Can anyone here give me advice on how and when to properly stake a phal? I have three that are in spike right now, and one is starting to get rather tall. Also I know that the spike will grow toward the light no matter which way you face it, so I try not to turn my plant and get a crooked spike. But what has happened is the spikes start growing horizontally toward the window... :?

Gently guide them toward your desired location with a stick and twist ties. That's what I would do!

Gently guide them toward your desired location with a stick and twist ties. That's what I would do!

:roll: Gee thanks TADD, I couldn't figure that much out on my own!

I'm wondering more specifically, can I stake the plant before the buds are developed, or should I wait until the flowers are open? Sheesh, I should probably just leave it alone, I'll probably end up breaking the whole thing off, and then I'll have to post on that other thread under Heather's throwing plants down the stairs mishap. :poke:

You can definitely stake them before buds show, that is how so many growers get there spikes and flowers to the shape they like.

I'll probably end up breaking the whole thing off, and then I'll have to post on that other thread under Heather's throwing plants down the stairs mishap. :poke:

Hey! It was not my fault! My longifolium tripped me!

We stake our Phals when the buds start forming well. By that time, the spike is fairly strong and can tolerate some adjustment without breaking. Some spikes are stubborn, though, if they have too much of a horizontal direction.

I don't have many Phals so it is not a big issue for me but I like the natural form of a Phal spike, so I don't stake. On their own they tend to arch up and out in a nice graceful curve. That is how I like them :)

Most of my phals are mounted so the spikes go off in all crazy directions.

I'm still trying to get this right, so don't trust my advice.

Actually, rather than giving "advice," I'll just say this: this is what I will try next time I have a new Phal. spike. Wait until it has buds, but the buds are not yet big enough that they've started to swivel (so . . . they're still lined up along the spike, with the lip facing towards the tip of the spike . . . yeah, whatever. Small buds.). At this point, I would expect that the spike would be about 30 or 40 degrees up from horizontal. Then stake it at 60 to 80 degrees up from horizontal, but do so with a stake that only goes maybe 2/3rds of the distance to the first bud. All this confusion is an attempt to get the spike up nice and high, but to give it some room to have a nice natural looking arch, after which the part of the spike with the flowers on it can be descending, thus giving it the opportunity to tile nicely. Your strategy would probably be different for novelty or floribundum phals (not to mention species). Is floribundum the right term?

Well, that helped me at least. Now I've got a plan!

Sue, it sounds like you do have it right!

THANKS for your advice, I will try Sue's technique and see what happens!