I can get oncidiums, paphs, and dedrobiums to bloom, but in 3 years I haven't had a single phalaenopsis rebloom! I have my plants on a baker's rack in front of an east-facing sliding glass door. There's a fountain on the bottom shelf that runs for humidity. I water with tap water through the plants and then with dilute 18-18-18 orchid food...all by hand over the sink. In the summer a ceiling fan comes on when the temperature in the room reaches 77 degrees. In the winter we turn off the heater so the temperature in that room sometimes gets down to 60 degrees. I even tried not giving the phal. fertilizer for a month to see if that would make a difference. The plants all have healthy bright green and firm leaves but no blooms. Any suggestions? I thought these were the easiest orchids to grow!

Hi Patsy! Thanks for the questions

This is Scott Farrell, member of the Sacramento Orchid Society, board member and fellow Phal. grower. I have about seventy-five phals, not counting species, a few of which are grown in windowsills with a few in the greenhouses but with MOST grown under fluorescent lights on light carts. I have about 800 other orchids mostly grown in two greenhouses, but some grown on windowsills, on the patio, outside and under lights.

First, Phalaenopsis or moth orchids are certainly the most widely grown orchids in the US and I think most people would also say they are the EASIEST to rebloom in a home environment (here in Sacramento most greenhouse growers actually have poor success growing Phals). By some accounts, they are probably the MOST popular house plants.. having supposedly just passed pointsettias in popularity (although I've heard some people say this isn't the case).

I just saw Phals on sale at home Depot for $8.99 for full size, blooming plants! Amazing. Thanks to modern cloning and starting the plants overseas and only finishing them here, the price has come down to cheaper than cut flowers.

Phalaenopsis or moth orchids certainly are beautiful, long lasting in bloom orchids. Some can be in blooms for up to six months, and two to three months is very common. Usually they bloom once per year, but can, if well taken care of, bloom more often. Normally a Phal. will bloom when a new leaf finishes growing. Thus with each new fully mature leaf, you should get a spike. Some mature and well grown Phalaenopsis orchids will produce more than one spike.

Phalaenopsis bloom for a variety of reasons: the plant is healthy enough to spend the energy to produce flowers, changes in day length and quantity of light dimenish in the winter, temperatures at night drop and usually the climate is dryer. All of these factors should be reproduced to encourage your plant to bloom. (more on these below). Phal. orchids also bloom because they are under duress or stress or are about to die. Blooming is their one last chance to reproduce so sometimes plants going downhill will spend all their energy to produce a few flowers (in effect, killing the plant) in the hopes of pollinating and passing on their genes.

It sounds like you're doing everything correct. If you've successfully rebloomed other orchids with higher light requirements in the same general area, I'd say it isn't light. Althought the #1 reason for Phals not reblooming is too little light.

Unfortunately as with some other orchids, you can't really go by the color of the leaves. In some types of orchids you can tell whether the plant is receiving sufficient light by the color of the leaves - dark green means too little light (so the plant puts in extra chlorophyll try and compensate) while lighter green means enough light. This is far from accurate, especially with Phals.

There is such diverse breeding, that some phals will have dark leaves, some very light green leaves and others with very interesting mottled leaves.
A well grown Phal orchid will have leaves the same size or slightly larger with each growth (in a younger plant) and with just the right amount of light there may be a slight purplish or reddish tint or edge to the leaves. But this isn't always the case. There is such diverse breeding, that some phals will have dark leaves, some very light green leaves and others with very interesting mottled leaves.

Again, since you've rebloomed other plants such as oncidiums and paphs and even dendrobiums, its probably not insufficient light.

The second most common reason is LACK of fertilizer. Now, here's where it gets complicated - NO ONE can fully agree on what type of fertilizer, how often, how to fertilize and what brand or combination of nutrients to give.

The facts: Compared to other orchids, Phals are heavy feeders - they LOVE fertilizer and can utilize more of it than other orchids. However, they are a little more sensitive to what types of fertilizers you use. Now, regular 18-18-18 or 20-20-20 fertilizer is generally accepted as good for MOST orchids, however many people use a slightly different fertilizer for Phals.

