Phals and moisture levels

[labyrinth1959]

Do some Phals require more moisture to thrive than others? I have a miniature that is stuck in its growth. There has been no change in its growth in well over a year while my others are doing very well with the same watering regimen and environmental conditions. The other Phals are not miniatures however.

[jkofferdahl]

Some Phals require more watering, some more light, and some even prefer more cool. It all depends on the type of Phal. Minis usually have a good bit of equestris in them, and in my experience equestris fits right into the "usual" range with Phals. But with moisture the plant will tell you; if too much you'll get root problems, too little and the leaves will sag. You should be safe if you just allow the media to become dry before rewatering.

I've personally not noted any difference between minis and standard Phals, but I've also learned that as soon as you presume something about Phals you run into the plant that's the exception. I'd suggest trying the plant in a place with more light, or more heat, or less light, or less heat (my guess is more will do the trick) and see what happens.

[Bill U.]

I agree with jkofferdahl.

Another question to ask is in regards to the status of the root system of the mini - sometimes you can have lots of leaves while the phal has a poor/non-existent root system. If this is the case, then sometimes you will have long periods of growth (read: long time with only leaves) while it tries to establish a strong root system. Take a look at the roots- if they don't look healthy, you may need to repot and just continue your care as it "does its thing".