Crying emoji! (lack of success with longtime Phals)

[gingersmommy]

Hi, I have about 16 phals (love the phals), for about seven years now. Anyway, my phals haven't bloomed for approx. four years. I had a bought of serious mealys and treated them for months with holistic treatment (alcohol and soap, etc.). Kept coming back with a vengence. Finally I sprayed them with Bayer and that took care of it. I swear, I don't know what I am doing wrong - probably overwatering for one thing (although I think I am doing better with that now) as the roots are dark and rotted when I repot. Anyway, for about four months now I have them in a room with a portable heater I purchased which I keep at 74, and a portable humidifier that I bought that is set pretty high. They get good light (although I am going to put the shade down as I think too much). I have also been watering them for about 2 months with distilled water that I add a diluted orchid fertilizer to that my sister gave me (her orchids to great! - she does a lot of research and has different kinds), and this stuff from rePotme that is like a probiotic. I am also adjusting the pH. I have been turning off the heater at night since 12/20/17. It gets down to about 58-60. Then I turn it back on in the morning. I water once a week by soaking for about five minutes each and draining completely. If this doesn't work, I seriously don't know what I am going to do. I will just resign myself to having green houseplants. Sorry guys, but it has been years and years with no success. I feel like tossing all my struggling orchids (I have 4-5 that seem to be somewhat robust - but not blooming) and starting fresh. Some of them are getting lots of air roots and look vigorous since the heater and humidity and new water. I repotted over the summer in bark, clay pieces, that white sponge rock (premium mix from rePotme).

[Lucille]

I don't know nuthin but my guess is that you might not have as much light as you think.

[gingersmommy]

Originally Posted by Lucille

I don't know nuthin but my guess is that you might not have as much light as you think.

Hi Lucille, they are flush to a south window and it is very bright (although it is winter here - usually cloud cover). One of my new leave has a red cast, which I read from someone indicates too much light. Do you get your orchids to bloom?

[JScott]

What medium are they potted in?

[gingersmommy]

Hi, I use rePotme Monterey Dark Imperial Orchi Mix with:
Medium Orchiata Monterey Pine Bark
Hydroton
Large Sponge Rock
AAA New Zealand Sphagnum Moss (very little)

[JScott]

That's a good potting mix, and I think it would be difficult to overwater in that, but if the roots are rotten when you repot, then it might be the case that you are watering too much. Even by a south window, if your winters are cloudy and gray, you may not be getting enough light, and supplementing with artificial light would be beneficial. I also keep my Phals by a south window in the winter, but our winters in Oklahoma are pretty clear and sunny and the plants get some direct sun almost every day. I probably have about ten Phals and they are all in spike right now.

[Leafmite]

Now that you have changed everything to amend your conditions, give them a little time to recover. Phals react rather slowly so patience is required. In the meantime, get a few new plants/orchids to keep yourself busy.

Most of the Phals that can be found at big box stores require a drop in temperatures for a couple of weeks (not below 60'F) to induce blooming. Good luck!

[Roberta]

gingersmommy -

How many hours a day do those phals get good natural light? When I started out growing orchids, of course there were lots of Phals (one of the primary gateway drugs to the orchid addiction) I turned the spare bedroom of my condo into a "greenhouse" for the phals. They got about 4 hours a day of good east light, then the sun shifted and the light was indirect. No flowers. I got the cheapest fluorescent shop lights from Home Depot (LEDs didn't exist at that time), put them on a timer for 12 hours per day. and bingo, I got nearly 80% reblooming! Not a lot of light intensity (Phals don't like a lot of intensity anyway) but the magic ingredient was DURATION... 12 hours a day every day. LED lights that are available are a lot more efficient than those fluoresecents were . But the concept is the same. Supplement the daylight to give them the extra hours that they need.

[Lucille]

Yeah, I'm stuck on light too. Duration is important, but also look at what is coming through the window to see if what looks bright to you is actually providing the needed light. I had a friend who had to give up growing roses in her back yard because after 20 years a beautiful specimen tree was overshadowing them. Do you have a nearby tree that has grown? And what about the windows themselves? When I moved into my apartment the huge living room window appeared to be (and was) letting in a lot of light. But when I decided to wash the outside of the windows they were filthy even though light was coming in (I think it was probably dust stirred up by the yard guys, on the windows), and after a number of blacked paper towels the windows were crystal clear and I know more light was coming in.

[gingersmommy]

Roberta, I have them in a south window which is very bright, however, the days are so short now. They probably only get 6-7 hours of decent light. I may look into a light because then I can control that, too.

---------- Post added at 03:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:14 PM ----------

Thank you. I have read the sticky, "The Phal Abuse Stops Here" many times over - all 50 pages of it, or whatever it is up to. I just don't know. I am so attached to my orchids! I have been examining what I do to account for my lack of success. I probably "repot" or readust them too much - at least 2-3 times this year. Just did it two days ago for several that I thought were planted too deep. I understand they don't like to be messed with like that. Some of them had substantial roots right next to the first leaf and originally I planted them up to that to keep the roots moist, however, then I got afraid of "crown" rot so I held them in place and shook some of the medium down farther. Now those roots are more exposed and I am hoping that they don't dry out. How far below the leaves do you keep the medium? I think my next thing will be an LED light. Do I need a big light, or is an exposed 60 watt LED enough? I really don't mean to make you all nuts with this. Went to my sister in law's this morning and her's (3) are always in bloom. She does NOTHING to them. Probably hasn't ever repotted, they have more roots out of the pot than in - many of which look dried out, doesn't fertilize, etc. Now I am watering about once every 10 tens but am concerned that they are getting too dry.