I agree the stem is very strong. The problem with mine is that the stem is very long, close to 3' and sticking straight out, not everyone has that kind of room.

I used to try to try and keep the bloomstalk upright but lately when my Phal blooms I just let it go cascading, heavily laden bloomstalks handling the large blooms quite well.
These photos when it was in bloom from March 2017 to Sept. 2017



This was my first Phal before that has taught me a lot what this particular type of orchid likes. Much smaller blooms so it was really pretty as it cascades:

The bloomstalk on the white Phal I have blooming is very long, the flowers start 22" from where the stalk emerges from the plant and they extend another foot or so. I suppose some of that could be genetic but I wonder if I had it in brighter light would that stalk be shorter. Tarev, your plants look to be a more maneagable size.

Spike length is genetic. Light amount does not really influence the length of the inflorescence.
Some 20-22 years ago, about ten to twelve new micro Phalaenopsis species were discovered that could actually tolerate more light. However these are small flowered species that are used in producing very compact growing hybrids.
Genetics being in control so there is not much one can do to shorten the length. Perhaps decreased fertilizer would have more of an impact but I am skeptical about that.

makes sense.

Psst...cutting them influences the length.

Bill- inflorsecence length can be moderated by light and temperature... See here:
https://www.purdue.edu/hla/sit...

I can't imagine you're too warm (over 80) in Michigan/6b unless they're in a greenhouse... so it might be light.

I spike/support all of my flower stalks... for the same reason some of you mentioned- SPACE- I'm gonna knock it over every time I walk part if they aren't somewhat verical.
I do spin my plants- they get top heavy and might lean a little.. but not much. Once the stalk has grown out from under its leaf, maybe about 4" long, I tun the plant 180 degrees and that will keep the inflorescence vertical. It will grow out from under its leaf on the bright sun side, once its 4-5" tall, spin it 180 degrees and it will start to grow in the opposite direction- staying upright.

I start staking when the spike is about 9" long and very near the tip- I would never EVER bend a stalk less than 6" long, never more than 1" in any direction, and only at the distal 2-3 inches. ANything closer to the base will snap it.

A good way to tell where you can and can't bend is to give it a hard shake- anywhere you see a wibble wobble is still young and flexible enough to "train" to a support.

If you look at this guy you can see where both inflorescence subtly bend in the opposite direction. The spike in flower was shifted twice, the lower spike has gone through only one shift.

Paula,
I started growing Phalaenopsis on Long Island in 1975 through 2008.
I grew them in Florida from 2009 through 2018. I recently gave them all to my son.
In all my years, I have had my Phalaenopsis produce inflorescences of consistent length. Whether I grew in a warm or colder climate. I really don't know how light would influence the length much at all since they are low light plants. I can see how inadequate water or inconsistent watering might effect the length to some degree. I would expect that poor culture in general would cause shorter spikes with fewer flowers.
I have had some of these guys for 15-20 years, some years they bloom with 8 flowers, the next year 7, the year after that 9 and so on.
Fertilizer too might influence flower production and spike length but the jury is still out on that. Recent studies have shown that "bloom boosters", fertilizers with higher phosphorous and potassium numbers don't have any real effect on flower number.
Then there is random genetics!! This is very important. If one parent flowers on 18" spikes and the other parent flowers on 30" spikes, some years with certain genes in control produce 20" spikes where in other years the "taller" genes dominate and produce a 27" spike.
But let me say it was a nice article and I enjoyed reading it. Thanks a bunch! See you in the forums!!!

Bill, I hear you.

However, this is a peer reviewed article in a well respected journal with well controlled huge sample research data behind it written for wholesale producers. I am surprised you would dismiss it without reading it.
My orchids don't flower the same way yours do. The ones you see in the supermarket don't grow the same way yours do. Here's information from a reputable source with peer reviewed research that describes ideal conditions and how one can modify adapt those conditions- research that results from and in BILLIONS of orchids grown annually the world over with vertical spikes. You can read it or not. If you are happy with what you got going- that's wonderful.

You're correcct when you say "poor culture" results in less desirable outcomes- and this article defines what happens under various conditions. As home gardeners in a non native habitat its important to know. "poor culture" at Bob's hose- one in FL one in NY - where every orchid does what it will do unless you do it wrong- is not helpful. The plural of anecdote is not data.

I agree that genetic tendencies are important-

I would rather buy a plant past its prime w multiple spikes, notably larger flowers, branching spikes or a high flower count - even if the inflorescence is past its prime, or I know a lot of blooms/buds will drop becasue they've been in a supermarket for a week already

but we DO have a TON of control over how our plants produce and it is extremely important to understand how people in the know- selling tens of thousands of blooming orchids every year manage their crop so that we can adjust in the best ways possible within the limits of what our yards and homes can provide - if we get informed we can maximize outcome by changing location/orientation if we know not only what is ideal, but if we can qualtify the interaction between light and tempterature. If we know what the producers know



read the artilce and you'll see that regrdless of genetics - this is how to produce.

