Hmmm... I see no spikes on any of my plants, although they do look good and healthy. Lot's of growth outside during the summer. So, those of you who have spikes,...on what plants are they? Also, my dendrobiums are all phal types. Can I actually leave them outside just until that 1st frost (even if it gets down to the mid 30's?? About moving all the rest in -- Catts., mostly, can they stay outside until just before the first frost, too??? Does the cold snap aid Catts. in spiking? Do any need to be slowly acclimated to the indoors (like houseplants, tropicals, etc.) or can they just come in one day??? mehitabel, I noticed that you said you don't see spikes yet either. Which plants are they? Also, if my plants are actually going to bloom, will they spike now? I'm getting nervous now... everyone's spiking but mine! Actually one has started to bloom...Onc. Twinkle Fragrance...but it's the only one. I'm concerned about scale, too. Lot's of scale before I moved them outdoors. The good predators ate them all off the plants over the summer. I hope there are not a few lingering in the folds just waiting to come indoors and INFEST like they did last year. It got soo bad, I had to discard some plants -- it was hopeless. I'm still dealing with mealy bugs inside now on the Phals. Stubborn. Nothing is working, but I keep on trying. Good luck to everyone with the spikes! Liz

Hard to imagine the black going away. Are you sure? As for the bugs, my guess is larval gnats. They can spread disease, but you only have two plants, far apart, so they may not be trouble at all. The problem with watering again is they like wet soil. My guess is the bark is a bit old and decaying already. Might that be possible? Do the pots have good drainage and don't stand in water? If all looks well, otherwise, live with the bugs for now, and when the plant is done blooming, repot it in new bark. Dump out all the old (outside, so the bugs go with it), wash off the roots in tepid water and put in new bark. Medium size. If the problem seems really bad, or is worsening, be brave and repot, even though the plant is blooming. When I get cheapos at trader Joe's, they are in spaghnum and I always repot the day I get them. It's never been a problem. The problem is the orchid addiction. I just watered the lot this AM and it took all morning!

Ginger, You need to go to the American Orchid Society Web Site and find their culture sheets for Nobile type Dendrobiums. There are other web sites that also offer detailed culture instructions for these plants. Nobile Den's. grow a bit differently from other orchids, and you will have to conform to their wants and needs to get them to bloom. First, be absolutely sure you are rid of the scale. Scale suck the juices out of the plant, and are difficult to get rid of because most contact insecticides can't get through the scale to the bug. The scale is probably not what caused the leaves to drop.....That happens to the leaves every year. Next, any of the old canes on your plant that are shriveled, and DEAD, can be removed. Sharp sterile blade, and cut them off at the base. Be sure they are completely dead, because the old canes are storing nutrients for the plant as long as they remain alive. Now, growing the thing.....In the spring when new growth starts at the base of the plant...(Nobiles are prone to producing Keikis on old canes, and that's ok. Leave them on and let them bloom then remove them and pot up as new plants.....you need to really grow the plant. Lots of sunlight, water, and 30-10-10 fertilizer. You want those new growths to really grow big and healthy. In the early fall, the leaves will begin to yellow, and fall off the plant...normal..... At this time you should stop feeding the high Nitrogen fertilizer...use 10-10-10, or just stop fertilizing until spring growth starts again. If you are not growing the plant outside, it would be best take it outside in the fall. Let the plant stay outside until it experiences several nights of very cool temperatures....even a light frost won't hurt. When the weather gets too cold, bring the plant in and enjoy the blooms. When the blooms fade, reduce the amount of water you give the plant until new growth starts in the spring, then go back to the heavy feeding/growing of the plant. Once a cane blooms, its not going to ever bloom again. All leaves fall off in the winter. Bill

The guideline that all phals should have a specific color leaf is misleading and, as shown above, detrimental. Phals will thrive in moderately bright light and do not need direct sunlight of any kind (mine get some, but there's not much I can do to prevent it). I have a dozen phals, and all of them are really healthy, and only three of them are the same color green. All of the others have leaves ranging from lime green to deep purple. They all get the SAME AMOUNT OF LIGHT.