So, what's normal for phals, anyway?

[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

[GGordon]

The Phals I have had the longest seem to just sit there taking up space for 5 to 8 months inbetween happenings. Worse then watching grass grow by a long shot. I have one that just went about 8 months before in launched a leaf, root and spike all at once it seemed.

Gordon

[Molly Taco]

I have both hybrid and species and they both don't like radical changes in temp so I try to get them inside before a big chill and back out before the temp skyrockets that way they have less dramatic changes and won't drop the buds. As for growth who knows, they all do their thing and as long as they look happy I don't worry to much about them.
Cin

[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

[desertgal]

I am really puzzled by my phals. I carried them outside every night for the month of November to chill them so that they would produce spikes. Not a spike in sight. New leaves and roots, yes and they look healthy. Since I live in the desert November is the earliest month that temperatures consistently drop at night. It is possible that they dropped too low at times? Never freezing. 68 is about the lowest I dare drop it inside at night, hubby freezes. Temps in the house during the daytime now is about 75 but in the summer it gets into the low 80's. It seems that the A/C or heatpump is always running and I have lights on them 12 hours a day. Any help will be appreciated.
I can't resist buying a beautiful phal anytime during the year. I have idea when they might bloom again.

[Jimboborchid]

you only need a 10˚F drop at night. It is not necessary to go into the low 60's. It will stunt growth to go much below 60˚F. Generally if you have a healthy Phal, it is usually lack of light that will stop a phal from spiking. Some phals prefer to spike in the spring, some in the winter, some all year. A healthy phal with good culture should remain in bloom for most of the year. I have spikes that are over a year old that continue to bloom. I suggest that you don't cut the spike, a healthy plant is very able to support new growth and flowers.

[smartie2000]

I don't do all that bringing them outside and dropping the temp stuff on phals... They should bloom on their own. A 18C night should so the trick, if you require a temp drop. In the summer they all bloom like mad because they get plently of light, not temp drops but temp increases. They try to bloom in the winter but poor windowsill lights hinders their blooming and yield flowers that are poorly shaped and sized. I notice a pink phal getting darker colours though. Next year I will hang fluorescent lighting so that yet get into full blooms for christmas, its just not good having everyone come over and seeing crappy looking windowsill phals, they never see them in full bloom, so it looks like me and my mom are bad gardeners.