Mike,

Based on your OP I assuming you purchased these in spike in early Nov.? If you are referring to leaf growth and you have other phals in the same area and they are doing OK, I wouldn't worry too much as it is probably still adjusting. What are your normal day/night temps?

If we are talking spikes stalled since early Nov. I'd guess the change in conditions caused them to abort, they may or may not proceed to develop in the future. Wait another few weeks, if no progress by then I'd cut them back. I've had developing spikes on a few of my phals since Nov, but they are progressing. In my experience, some phal spikes can take months to go from first appearance to flowering.

Watering a phal 3x a week seems like a lot, but I'm not familiar with your conditions either.

Bob

Hi Bob thank you )

Yeah, both leaves and spikes on all of them. I have three and the spikes have not grown a bit. Very green spikes and healthy looking tonight.

Its a very warm room by day cool by night.

70s to almost 80 by day and then 60’s by night. The warmest and brightest room in my home .

I am almost tempted to fertilize them.

Yeah. The mix dries out pretty fast due to lots of air movement and very warm temps by day.

I am at a lost. To me , they couldn’t be in better growing conditions.

Thanks in advance and happy Friday )

Mike

First, both phals appear to be healthy.

I don't think the spikes in pic 1 will develop any further, I'd let them be as they are fairly short without much to cut back. I think the spikes in the second pic still have a chance.

My mainly artificially lit grow room (1 std sized east window) runs between low 60's at night to mid-upper 70's in the day, so our temps seem similar. Within the last week I switched from an @13 hour day that I set in November to an @17 hour day on my timers. Time to get them back into more light now that the natural days are starting to get longer.

Based on leaf color, shape and spike appearance (and your mention of fragrance) there appears to be some violacea in at least the first one and maybe the second. FWIW: My species violaceas and hybrids (5 in total) are all currently growing new leaves and new spikes, along with their older bloomed/blooming spikes. In my experience, violaceas and their hybrids generally like it a little warmer and brighter than other phals. I keep that in mind when placing mine in the grow room, that is to say I do keep them away from windows and outside walls that get cooler at night and try to place them in better light positions in the room. As far as summering outside, they are first in last out.

I fertilize most of my collection year round (3 weeks with fert, 1 week with straight water), no winter fertilizer breaks except for things that like a little dormancy, like my non-blooming Den. aggrevatum :(

Bob

Nothing really constructive to add, Mike, except that I feel your pain. I received a "parvi" paph. cross two or three weeks ago, in spike. The spike at this point looks like a tiny skinny hairy caterpillar crawling out of the center of the leaf. I know it isn't a caterpillar but I still expected some movement after a couple of weeks. The spike it too tiny to have been damaged without seeing ancillary damage on or around the leaf it is emerging from. No apparent cold damage. Maybe it's just in a huff.. Hope springs eternal. Good luck with your phal. The good news is that, as you probably know, these fragrant crosses bloom more than once a year, I think, and off both old and new spikes. So I agree with Bob about not cutting anything back until you see unmistakable signs of dying back.

I always fertilize when in spike. I find I get better growth, more buds.

However, Phals are like watching grass grow. Mine are all in spike since September. Only one is starting to flower.

I've had Phals make new leaves while in spike and others which do not.

I would work on keeping them fertilized and well watered. Maybe increase watering and, as John states, continue to fertilize at a lower amount.

They look very healthy!

Jane

Did you repot them? That could possibly be what caused the spikes to stall. Or maybe the plant is just trying to get adjusted to its new environment. Don't cut the spikes off since they look healthy. When it's ready, it'll start growing again.

Bob, that helps a lot! You are right, those are exactly the type of Phals I am growing. I am keeping them warm and put the lights of earlier and gave them extra at night to see if that makes a difference. I am wondering, do you see the roots of yours growing, or do you have them in pots hoping they are all ok? I have considered the see thru plastic slitted pots. I am starting to question whether the roots of mines are still healthy and how will I know unless I yanked them out? I question my ability on these all the time not trusting what is going on that I can not see, if you know what I mean?3

Have you ever heard the the method of just sticking them in glass bowls with roots fully exposed with a mist here and there with the moisture being contained inside the bowl?

LUv, I did on the ones that were not in spike. I don't trust myself with these, even though I thought I did.lol I am always wondering what the roots look like since I can not see them(

Jane, hello)) Thank you! Yeah, I think I am watering correctly since the mix is very porous and the root very warm, but I never thought of fertilizing them as often as I should. I think I will try that at a very weak does weakly. I see, if yours are slow to grow, then I don't feel so bad considering you live in a very warm climate state. Thanks.

John, EXACTLY....Now you feel my pain. I have been looking at those spikes since I got them. Seems like forever. Crazy. As for new leaf growth, you can forget that! lol Thanks for your words of encouragement.

Bob, when you said that you bring them outside, do you put them where they can easily get rain, or do you keep them protected under an eave of something similar?

One good thing about phals is that if one is careful, they can be repotted them (or at least have their roots checked, as you said you'd be interested in doing), and they won't necessarily "skip a beat." I hesitate to generalize, but especially if they're in a porous, non-clingy medium that packs and unpacks easily, it really might be worth your while to take a peek. Are there any signs of stress on the leaves, curling or wrinkling, shriveling or color change? I had a paph (different than the one I mentioned) that was showing signs of stress in the leaves, I know I didn't cause it because I hadn't had it that long. It was also in spike so naturally I was hesitant to disturb it. But it seemed that the plant was in jeopardy and I wanted to make sure it had what it needed below. So I took the plunge on some very good advice, and I'm glad I did. Now I know the full condition of the roots, it's in nice fresh sphagnum that is transpiring moisture perfectly and the new growth will have the chance to be the best it can be. The spike kept going, but the buds ultimately blasted. Eh. There will be more, and this may have happened anyway given the overall health of the plant and root system. Knowledge is power.

Mike,

I generally use clear plastic pots for phals. I do see new root growth on most of my phals, the violaceas included. That said, most of my phals are mature, as in I've owned most of them at least 5 years. Their age and adaptation to my conditions may have something to do with the overall viability of my phals.

Bob