Phalaenopsis Help.. Please

[x916krew]

I'm trying to get a little help for this plant that is actually my moms. She asked me for help but I only have experience with CPs and have never grown an orchid. So here are the facts that I have so far. It initially had flowers on it when she received it as a gift two years ago and has not flowered since or given off any new spikes. It had grown new leaves though. I have looked at some of the care sheets on the web and moved it to the bathroom by a window to provide better humidity and air circulation. I also repotted the plant (3/5 fine orchid bark, 1/5 perlite, 1/5 LFS)since she had not since receiving it. So that brings us up to speed. What else can I do to improve the health of the plant and get it to flower?

 

[Adam]

What types of CPs do you have?
I usually grow my Phals with my neps, if that is any help.
It will rebloom when it is ready. Usually a little earlier than a year after it's last bloom.

 

[chibae]

It looks like it needs more light, those dark green leaves are a give away and that position on the counter looks far from the window. also phals respond well to a nighttime drop in temps to initiate spiking.

 

[x916krew]

I do have a couple Neps but mainly sundews and sarrs I would grow it with my CPs but this is at my parents house.. but it does give me a better idea to the needs of the plant thanks.

Chibae so if I move it to the window sill should I keep it on the frosted side of the glass or move it into the sunlight. I live in Sacramento Ca so the sun is kind of intense and i'm worried of it getting burned.

 

[chibae]

I'd say frosted side, they burn easily, maybe Thez will chime in, she raises phals in CA

 

[James H]

Al lin all it looks pretty good to me. I would put it up in the window and let it get a bit more light. All of my phals bloom around christmas for some weird reason. Just keep watering it and give it good light, it will bloom again.

 

[thez_yo]

Yeah, don't put it in straight-up sunshine...I had some phals on the west side window of my house that sat in sunshine for a good 4 hours of the afternoon, and their leaves got burned so bad they had bubbles on them like seared flesh. Put it by the frosted side for a while...if you still don't get spikes, make sure you're giving it a temp drop at night...if still no spike and the leaves look not-burnt, move it to a little higher light.

 

[x916krew]

Thank everyone for the advice.. I will let you know when it finally does spike for me.

 

[herenorthere]

The plant is a bit on the dark side, suggesting it isn't getting enough light, but it otherwise looks to be in perfect health. Exposure to cooler fall temperatures is commonly mentioned as triggering a Phal to bloom, but it's clear that some Phals don't need it because they bloom without it. Maybe that Phal needs the cooling. I don't grow indoor orchids anymore, but I used to and had a number of Phals over the years. Living in a more humid climate than you, I was able to leave them outside through the summer and into fall, which exposed the Phals to significantly lower temperatures. They were reliable bloomers, so my advice is to find a way to expose that plant to a fall cooling. Hopefully, other people who grow Phals in a climate more like yours will chime in with advice you can use.