So, what's normal for phals, anyway?

[clintdawley]

That's one of the mysteries of these plants..they do what they want when they want and there's no forcing them to grow, bloom, etc. You just have to be a captive audience and watch for cultural issues.

Good luck!

[nabakov5]

I have one phal that has been blooming continuously on the same spike since last November. As much as I love having a continuously blooming plant, do you think it's time to cut the spike? Right now it has four new buds, and it just dropped the last its blooms about a week ago.

[Diane]

Some people let them go on till they stop by themselves, but I like to encourage full growth and perhaps multi spikes or branching on my plants next bloom - so I cut the spike after a few months of flowering. That way I get really nice spikes, and since I have quite a few phals, something is always looking good...

[maxciocc]

If you have a star type Phal, you are not supposed to cut off the bloom spike because it will continue to bloom from that spike and form new ones too.

Gregg C.

[Tmai]

Are phals temperamental? going from vendor to home (change of growing conditions). 3 buds dropped off the spike of 3 blooms, 5 buds. Once it settles down, will it continue the spike and form more buds? Our first phal. Any advice?
Tami

[Piper]

It's funny, Tami, how conditions can effect the temperaments of orchids!

Phals are the easiest thing to grow here in the NE. They're the perfect newbie orchid. But so many people struggle in FL and other hot climes, that I have to remind myself things everywhere are not as they are here!

Bud blast is what you're describing, and yes, Phals are very subject to it if there's a sudden change in conditions. It mostly effects buds just about to bloom or those that have just opened. Lesser formed buds and older flowers seem to fare better.

Did it go from greenhouse to A/C in your home? Temp and humidity changes are largely responsible, but many things can trigger blast. Once it's happily settled, it should be fine and subsequent buds should bloom normally. It's worth mentioning that I'll sometimes lose buds to blast on a plant, that in my mind had consistent conditions. That just shows that I don't think like a Phal quite enough yet...

It will need sufficient water and fert to go ahead and mature more buds, and of course the silly things don't come with guarantees!

Good luck!

Julie

[Tmai]

Yeah, I think that's what happened. It went from an indoor 'box store' environment to our outdoor 90 degree + home. I cleaned the sphag out of the roots (very thick and healthy) dunked it and the pot in fungicide and repoted. It seems comfortable now - even the bud on the tip of the spike is getting a tad bigger. The mature blooms seem happy too. Here we go!

[Piper]

It won't mind the humidity - they never do - but the high temps all of a sudden might be an issue with the blooms. The plants seem temp tolerant, but buds need to be eased into it.

Plants won't like that intense Flo'da sunshine, at all. Protect them from much direct light. A big, beefy plant will enjoy more light, but you have so much more than we do, that I'd bump the levels cautiously.

I'll get bud blast here too, when bringing new plants in. Don't sweat the buds. Look to the plant's happiness. They can be willfull, and it can take a bit of work sorting out their likes and dislikes, but it makes the subsequent blooms all the more rewarding!

I can grow Phals with total neglect, but I'd give my right arm to grow some of the Vanda alliance. Thus, we each have our gardens - of their choosing!

Julie

[smartie2000]

If you have a star type Phal, you are not supposed to cut off the bloom spike because it will continue to bloom from that spike and form new ones too.

Gregg C.

Yes they will bloom again, so there isn't a need to cut them off.

However new spikes are known to give better larger flowers usually than a reblooming old spike. That is one of the reasons why I believe Diane is cutting them off. And that she probably has a good sized collection with something always in bloom to look at