The numbers ACTUALLY MEAN SOMETHING - the first number represents the amount of NITROGEN in the fertilizer, the second number the amount of Phosphorous and the last number the amount of potassium. A mixed fertilizer with equal parts is great for most orchids (and some commercial Phal growers use this), however it also depends on WHAT MEDIUM (Substrate mix) your plants are planted in. For example, Phals planted in fir bark may need 30-10-10 because the breaking down of the bark is done by organisms that utilize Nitrogen and so a higher nitrogen fertilizer is used compared to say a Phal grown in spagnum moss.

Many fertilizers get their nitrogen from Urea - and Phals can't process that.. so most people recommend a NO UREA fertilizer with an appropriate mix. I DOUBT that is the problem, but it could be. Yes, I use different fertilizers for my Phals than other plants but its easy because they are all in the same area.

To complicate things, some people use a high phosphorous to encourage blooming (10-30-20). Sometimes these are sold (such as at Lowes, Home Depot or Nurseries) as BLOOM BOOSTERS. I used to use these, but over the last four years just use the same 20-10-20 UREA FREE Fertilizer with Micronutrients year-round and I have 100% success rate getting my plants to bloom (often every 6-8 months). I do not foliar feed my phals but I do all my other orchids.

Here's what our care sheet recommends:

Fertilize on a regular schedule, especially if the weather is warm, when the plants are most often growing. Twice-a-month applications of high-nitrogen fertilizer (such as 30-10-10) are appropriate where bark-based media are used. Otherwise, a balanced fertilizer is best. When flowering is desired, a high-phosphorus fertilizer (such as 10-30-20) can be applied to promote blooming. Some growers apply fertilizer at one-quarter strength with every watering; this is best for warm, humid conditions. When cooler, or under overcast conditions, fertilizer should be applied twice per month at weak strength. High nitrogen fertilizer will encourage PLANT growth but often at the expense of producing flower spikes.

Fertilize with each watering, 3x out of 4 - and just rinse with water the fourth time to remove any built up salts/fertilzer. From your message it sounds like you're PRE WATERING then FERTILIZING, so you might try NOT pre-watering and just douse with the fertilizer as they orchids may be getting all the water they need from the initial dousing and then not be taking up nutrients. Some orchids only take up nutrients when they have active root tip growth, as well. I'm not 100% that Phals fall into this (I'll have to ask Alan Koch) but if your roots aren't healthy the plants may not be taking up the nutrients it needs to bloom.

Blooming TAKES TONS OF ENERGY for the plant. Imagine running a marathon - and only having drunk water (and no food) for a year.... you couldn't do it... but many people who don't fertilize their orchids expect them to bloom with just water and sunshine.

SO FIRST RECOMMENDATION: Try a BLOOM BOOSTER FERTILIZER (a fertilizer with lower Nitrogen) and or SWITCH to a UREA FREE fertilizer for your Phals. You might also directly fertilize rather than pre-watering.

Next: Temperatures. Sounds like your temperatures are in a good range for MOST of the year... but in FALL (when most Phals spike or start to bloom), they prefer a few weeks of termperatures in the mid-50's. So perhaps your temps aren't low enough to initiate a spike. This is how commercial growers spike all their Phals at once... they actually chill them with air conditioners down to the mid 50's for a few weeks and that stresses the plant to bloom.

This stressing is what encourages the plant to bloom (a spike with flowers is to hopefully pass on the genetic material of the plant.. .and nothing kicks this in gear like the plant thinking "I'm going to DIE, I need to reproduce!!"

You could OPEN A WINDOW Near the orchids or place them in a place where the temps will drop to the mid 50's (but not below 50) for a few weeks If you have a covered porch - put them outside at night or move them to a room (such as a bathroom) where you can close off the heater vents, close the door and open a window. This chill will encourage and is quite necessary in our climate.

SUGGESTION NUMBER TWO: Drop the temperatures down to the mid 50's for about two weeks. However, the plant needs a MIN 15 degree difference from night to day - so the plants should warm up during this time to at least 70 degrees during the day. That extra 5 degrees could make all the difference! Don't expose your plants to cooler temperatures than 50 degrees tho as this can shut them down or damage or even kill them!

Besides dropping the temperature, there are other factors that encourage blooming in Phals: a drop in day length, quantity of light (since you're growing in a windowsill this happens naturally but for you growing under lights, you can reduce amount of light and duration artificially) and last but not least, a dryer period. Drying your Phals out (letting them go a few more days between waterings) will also encourage blooming. Don't let them get bone dry, but maybe a little less water frequency and almost to the point of drying out. This simulates a dryer time of year in the wild and also stresses the plant.

