I've got a phal (Happy Girl) which I suspended near the top of a warm house
and it has now grown a lot of aerial roots and attached itself to the brick
wall of the house (some of you may remember a while ago I asked for ideas of
what to grow on a brick wall - but I didn't expect phals to do well!). It's
now throwing a vigorous spike (about 18 inches so far) which has reached
the roof.
Question is whether to leave it or try and pull it down - I don't want to
risk breaking the tip, it seems to slightly adhere. The alkathene roof is
sloping 30 degrees from the horizontal. Do you think it will grow down along
the roof without attention before the flowers pull it down or would you try
and pull it away?
Thanks, David

I would try the following:

1 Spray the roof/spike area with soapy water
2 Wiggle the spike a bit to detach it fro the roof - it's probably just
stuck with dried minerals, not truly grabbing hold as roots do.
3 Attach some stiff wire to the pot, and bend a "U" in the end so that
it goes around the spike and bend the wire so that it holds the spike
slightly away from the roof. Too much bending and it may break.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

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"David Ward" wrote in message
...
I've got a phal (Happy Girl) which I suspended near the top of a warm
house
and it has now grown a lot of aerial roots and attached itself to the
brick
wall of the house (some of you may remember a while ago I asked for ideas
of
what to grow on a brick wall - but I didn't expect phals to do well!).
It's
now throwing a vigorous spike (about 18 inches so far) which has reached
the roof.
Question is whether to leave it or try and pull it down - I don't want to
risk breaking the tip, it seems to slightly adhere. The alkathene roof is
sloping 30 degrees from the horizontal. Do you think it will grow down
along
the roof without attention before the flowers pull it down or would you
try
and pull it away?
Thanks, David

David, I would move it as the buds may blast or burn if it touches the roof.
Is it in a pot or mounted on something?
If it attaches to the wall, you may not be able to move it later!
Cheers Wendy
"David Ward" wrote in message
...
I've got a phal (Happy Girl) which I suspended near the top of a warm
house
and it has now grown a lot of aerial roots and attached itself to the
brick
wall of the house (some of you may remember a while ago I asked for ideas
of
what to grow on a brick wall - but I didn't expect phals to do well!).
It's
now throwing a vigorous spike (about 18 inches so far) which has reached
the roof.
Question is whether to leave it or try and pull it down - I don't want to
risk breaking the tip, it seems to slightly adhere. The alkathene roof is
sloping 30 degrees from the horizontal. Do you think it will grow down
along
the roof without attention before the flowers pull it down or would you
try
and pull it away?
Thanks, David