I do not think there is a secret. Many Phal's send out double spikes when they become mature plants. Some even more 3-4 spikes on really large older plants. It is a sign you are growing them well enough to mature to that state.

The general pattern is that the spike comes out at the crotch of the fifth leaf each year. If your plant is growing fast enough that there is more than one new leaf then you can get multiple spikes if there is enough light. When the plant is large enough and light is good you can get spikes from previously unspiked old leaf axils as well, so if you don't get a spike for a couple of years they may all come at once later.

I thought it was a genetic thing. My Phal Babette only produced 1 spike for the each of the 15yrs I 've had it. Then I bought some phals out of bloom and mega cheap for NYC (3 for $10). And the new ones produced 2 spikes each. So I thought it was a matter of genes.

Whatever causes it, congrats Jane! It'll be a shower of flowers to enjoy in the spring. Have you already picked out a display site to show these babies off to visiting friends and family??

Dragon kite, you may be right. There may be some hybrids that have something in their background that would limit the number of spikes to one a season. Just like there are some species that will hold maybe only 4-6 leves at a time, when it hits the 7th leaf growing the oldest leaf will fade and die leaving 6 leaves.

Jane, I think you would enjoy big returns on a small investment in phals, maybe even just one new blooming size a year?

In spring of '06, I bought 6 of these, three from Odom's and three from Norman's. It was a great investment in flowers-- I had flowers for several months that spring, then they re-bloomed again in spring of '07, and now setting spikes again. I lucked out into one that was out of bloom for only 1 month out of 14-- and that was because I cut off the spike. It put out a new spike one month later.

Before I buy anything these days, I check out orchidwiz awards pages, to get a description of the best plants. From the CCMs, you can tell which ones put out multiple spikes, size and number of flowers. From the other awards, you can get an idea of what the flowers will be like.

I noticed that Sedona's breedings have a lot of awards for the type of phal I like, (waxy/shiny reds and purples) and went to their website. They have a limited number of very special plants. I bought two of their awarded reds from Sedona this summer. They were both whopping big plants in 6" pots, and have each two spikes beginning.

I know you're very busy, but when you have a chance, check out the photo pages at Bedford orchids. Url is below. Some are just so gorgeous.

Here is a link that might be useful: photos at Bedford Orchids -- 10 pages like this one

I am laughing Jane "I only own 8"....

I also think it has to do with light and rate of growth like Spiced_Ham says. I get double spikes from HD plants and they are not well bred. But they do often have many leaves. I can see that they have been potted up from 4" to 6 " with the old spag and minimally disturbed. I can also see how much water retention there is. Not knowing where the heck they come from I can only imagine that combo. The roots are not rotted this year i the core of the old spag

Somehow you may have had more light on them this year Jane and you probably watered them ;-) (hee hee). That would be my guess.

Clara

Funny, Clara. I was trying to cut way back on Phals and was doing well (gave a bunch away) until I was struck by a couple of Home Depot beauties last winter. But they are not double spiking. It's the older ones who never double-spiked before. Not more light, they only went outside toward the end of summer. I did repot into CHC and perlite,sphag this Spring. Maybe getting rid of Aussie did the trick!

Mehitabel, you are right. Thanks for the link. Very impressive. If I give up on Catts, I might be tempted to add a few from Bedford. Except for two noids, the rest are Normans. They were gifts over the years. When people know you grow Orchids, they buy you Phals or Dens. My daughter is smart and sends gifts from Normans, although they are usually in tight sphag and start rotting if you don't repot fairly fast. And you are so right about return for investment. You get flowers until you can't stand it anymore.

Steph, I also thought genetics. One was orignally a double-spiker but never did it again under my care. The others - who knows. I have a big, black grand piano which only looks good with blooming plants sitting on it.

Whatever, I have no idea what caused this except maybe maturity. Some of these plants look so worn and battered. Maybe it is abuse. Maybe it was the weather this summer. Cooler, drier but sunnier than normal.

Thanks,
Jane