Watering Phalaenopsis Mannii orchids in winter

[hank3443]

Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone can advise me on watering my Manii Phal. during the winter months. I have had it for at-least (3) years and it has done quite well, I grow it under lights in winter and outside on a covered porch during the summer months. It hasn't flowered since I have had it and I have read that it needs a dry period during the winter to bloom. As I have noted it has been growing well and I need a little advice on how dry I should keep it. It is in a bark mixture in a clay pot and dries out quickly, I sometimes water every day because they dry so fast. Thanks for any help you can give me.
HANK........

[eorchids]

You can read this page of Bernard Lagrelle Site : Phalaenopsis mannii. Look at the bottom charts for temperature and rain during winter months.
My mannii becomes huge and this is one the few Phals that I grow in the GH to give it low night temp. in winter (13-15°C at night), I water it once a week (it's a mounted plant) but the hygrometry is high in the GH. It blooms each year easily in April/May.
This is only "my" experience.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Thanks, Eric. That was really helpful. Reps given.

cheers,
BD

[eorchids]

Thanks Bruce.
Yesterday, when watering in the GH, I discovered a new spike on my mannii.
I forgot, in my hand, this Phal prefers to be mounted. Each time I grew a manni in a pot, almost all the roots were growing out of the pot.

This is the plant in 2007, in a pot, all roots out !



And this year in spring, mounted since 3 years

[hank3443]

Thanks Eric, I took your advice and mounted it, can easily control watering in winter. HANK......

[eorchids]

You're welcome, Hank.