Phalaenopsis Spiking

Question

When should my phalaenopsis start putting up spikes? I thought it would be around this time (January), but they are doing nothing. Is there something I can do to coax them into spike? —James Tinker

Phalaenopsis intiate inflorescences in response to cool fall nights and shortening day length. Photo © 2009 Greg Allikas

Answer

In response to short days and cooler temperatures, early winter is generally when phalaenopsis begin to show their spikes in most parts of the country. If your plants are not spiking, it may be the result of insufficient light during the growing season, or the temperatures in the home may be too warm at night. Try providing temperatures in the high 50s into the low 60s for a week or two and see what happens. —Ned Nash