Well, since this thread has been revived, here are some photographs of my plant. It now has 14 leaves (3 small) and 3 flower spikes at different stages.





Two of the flower spikes (including one with a ripening seedpod) are supported, and one is growing unsupported horizontally.

It is difficult to photograph the whole plant because from the tip of the flower spike to the tip of the roots it is almost 32 inches. lol

I am not dismissing the article. I just do not completely agree with it.

I'm not dismissing it or (dis)agreeing with it. I don't particularly care for flowers, I more-or-less grow mine for their foliage.

what about the article do you not agree with, Bill? It is data or it is not data.

I understand your'e correct observation that genetics are the map to success but conditions are the drive/trip.. do we get to BEST IT CAN BE?
that's not a genetic decision.
I assure you I can kill the best strain anyone has ever engineered.

I would NEVER have had success had I stopped at the first article (clearly not this one). I would have continued my inadvertent and labor intensive orchid genocide. I followed the "rules" to the letter- and I suffered 4-5 year prolonged deaths- of plants gifted to me by my dead father... If they needed human blood I would have slit my wrists.

Net net is knowing how the pros fake the rainforest is the best bet to start from when you're trying to figure out what's wrong or right with YOUR house and YOUR orchid- we don't live in those conditions, but we can make blooms happen anywhere in the world. What worked for you, Bill? what was your light exposure (Direction, intesnity, latitude, indoor/outdoor), your pot, substrate, watering schedule.

I fell like I'm the first person telling everyone they can get phals to rebloom the same year and every year after - no matter what. If your plant was in bloom when you bought it- put a check mark in the genetics box. Everything after that is up to the owner and 99.9% of us don't live in green houses.

For phalaenopsis I use either clay or plastic pots. I put broken pieces of clay pot in the bottom an inch or so deep, then add my mix of aliflor, sponge rock and charcoal. I position the plant and then add a layer of sphagnum moss. Now I am at the 3/4 level within the pot.
I add a final top layer of the aliflor mix to bring me level with the bottom of the rim of the pot. Then I use a tsp. Of slow release fertilizer 20-20-20.
I water a 6" pot day every three or four days during the summer weather and once every 7-10 days during the cooler weather. I repot every year.
I used to kill every Phalaenopsis for 35 years and at times I didn't grow any at all. But as a judge in Florida I decided to try my present method and it has worked well for me for about six years now.
The only change I made was moving to Michigan to be near my kids so I am trying them underlights! With all of my failures with Phalaenopsis, the common denominator was not enough water, plants would barely hang on but once I used my current method I can get them to rebloom nicely. With adequate water I get consistent spike length, consistent flower count, and even get 2 spikes on most plants.

NOW WE"RE TALKING BIGBILL! -

I'm glad you mentioned not enough water- that was my primary problem too - Now I know to trust my eyes- or rather my hands.. if my leaves start to get floppy I know the plant is not getting enough water and I adjust. I water from the bottom- drop the plant into a bucket of water and let it soak.

Have you ever mixed spagnum with the other hard potting materials? I'e always wondered if a blend- something like spagnum (that will hold moisture) with rocky materials that will guarantee air gaps would be ideal?

where do you draw the line between summer and winter? Mine bloom ever fall- starting spikes in September and blooming through January- so when do you cut down watering, or how do you decide? and how do you fertilize?

Mine are all in bark. I live near a forest and I pull big hunks off downed trees- mostly oak and tulip (FYI- both acidic, but not as much as cedar). When its time to repot, I bake the bark at 275* untill the cooties are dead, then I break them into shards- like a scissor w/o the handle. I basically shake the plant out- I only spend effort do dig out anything under the crown and I try to leave that spot empty. I use big pieces of bark - 1-2" wide and the same depth as the pot. Oak and tulip bark are both very thick, 2", but are very uneven with deep crevices. I pour the old bark over the top and shake or poke it down into the holes and gaps until the plant feels relatively secure and upright in its pot. Point being the old bark is degrading so it will hold more water/increase humidity around the roots - but the new big bark keeps them upright and provides structure and leaves a lot of room for airflow. that's my thought process and it works for me.

n

I change watering schedule only due to increased temperatures. The hotter it gets, the quicker they dry, the more often I water.
I define winter as fall equinox to spring equinox and adjust from there. In Michigan since it is further North I define summer as May 1st to September 15th.i repot in layers, an inorganic layer on the bottom, sphagnum in the middle then inorganic on top.
I fertilize with Jacks water soluble 18-18-18 at half strength which is a half teaspoon per gallon.
I have only used Douglas for bark which would last 2-3 years. Now also trying New Zealand bark. I would never use anything else in the way of bark. Resinous bark can kill roots easily and my preferred size is 1/2". Anything bigger does not hold enough moisture for Phalaenopsis. Those other barks I am not willing to chance it with orchids. I am sure if oak or tulip tree bark was any good long term, it would be on the market.
Oak has a high tanin content so I doubt that it is appropriate. But if it works for you, use it.

bill, did your plants ever go outside? or did they live inside all year?