My Phal does not want to bloom... - Orchid Board

Ornella · #1 11-14-2009, 11:17 AM

Hi... I am sooo disappointed. I have been watching a "flower spike" (that what I thought) on my Phal for half a year, waiting for flowers... and was wondering why it is all crooked and takes so long for flowers to develop..I even was trying to tie it to the vertical supporting wire. LOL... After observing my "flower spike" and searching the Web I learned that it is just an aerial root...LOL How silly.. I have a long way to go to learn about Orchids.
Well, I got this Phal in Feb 2008. It was blooming for months; after flowers dropped I cut the flower stem on a middle above the node. It is stayed like that for half a year. And I thought that a new flower spike will come out from the old. During that time my Phal developed new leaves but old flower spike got all brown and dry... I cut it off. And now this aerial root... So when I get my flowers? What should I do? I read that Phal can bloom twice a year. Mine does not want to bloom. Please help

quiltingwacko · #2 11-14-2009, 11:39 AM

Perhaps it needs more light. Carol

Undergrounder · #3 11-14-2009, 12:45 PM

I did that once... it's actually quite an achievement to try and stake an aerial root to go straight up. And a bit silly once you realise what it actually is

But most Phals DON'T flower twice a year, they flower once a year. And they start spiking in autumn through winter. So it just might not have been time yet.

But 90% of not flowering problems are insufficient light. Now that it's a bit cooler, make sure it has plenty of light, even a little morning or midday sun as long as its not harsh or hot.

Blueszz · #4 11-14-2009, 12:52 PM

Don't worry, you are not the first and won't be the last that stalked a root in the hope it was a spike. I agree that most often it's lack of light when orchids refuse to bloom, but also it could be just a bit too early for you Phalaenopsis. :-)

Nicole

quiltergal · #5 11-14-2009, 04:48 PM

A significant drop in temperatures are what causes the plant to initiate spikes. You need about a 10 degree difference between night lows and day highs to be successful. We keep our house around 68 in the winter and the heat gets turned off at night, so it easily dips down into the low 60s. Nearly all of my late winter/early spring bloomers have set spikes.

The other possible reason for your Phal not blooming is it may be a summer bloomer. If that's the case you won't start to see spikes until spring.

Pilot · #6 11-14-2009, 08:41 PM

I'll throw in my 2 cents... and this is something from Ray, here on the forum-- but how's the fertilizer? If you're using a fert that is heavier in the nitro, which promotes green leafy growth, then that may be the issue. If you get a fert that has less nitro and more phosphorus (the middle number-- an example is 10-20-10), then the phos will help with flowering... phos is used by plants for blooms, blossoms and fruiting...as well as healthy root production.

Ornella · #7 11-15-2009, 11:06 AM

Thanks everyone for your support and advice. I moved my Phal from NW window to the South side of the house. Now it will be enjoying bright filtered light behind the sliding door. Do I need some kind of artificial light going on later in a day, after 5-6 pm? Any advice? It gets dark outside so early now... About fertilizer: I use Blooming& Rooting soluble plant food 9-59-8 every time I water it (ferti-lome brand). I use only distill water.

Ornella

OrchidSue · #8 11-15-2009, 11:44 AM

I'm not familiar with that brand of fertilizer, but if you are using distilled water, you should make sure what you are feeding contains trace nutrients. Some fertilizers only have the big three (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium). An example of a fertilizer to use with distilled water would be the MSU formula for RO/rain water.

Susan

camille1585 · #9 11-15-2009, 11:50 AM

I agree, if you're using distilled water you need to get a fertilizer made for pure water. Distilled water is completely void of nutrients and a normal fert (that keeps in mind the minerals present in tapwater in general) is not adapted to it. You phal won't be getting the right nutrients, and you could have issues with pH imbalance. So I suggest that you either switch to tapwater, or get a pure water fertilizer. MSU is very good and designed specifically for orchids. You can easily get it from Ray's website (an OB member) at firstrays.com

Pilot · #10 11-15-2009, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ornella

Thanks everyone for your support and advice. I moved my Phal from NW window to the South side of the house. Now it will be enjoying bright filtered light behind the sliding door. Do I need some kind of artificial light going on later in a day, after 5-6 pm? Any advice? It gets dark outside so early now... About fertilizer: I use Blooming& Rooting soluble plant food 9-59-8 every time I water it (ferti-lome brand). I use only distill water.

Ornella

I have this fertilizer and yes, it is 59 for the phos-- which is really really high. Please do not use this fert full strength-- its a waste and may even burn the roots. When I do use it, I use it at quarter strength. The phals seem to like it-- but I should mention that all of my chids are in s/h. So if I do see building up of fert salts, which I rarely do, then I flush the pot and the roots are quickly free of the salts. Right now I augment the higher phas with Grow More phal fert which contains 20-10-20.

You should not bother with distilled water. Fertilome is not a "high quality" fertilizer in terms of its composition (that sounds much worse than I mean it to) but it is more for large flower and fruiting plants and trees. So use sparingly with chids. I'm currently looking for a fert higher in phos to give just to the chids.

Thanks Camille for the MSU advice... I'll check out Ra's site. Never order from him but that guy knows his stuff!