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Phalaenopsis (might be modest girl)


Question
It looks like a Phalaenopsis modest girl--but it was white with a
samon colored inners.

If the leaves are growing but no flowers, is that not enough sun.
It just finished flowering, is there a waiting period before
flowering again?

Answer
Hello J Cooke,

Without knowing where and how you are growing the phalaenopsis, it would be difficult to tell you if you're growing it alright.  What I can tell you are some general guidelines on what phals. like in their growing environment and you can check that against where and how you grow it.  Fair enough?  (grin)  

Phals. like bright but indirect sunlight, place your hand about 12 inches above and if there is just the faintest shadow, that is what it wants.  Temperatures between 60 to 85 F with humidity about 50% or higher.  It would be nice if there were some light breezes where it grows.  Water and feed it with an orchid fertilizer mixed at 1/4 the amount suggested on the container.  Water when the potting mix becomes barely moist, this can be as often as every 2-3 days in summer to as long as 2-3 weeks in winter.  Lastly, it is always best to water in the early morning, this will allow any water droplets splashed on the leaves to evaporate before nightfall.  Water left overnight on leaves can be a prime breeding environment for fungus and bacteria to grow, both can cause a slow death of your phalaenopsis orchid.  

As for flowering, phals. normally only bloom once a year, usually in late winter through spring.  

Hope this helps answer your question.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.  

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