FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I saw some flier for an orchid contest that said something like "so get your favorite orchids ready to bloom!". Do people use fertilizer or hormones or some other method to cause their orchids to bloom on demand? Also curious how they get those pictured orchids with just a huge bunch of blooms on multiple branches. Ours seem pretty happy, but the most we get is two single spikes of blooms out of a single plant and most of them flower once every year. No complaints about that, just curious if there's manipulation that is done. I've suspected for a while that some of the orchids you find for sale at retail stores are unnaturally forced to bloom beyond their potential and then become very unhealthy after they're done.

Cool nights (55-65 F) and warm days (70-80F) for 4 to 6 weeks will usually force a flower spike from phals. Don't know about others.

Check out http://birdsbotanicals.com/

Its a place in Kansas city that sales orchids. I can't remember what all they have on their website but I do think They have some care guides and kcbugs it right about phal. They love temperature drops at night. So if you want them to flower figure a why to do that and they'll continually flower for you. My phals, in my house, bloom constantly throughout winter.

For phals. Bright light, efficient air flow, fresh water, and temperature drops at night you'll see plenty of flowers. Fertilize every other watering and you'll be happy. That's what I do with mine and you've seen my results. I don't do anything special.

I guess it's as simple as that. Thanks guys!