Elaine makes a wonderful point! So many of those Phalaenopsis, as well as other orchids, wrapped in cellophane and staked up do not survive very long at all. I believe it is due to the inexperience of the buyer and the sphagnum moss that they are potted with.
Orchids can be sold as houseplants but can not survive typical house plant care. There is a big difference between the two. So many owners do not realize that they need repotting, the moss leads to serious problems at some point.
But since Phalaenopsis are not sun loving plants, they can not be forced into blooming by exposing them to more sun. I have never heard that or read that anywhere. Phalaenopsis can be divided into cultural groups is what I like to call it.
You have a:
Large species group
Small species group
Standard Phalaenopsis group
Compact group
Novelty group
Miniature group
I could maybe even break it down a little bit further but 6 groups is enough for now. The two groups that the orchid buying public runs into the most are the Standard Phalaenopsis group and the Mini Phalaenopsis group.
The minis are sold all over in little 2 1/2", sometimes three inch pots. Always potted in moss and look very tempting. Typically in the $8-15 price range!
The Standard Phalaenopsis, the taller more robust plants, are sold wrapped in cellophane, in moss, in a 5" pot, often slipped into larger, more attractively colored pots in order to better appeal to the public!!
But there are both similarities and differences in their care.
The standards like less humidity, around 50%, more air movement, behind a curtain in an east facing window and watered about once every five days. In moss, they absolutely need to be repotted every year into new moss or something suitable. They can not survive for very long inside of a plastic pot inside of a pretty pot. That typically leads to a rapid decline of the orchid.
Minis like less light then a standard, more humidity 60-75%, and they hate being grown long term in sphagnum moss. And when they start to decline from harsh growing conditions they decline rapidly. The standards, being bigger plants, decline more slowly.
There are two reasons that come to mind as to what makes them bloom. The standards prefer a night time temperature drop of AT LEAST 10 degrees F in order to help them initiate bloom spikes. Those cooler nights in most climates are in the fall as night temperatures drop on average. That is often from mid September through mid October. If you don't get flowers with a 10 degree temperature drop then you might be fertilizing too much. Four times a year is plenty.
Minis bloom with cooler night time temperatures as well. How cool for how long?? 10 degrees lower at night for 2 weeks minimal. Cut back on watering a little with infrequent feedings and you will get more flowers!!
Both minis and standards are capable of a second bloom period with spikes being initiated in late March and April for an August blooming but that is rather infrequent.
AND LASTLY, there are Phalaenopsis plants that bloom every year in spite of our excellent care! Those are to be treasured.
No matter what we do, they seem to bloom.
Happy Growing!!!