SUGGESTION NUMBER THREE: Let your phals dry out almost before watering them.

Overall health of the plant has to be taking into consideration. Only a healthy, well grown, well fed plant should be stressed or pushed into flowering. Also take into consideration how long you've had the plant. Plants grown for commercial sale are PUSHED to the absolute limit... they are given maximum amounts of light and fertilizer and artificially manipulated with temperature and light to produce flowers at as young of an age as possible.

It is NOT uncommon for plants purchased from stores that are grown like this (and often are their first bloomings) to take a year off, to recuperate and build up their reserves and adapt to their new growing conditions. Thus, if you've had your plants less than a year, give them another year before you give up on them!

ONE LAST NOTE: You're taking your plants from the rack and watering in the sink... make a mark on the pot or use a piece of tape to indication where the plant was facing - and ALWAYS put the plant back in the same EXACT spot facing the same direction when you're done watering. If you're moving it every week or two to water and putting it back in a different location, facing a different way, the plant will expend a lot of energy and stress trying to adapt to the different light direction and intensity... which may only be minor but it may play a role.

If all else fails, try repotting your Phal. orchids (usually done every two years... but depends on what type of substrate/medium you are using, how often you water, etc.). AND IF ALL THE ABOVE DOESN'T WORK: Try moving your plants either CLOSER to the window so they receive more light, moving them to a south or west facing window (either with a sheer curtain between window and plants or set a foot or two back - avoid direct sunshine) or try supplementing your light with fluorescent bulbs. To be effective you need at least four bulbs no more than 12 to 15" above the plants. But I DOUBT light is your factor as other orchids with higher light requirements have bloomed for you.

Personally I prefer a mix made up of medium fir bark, mixed with some medium coconut, perlite and charcoal. Some people prefer spagnum moss. It depends on how heavy handed you are with watering.

THINK NEGLECT - many orchids THRIVE on neglect - the less attention you pay to them, the more they thrive. All too often we KILL THEM WITH KINDNESS - by over watering, over fertilizing them, etc.


To review:

1. Try a different fertilizer, esp a lower Nitrogen BLOOM BOOSTER and Fertilize weakly (1/4th strength) directly with no pre-watering.

2. Chill the plants down a few more degrees to say 55 degrees, with a daytime high at least 10-15 degrees warmer

3. Let the plants dry out a little more between waterings.

THAT SHOULD do the trick! I have dozens of spikes all over my plants ... but this year they're about six weeks behind last year.. I think it didn't get cooler as earlier as it did last fall... I WISH YOU LUCK and thank you for reading my book. As with ALL orchid growing, the above is what works for ME... there are no truly right or wrong answers and I encourage other Phal growers and members to comment on my suggestions and perhaps offer some of their own!

Happy Holidays!

Scott

as one or two additional comments, I've been growing Phals for almost twenty years now and I've noted a disturbing trend over the last few years: While the variety of colors and types of flowers have expanded dramatically, I've noticed (at least in my experience) that the QUALITY of the plants overall has dramatically diminished.

In my experience from many years ago (when plants were still primarily grown from seeds) that the plants seemed to have better plant growth habits and were stronger plants compared to those grown today. Most of the Phals grown today are CLONES (and with each increase in quantity of clones, quality def. goes down) and are primarily grown to be THROW AWAY plants - they want you to enjoy them in bloom, throw them away and then buy another. So whether intentional or not (I'm not claiming a conspiracy), I personally think the AVERAGE Phal grown today for mass marketing (Trader Joes, Raleys, Home Depot, Lowes, etc) are not of the overall quality of a few years ago. Think of a PHOTO COPY OF A PHOTO COPY OF PHOTO COPY... Each generation loses some resolution/quality.

Also to take into account that SUPPOSEDLY many of Phal plants are virused (which may or may not be a bad thing until the plant is stressed) and that these virus can affect the ability of the plant to grow well and rebloom. I'm not saying that plants are purposefully sold virused, but I've heard it say that many are when tested.

Some Phals are def. stronger, better growers than others. If you try all the above advice and your plants still don't bloom in a year or two... give them to a friend..and SURE ENOUGH they'll spike for them immediately! I've had friend give me orchids that have been in their collections for twenty years. never bloom. They give them to me and I bloom them Sometimes it just takes a little change of scenery or different growing conditions.

