SO Gardening August 25
Dear Orchid Doc:
The leaves of my Phalaenopsis look very much like someone took a nail and made small dents all over them, and they are starting to get crooked. Any blooms that appear are also very crooked. Can you tell me what’s wrong, please?
Kelly
Dear Kelly
It sounds as if you’ve had a mite problem for some time now, and it has turned the plant crooked.
There is an insecticide called Cure that will surely cure the problem. You will need to spray once per week for four to six weeks. After this you can spray it every two weeks. Do follow the precautionary measures written on the bottle.
Dear Orchid Doc:
I have a few cymbidiums for a long time now but they won’t bloom. What advice can you give me? They look quite healthy otherwise and extremely fat with multiple bulbs.
Jennifer
Dear Jennifer:
The fact that your plants look quite healthy and have multiple shoots would suggest that you have the growing and fertilising aspect of it.
However, I have to tell you that there are some cymbidiums that refuse to bloom in the warmer climates, though there are some hybrid types that are more tolerant of the heat and will therefore bloom at a temperature of higher than 80 degrees.
The older types require a drop in temperature at nights of about 10 to 15 degrees before a spike will initiate; however, when they bloom they last a very long time. The hybrid types are usually very short.
So it might be a good idea to send the plants up to the cooler areas for at least 30 days during the blooming season, to initiate the buds. Best of luck.
Dear Orchid Doc:
My plant gets plenty of light but it still doesn’t flower. What can I do?
Maxine
Dear Maxine
If your Phalaenopsis is getting sufficient light and is still not flowering try exposing the plant to cooler air in the evening. When your night-time temperatures are the same, try opening a window near your plants to let in the cool night air. Continue the cool night-time air treatment for three weeks. The variation in temperature between warm day and cool night will often initiate a flower spike.
