For me, growing Phals was definitely NOT a no-brainer! Everyone keeps saying how easy they are, but I've had a heck of a time getting any to stay alive and actually grow! For my environment, bark works the best. I use a combination of natural window light and a bit of supplemental lighting from shop light fixtures. I water when the bark mix is nearly dry, and with the low humidity of winter, I mist them a couple of times daily. I've resigned myself to the fact that I don't have the best conditions for orchid growing, and I've decided not to baby any of them. Funny thing is... the few Phals I have are responding and actually growing! One has a spike growing... Phal equestris, I believe. What made the difference for me, I think, was the addition of the lighting fixtures. That, and simply not hovering, which leads to over-watering for me. Everyone has slightly different conditions to contend with, and I think you just have to find that happy medium of cultural advice. Good luck with your Phals!

Mymanga...Hans is right (as always), I am currently experiencing (uggggggh)the same way with some of my Amaryllis bulbs that I have kept in the refrigerator since Sept. or Nov. and just planted them a few weeks ago. Short flower scapes, almost no pedicles and blooms don't open up right. "STRESSED" bulbs is what I might call them. I remember posting a question before on how long can these bulbs be kept in the refrigerator but was not answered. So even if I saw them putting out a leaf or scape, I put off planting them thinking it's not going to affect them any as long as they are refrigerated. I am "baby-ing" five bulbs now that are like this and am so sorry I didn't plant them before when they were already ready. I guess that's another lesson well learned for me...these Amaryllis bulbs (stored/refrigerated) needs to be planted soon when they show signs of growth.

Bulbs of the common big blooming cultivars contain at least one preformed bud and do principally NOT need any fertilizing up to the time point when the flower scape has reached full size and the blooms open. This is the reason for the ubiquitary amaryllogene advice - discovered on almost every plastic label accompanied with potted knight star lilies which tells "fertilizer usually not necessary" This is fully correct in the case that the plant will be delivered to the waste bucket afterwards - which is very common and btw fully intended by the bulb traders *lol* However, regular fertilization is absolutely necessary in order to re-establish the bulb which is so exhausted after having generated such a huge plant mass in scapes and leaves. The importance of a carefull husbandry for the plant at the windowsill to make it REbloom is generally underestimated (my opinion) With certainty it is not sufficient that the plant be keeping its leaves but for some weeks after it has bloomed - and then these leaves, while regarded as undecorative, often underdeveloped or even collapsed due to irregeular watering are cut away... The leaves should instead remain living for a timespan in the magnitude of 1/2 year and more, during which even fresh new leaves will be produced. BTW this will fill up the leaf bush and considerably enhance the performance of your knight star lily! This aim can only be achieved by regular waterings and fertilizing and nursing the plant at a windowsill which is not TOOO dark... It is wise to support the leaves, which usually tend to become very long indoors to protect them from collapsing and becoming useless for the plant. Use adhesive films for that purpose. Now, back to the start question: There are several reason why blooms remained absent in the first season, Casey. The bulb might have been stored far too long prior to forcement, and the buds have already shriveled up meanwhile, or the scape was damaged by bulb scale mites, which are seemingly an inevitable adjunct to every hippeastrum bulb (my personal experience). OR, and this happens very often, you watered to amply at the very beginning of the forcement. The compost should be watered vwery sparingly at this stage.

A few years back I bought a hosta like that. Planted it and it was back to normal the next year. Don't even remember which one it was. Then my Mount Tom did the same thing, even though it looked normal when I bought it. Now it is growing like crazy and beautiful. I say do not cut your plant, let it do its own thing and, let it die back in the fall, and I bet in the spring you will have a normal looking plant. (But who wants normal) We are all looking for that something different, so enjoy your plant this year and treat it as an experiment, nature will take care of the rest. Betty