Thanks, Scott, for such a detailed answer to my questions. I appreciate your suggestions and will start by letting them wait longer than a week to water and I can move them at night where it will be closer to 50 degrees. I had no idea that changing their position on the rack would make a difference so I will pay more attention to that too. Is it best to only change a couple of things so I'll know what made the difference or should I do all the things you suggest?

Well, since its cool at night right now and it's the proper time for them to throw spikes, I'd start with temp AND change the fertilizer to a BLOOM BOOSTER fertilizer and hold back the water to start.... WHO CARES which one it is IF it produces blooms for you!!!! :) I sincerely hope it works! Keep us informed and THANK YOU for using the forum... I'm hoping MORE people will continue to use it.

Placement/movement of the plants is ESPECIALLY critical once the plant does throw a spike and it reaches about six inches... because after that the spike will try and bend toward the strongest light and may end up twisted This is also the time to begin (carefully) to attach the spike to a stake and train it into the upright, arching that is commonly done for Phals.

I hope Santa brings you some spikes on your Phals!

Scott

Just checking in to see if any of your phals with the changes you've made have spiked or started to bloom? Any luck?

Scott

YES!!! Thanks so much for your suggestions, Scott. I have two phalaenopsis orchids with spikes and one is loaded with buds! I'm not sure which thing worked or maybe it was a combination of not watering through before fertilizing AND using the Bloom Boost fertilizer. I am so glad I posted the question! Thanks again.

I've now have a 3rd Phal putting out a spike! Thanks again for your help.

Hi ,

I have Phal about 500 - 1000 plants , but I can not spike them all at once.

is there anyone can help ?

Congratulations on having SO MANY Phals! First, not EVERY SINGLE PHAL will or CAN bloom at the exact time, depending, in part on its line of breeding and what species are in the background (which can be very complex in modern hybrids).

That said, there are some simple ways to uniformly bloom many Phalaenopsis plants at once. It has to be with TEMPERATURES and possibly, other stresses (ie less water).

Now, ASSUMING that the plants are MATURE and in good shape (have sufficient stored metabolic energy stored to produce flowers) - usually this means that a new leaf has emerged and hardened off.. or finished growing. This last NEW leaf should be AS LARGE or LARGER than the leaf below it. If the new leaf is SMALLER than the one below it it means the plant(s) are not receiving enough light. Fertilizers are important - Phal are little piggies and they LOVE TO EAT.. so good fertilizer (every watering) with occasional fllushing will provide all the nutrients and nitrogen the plant needs to build cells and photosynthesize well.

How the big growers do it: They DROP the light levels and place the plants into an enclosed room with an air conditioner or chiller unit. For most phals to bloom well, they need a short (no one can agree how long some say a week some say a month.. most agree 10day - 3 weeks) of temperatures in the mid 50's to low 60's at night with warmer temperatures during the day. There are some who insist that the night time low temps are less important than the temperature difference and light.. but this works for most people. REmember - cool at night (NOT below 55 as this can damage them) and at least 15 degrees warner during the day for about 2 weeks.

If the plants are of similar age, maturity, health and breeding.. this should "force" all of them to bloom relatively at the same time. But other conditions can affect how quickly this spike turns into a bloom including temperatures, humidity, light and other factors.

You didn't say WHERE you are growing -- indoors (and under lights or in windows) or in a greenhouse.

If indoors, you can induce blooming by lowering your thermostat to mid 55 to 60 at night and making sure your house gets back up to 70-75 during the day (15 degree min). You can open windows this time of year to help that. then close the windows in the morning. Some people put their phals outside at night and bring back in during the day - making sure each plant is aligned the same way as you took it down (be careful of slugs and snails) but with as many plants as you have that would be difficult.

There ARE bloom booster fertilizers.. but I'm personally not a big fan of them. They force, often at the expense of the health of the plant them to bloom maybe when they're not ready. This is another trick big commercial growers use.

Does that help? If not, ask again and let me know where you're growing. MOST of your phals should start to initiate spikes in the late fall - OCT - December and start to bloom in the Jan - March-April time period. Some, especially species and some with specific breeding will "normally" bloom outside this window.

The big growers force them to bloom anytime by the above methods.
But remember this STRESSES the plant tremendously, often killing it.

Plants that you have purchased from the grocery store, big box stores or discount stores are often young CLONES that are pushed to their very limits and are very stressed. These plants often take a year or two to recover before they will bloom again (if they live).

--scott