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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Moth orchids blooming now- will they bloom again?

I’m not used to seeing my orchids bloom in the summer. Every year, these usually start blooming in late fall and through the winter until spring, one by one. (I have 4 different plants)

If these two are blooming now, will they still bloom during their normal blooming time this year?

Image

...keeping them out here under the mulberry tree during the warmer season, they get super fertilized at late spring-early summer by fallen spoiling mulberries and bird droppings. Maybe that and the weird hot then cold then hot weather sequence earlier in the season triggered them into blooming?

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

Orchids can be either seasonal bloomers or bloom when their new growth matures. Most of the phalaenopsis are seasonal bloomers. Most of them will bloom once a year, but if you cut off the spike just above a node that has not bloomed, you can get a second spike the same year. The tradeoff will be smaller flowers in the second spike and possibly smaller flowers during the regular bloom period.

Weather can cause orchids to bloom too early or too late. This year the orchids are blooming early. My anosmum and sphacelatum both bloomed a couple of months earlier than normal.

If your orchids are blooming now and they normally bloom a couple of months from now, they are unlikely to be ready to bloom again in that short space of time. You may be lucky and get a late spike but that should be coming up soon. Phal blooms can last up to 3 months at a time if they are well cared for.

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applestar
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Thanks @imafan. I was hoping you would see this and respond. :D

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applestar
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They are looking good even if they are blooming at the wrong time of the year.

Image
...this is how their roots look like... They really appreciate being outside in the humidity during the summer.

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

The best time to repot any orchid is after the bloom is done. Most orchids need to be repotted every two years or so because the media breaks down and becomes more acidic and toxic to the plants. There are usually dead roots in the center that will need to be taken off and any roots that were outside the pot should stay there. Most of the time phals rarely have to go into a pot bigger than 6 inches. Make sure your tools are sharp and you use a torch or gas stove to heat the pruner blade between plants but also if you are going to cut dead roots and then cut off any broken good roots. We usually use new pots or we do bleach pots for re use. We usually use the older pots on other plants or on less valuable orchids. Your flowers are very nice. The only orchid I have in bloom now is a dendrobium. It has only got two flowers.



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