Phal - problem with flowers

[Celcat]

Hi everyone,

I did say previously that I have never had problem with phal... perhaps I have talked too fast.

One of my phal is blooming now. I was very happy when the 1st flower fully opened. I was less pleased with the next two ones. The flowers are not completely opened. See the pics. I am sure I did read a thread about it, but i cannot find it anymore.

I welcome all your advice,

Thank you

[psyc1210]

The only thing I've read about that may affect the flower opening correctly was the humidity level. Do you know what your humidity level is? How long have the flowers been "open"?

[jay]

This might be an odd question, but do you use SuperThrive or some other hormone based growth stimulator? I have recently read that these can deform a flower.

Just a thought.

[Celcat]

The 2 flowers opened actually at the same time (not one after the other, like usually they do...) and just over a week ago.

No sorry, I do not know the humidity level in this room

And regarding the orchid feed, this year I have used 2 new kinds of orchids growth:

1- Drop feeder (FitO brand) - no details of the composition on the packaging
2- Lorbex specialist feeds NPK fertiliser 2.5+3+3.5 ( I do have the detailed composition )

I do have another phal (a white one which I do have since 6 years now) which is in bloom right now with no problem with the flowers, and I am pretty sure I did give the same feed than the other one. Both orchids are in the same room now, but the white one was in my kitchen until the bloom.
My kitchen is generally colder than my living-room and has less light and probably a higher humidity level due to the steam generated by my cooking...

[Vivienne]

Are the ones that 'aren't' opening the same? Could it be Peloric??

See link: Odd flowers on phal

[clarita]

Not knowing your growing conditions but your location, your phal may have "run out of gas" by the short low day conditions.(light) Heat and the stability of heat plays a critical role in getting the babies to pop for you. 99% of the time for me if I've had a bloom issue its those 2 factors.

I'm just not a big believer in humidity being the culprit. I bloom outdoors where humidity is wildly variable.

[Brooke]

It's usually a lack of moisture on the petals themselves. Use a light spritz of water, letting it drift over the blooms, and try lightly prying the petals apart.

When the heat is running, the thin petals can lose their moisture rapidly and they appreciate a little help sometimes.

Brooke

[jay]

Celcat - I don't think either of those have added hormones for stimulating growth. Must be another factor.

Did this plant have an odd flower last year? How long have you had it? Has it changed locations since it's last blooming?

[Celcat]

thank you all for your help,

all the pics are from the same plant. I bought this orchid last year in April ready to bloom. This orchids had perfect flowers last year, see the pic.

This orchid is placed by a east orientated window (like my white phal). I live in a flat east - south orientated. Last year when I bought it, I placed it by the south orientated window.

Vivienne I have read with interest this thread about the peloric orchid. I am not really convinced that it is the case, as last year this orchid had fully opened flowers. But who knows... maybe...

Brooke, I have follow your advice, it can't do much harm.

I think I will have to be patient ...

[kmarch]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

Are the ones that 'aren't' opening the same? Could it be Peloric??

These flowers aren't peloric. Peloricism is a genetic characteristic so all flowers on an inflorescence will be consistently peloric. I believe there is somethign environmental or cultural going on here, perhaps some change in culture or environment between the time the first flowers opened and the later ones?

[Vivienne]

Agreed - I went back and reread the original post and see how the first flower opened fully. My bad.

[clarita]

I agree not being peloric. The problem with phals is that they take months to bloom. In a cold short day winter its very difficult to maintain heat and light unless you are growing under lights

Misting can do harm indeed. Risky Thats where those little ittle black boitrys spots come from. The orchid pedals have no ability to benefit in any way. Mist is just that; vapour/ condensation- very tiny particles. Not the water form of H20. Anything that comes out of a spray bottle or a cool mist humidifyer is water.

[Celcat]

More I think about it, more I think the problem was the fertilizer. I remember once just after I gave some fertilizer (for growth), the 2d bud which was forming at that time, became a bit funny... (somehow I knew this bud will not be a perfect flower). I just did not expect that the 3rd will be odd too.

The others flowers are fine... I took a new pic. You can see that the new flowers are fine

I will not use this fertilizer for this orchid anymore...

Regarding fertilizer I do have a question. There is 2 kinds of fertilizer:
- growth
- blooming

I was wondering at which stage do you stop using the fertilizer for growth? Once the spike starts to grow or only once the orchid is blooming?

Have a nice evening

[11Orchid126]

If I know what time of year my phal usually blooms, I stop the growth fertilizer about two or three months before. A shot of epsom salts, a tablespoon to the gallon, is also good to give at this time.

[Celcat]

Thank you for your advice 11orchid126

I did give the growth fertilizer approximatively 6 weeks (maybe 2months) from flowering. I did give it when the 2d bud appeared. Maybe, I should not have I just bought some epsom salt (I have seen it mentioned in few threads), so I will follow your advice. I will think about it when my other orchids will be ready for the bloom

[PhalPal]

I don't have much to add but wanted to follow this thread! I have never had this happen and I move my blooming Phals all over the house with inherently low humidity. I don't change my fertilizer routine at all throughout the year and have never used bloom busters. I'm curious what the diagnosis will be!!??

Mayres??? Have you ever experienced this problem???

[Celcat]

PhapPal, I treat my orchids the same way. I dont have a specific place in my flat for the orchids. I move my orchids, but this the first time that happened to me. I am pretty sure it is this fertilizer. Hopefully, I will not happen again.
I think I may invest in a humidity meter

[kmarch]

When I fertilized Phals (about 5 years ago) I fertilized them the same way that the big phal grower I bought from did.

1) From end of bloom until end of August = high nitrogen fert (grow)
2) From September until end of bloom cycle = bloom boost

There is a 3rd kind of fert., balanced. 20-20-20 is an example of balanced.

[jay]

I am currently using the MSU formula year round. MSU (Michigan State University), did some studies that showed a balanced fertilizer is better than switching between high Nitrogen (growth) and high Potassium (bloom). If you do a search for MSU fertilizer in google you will find a lot of information on the topic.

I have been doing this since the beginning of this year and have been happy so far, although I know this is not a very long time for a test.

[PhalPal]

I use something almost identical to MSU. I get it from Normans Orchids and it has a lot of the micronutrients in it like MSU. Normans uses it year round; they adjust light and temperature to initiate spikes.

[sandra]

Celcat, I've had the same exact thing happen this blooming season with one of my Phals. My others which began spi