I have eight phalaenopsis in my Colorado home. They grow in a bright north upstairs window from the time they stop flowering until they start putting out spikes in early to late spring. They are growing new leaves and air roots now. When they start flowering I bring them downstairs for display. Only one is still flowering on the second spike it produced this year.

I think your plant is probably doing just fine.

This post was edited by BoulderGrower on Sun, Nov 23, 14 at 12:22

Thanks - I guess I didn't know that leaves this time of year are normal. I appreciate the feedback.

I put mine outside for a few nights. It needs a few cool nights to spike. About 50 degrees worked for mine.

Is it really just a few nights? I did that..might try again this weekend since it will be in the 50's at night (30's and 40's now which I think is too cool). Otherwise they have been right beside an open window...

I did it for three nights because the weather was getting colder. You have to wait awhile for it to spike after that. It doesn't happen overnight.

Emily,

If they have been getting a 15-20 degree temp drop from day and night for a few weeks, that should be enough to cause a hybrid phal to start spiking. My guess would be it is a lack of bright light. Try "slowly" giving it more sun/light if possible.

New leaves and good roots mean your care is right, if the temp drops have occurred, it must be the light, IMO.

Good luck,

Bob

Dang. I was hoping you weren't going to say it was the light, because there's almost nothing I can do about it (my husband would kill me if I set up lights...). We live in a condo that faces NORTH (just tested with my phone...almost exactly north). The sun doesn't shed enough light in the windows in the morning sun that we do get. Any suggestions? I need to maintain the impression with hubby that I am just an orchid lover, not hobbyist.

Put it in the brightest spot you can find.

Bob

It's floor to ceiling windows, just only a small amount of direct light this time of year. I'll keep my fingers crossed. Thank you!

Emily, if you only have the one plant, get a desk light. I did that and bloomed a Oncidium Twinkle. Just take a regular desk light, stick a CFL in it and put the plant under it for the winter. I'll try to find the pics I have (been a few years), but you can rarely have too much light.

You didn't mention light in your original post. Seeing you were in Texas, I assumed you had plenty of light. Now, I'm beginning to think that could be the reason for the lack of flowers.

Try it, it worked for me.

Jane

I had three, now I have four (I just got a rescue from my grandmother). That's a good idea..I might try that. Knowing nothing about lighting, I googled CFL and it came back with Canadian Football League...haha. I guess that's a standard fluorescent bulb?