Phalaenopsis ?

[mikey4444]

About this time last year, I bought a few of these phals. They gave wonderful flowers, for what seemed like ages, but eventually stopped.

They have been sitting on my window sills ever since. The big leaves are very green and perky and healthy looking, but there is no sign of any new flower spikes.

My window space room is very limited, so when can I expect new flowers ?
I have been doing everything right ( I hope ! ) Only watering very little, and I stopped feeding them when the flowers stopped. The windows are north facing, so don't get any direct sunlight.

Any advice would be welcome, before I turf them into the bin and buy some more !

[SlackAlice]

Hope this helps

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=388

I have a moth orchid in my North West facing kitchen window. It produces a single flower stem twice a year. It's in bloom now and has been since just after Christmas, I expect it to continue for about another month.

The only extra advice I would give would be wipe off any dust from the leaves with a damp tepid cloth once a month and do not use a leafshine cleaner.

[mikey4444]

Thanks Alice. I already do that but to be frank, I am getting a tad fed up with looking at these big green leaves everytime I shave !

They are so cheap in the shops, that I am tempted to throw them out and get some new ones.

[seekeerz]

I've got two .....one has just lost its last flower, it was a Christmas present from last year and the other a year older, I very enthusiastically cut the old flower stem back too far and since then it's grown two lovely new leaves and most more ....I've no idea where another flower stem would come from but I live in hope......

Will try not to make the same mistake with the new one....I've read the rhs info which is very helpful, thank you Alice, so fingers crossed i might get lucky !!

[seekeerz]

Mikey ....have you fertilised yours at all. I know they don't need much but perhaps it might help.

Sounds like they're in an ideal spot, light but no direct sun and some humidity ...if your bathroom is the same as mine !

[Robinia]

Don't give up, they often take several months rest.

[mikey4444]

Well, after 9 months, I think that they have had their nice long rest !

I will give it another couple of months and see what has happened. If I had more room, I would but some new ones anyway.

[SlackAlice]

I tend to 'dunk!' mine about every 10 days (winter) and weekly (summer) in a saucepan of tepid water and leave to soak for about ten minutes. To the water I've added 2 drops of orchid fertiliser. Remove and allow to drain before putting it back on the shelf.

Mines in a semi transparent pot filled with bark chippings. The 'air' roots drape outside of the pot. I trim the old flower stalk back to just above the first node leaving it about 2" long. If a leaf dies allow it to go completely yellow before removing it.

[seekeerz]

Alice ....that's what I did with my older plant ....it's about 2-3" long and dead as the proverbial dodo !! But the new leaves are gorgeous.

What is the brand of orchid fertiliser you use .....I've hunted everywhere for a fertiliser specifically for orchids .....do you think I can find one !!

[Hopkirk]

I have still got the poinsettia from Christmas, but it's only got the red leaves left.

Would you like to sellotape the stems to the top of your boring green phals, Mikey?

[SlackAlice]

seekeerz

I use 'Baby Bio, Orchid Food' comes in 175ml pink bottles which lasts for years if you store it in a cupboard. No more than 2 - 3 drops at a time.

The old flower stalk will eventually drop off. A new flower stalk will start growing and looks like an aerial root at first. It will then start to go skywards and you need to support it with a thin cane and loose clips.

Mines about 5yrs old and produces a new flower stem every 6mths regular. My friend has one about 15yrs old and makes mine look like a miniature!

I think the orchids available in the UK have a much broader temperature range. In the winter mine is probably subjected to a range of 15c to 22c daily.

I did bring a similar type orchid back from Thailand but it failed miserably.

[Captain2]

Try this seekeerz (if it is available on foreign shores)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Baby-Orchid-House-Plant-Food/dp/B002SPBO7S

[SlackAlice]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's the one ☺☺☺

+rep to you Captain2

[seekeerz]

Thank you both, Alice and Captain....I'll go hunt up some if I can.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for some action, Alice !! Fingers crossed :))

[hellywelly4]

Don't give up on them Mikey. They do flower again eventually but seem to have their own way of working, such as not reading books about them! I've grown them for years, some have flowered, some not. I asked a friend once what she did with hers and she said 'studied neglect'. Can you put them somewhere - perhaps in a room you don't use so they won't bother you?