the vital post.

I have a few Phalaenonopis, they are all fantastically healthy with good roots and huge leaves, I just cannot get the little darlings to flower... well, when they do (I have had one for 5 years and it has flowered once) they are wonderful and last for ages.

I did give a couple to my sister in law last year for Christmas and the pair have been flowering ever since, producing 3-4 flower spikes at a time with 4-6 branches from those spikes.

The plants have good light from a South facing window, the compost I have varied from just bark, to bark and more terrestrial (orchid) compost, some with and some without moss. I water once a week to ten days with orchid bloom formula.

The only difference I can think of between my sister in law's house and mine is that she has no central heating.

Any ideas on how to get them to flower would be really appreciated; my husband thinks I am mental muttering to them.

Thanks Burti

[mehitabel]

Originally Posted by Burti

I have a few Phalaenonopis, they are all fantastically healthy with good roots and huge leaves, I just cannot get the little darlings to flower... The plants have good light from a South facing window..

Any ideas on how to get them to flower would be really appreciated

Hi, Burti. Mature phals tend mostly to just bloom on their own, without the need for anything special.

The most common reason for phals failing to flower is *insufficient light*. You mention a south window, which is nice light when the sun is shining. Here, in December the sun shines about 3 days out of 7 and is weak and watery when it does appear. So "south window" is a good exposure, but doesn't necessarily mean strong enough or long enough light. It depends on the window-- how tall it is, the season, how close to the window, etc etc etc.

Just eg, today here, we are having thunderstorms-- rain and clouds all day. Light in my south windows? Zip! (except for the Wonderlites in those windows)

Following Bob Gordon's advice, and Survey of phalaenopsis growers (*Culture of the Phalaenopsis Orchid), I give my phals as much light as they can take without burning. And it is a *lot* more light than a south window can provide. In full summer outdoors, they got 80% shade, which translates into a maximum of app 1800 Fc or higher. All day. In September, with temps app 75-80, they got 60% shade on the warmer days, 40% on the cooler ones.

There's no way any south window can match that, because windows do not get *any* overhead sun, only slanting sunrays for part of the day.

If it were my problem, I would increase the light. You could do this by adding fluorescent lighting for 12 to 16 hours a day. Also make sure they are as close to the window pane as you can get them.

Making sure that the temperature drops at night to at least 65F for a few hours each night, and even repotting can contribute a bit. But IMO, more light is the *necessary and sufficient* condition for most hybrid phals to bloom.

[LouisW]

I bet if you give them about a week of exposure to temps around 55 degrees F would do the trick. After the week you can bring them back into the warm of their usual place in the window. That should initiate their blooming phase and they should develop spikes for flowers during the mid or late winter.

Good luck!

[kmarch]

One thing some phals can do with to initiate flowering is a 10-15F day-night temperature difference. If you have central heating they may not be getting this night-time temperature drop.

[kid a]

I have never rebloomed a phal either.

[orchidlover55]

Burti, I agree with the other geeks they do have to have that drop in temp at night about 10-15 degree and also like Mehitabel said you could put extra light above them with a florescent lighting. They have T-8 shop lights fairly reasonable, that is what I use.
BTW, to the forum

Debra

[Burti]

Many thanks for your replies, I shall give them both some more light and make sure they get a tempreture change. I will keep you all posted on their progress.
Thanks again, much appreciated
Burti