Question
I have had a Phalaenopsis for over a year.  It has grown several leaves and now has six spikes one it.  The longest spike is about five inches long.  The first spike has been on the plant at least three months, with others coming along periodically.  How can I get the spikes to produce blooms?
LaRue

Answer
Hello LaRue,

To begin, are you sure those are spikes and not roots?  Spikes are usually green or reddish green along the entire length while roots will be grey or greyish-white with a small green tip.  I hope they are spikes!  

If they are spikes, there are some phalaenopsis that take their sweet time to grow, but once they do they grow fairly rapidly.  

Roots are somewhat similar, growing for a while then stopping for a while and starting again.  

Hope this helped.

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.