Is this normal??

[The_Fish]

Hello all,
here are a few of my pap's being in bud now since oct/nov. There is no further growing the last 7 weeks and i hope they are not drying out. i didn't change a lot, a little less water together with a little cooler like every winter in my flat. Do i have to do something different, last year i had the same and every bud of micranthum and armeniacum dried out.. …..,
here are the plants:
micranthum var album

micranthum

hangianum

emersonii var huonglanae

thank's for patience and a little help..,
Falk

 

[Rick]

I've had it go both ways like this with lots of paphs, but parvi's are maybe the most famous for holding up sheaths all winter to start again in spring.

Not sure if anything can be done to force them over the hump, or placate them so they don't blast.

Multigrowth plants tend to blast less than single growth plants.

 

[NYEric]

First problem, not micranthum album.

 

[The_Fish]

Its not a problem for me if its not album..., i got most of my plants without tag together with a list of names. All of my micranthum's bloomed within the years except these two, so i was thinking this one must be the album on my list... . If not, then not, does not answer my question.

 

[fibre]

IMO these plants look a bit dehydrated to me. Probably humidity is to low or there aren't enough roots ...
But it is difficult to estimate from the pics. Emersonii and hangianum look as they were not strong enough to carry a flower too. But I might be wrong because my experience with Chinese Paphs is limited.

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

Hi there. I can confirm with Eric that it is not micranthum alba. If it was there would be no dark colored leafs. I am starting to work with micranthum and armeniacum and will continue to do so until I teach myself well. I've had one micranthum and one armeniacum blast once the buds where out. They popped out and then just sat there without getting plump for months. I also have a large tray of micranthum that are in sheath. Most I can feel the bud inside and some are starting to push out of the sheath. I don't think that you can hurry along the sheaths to become buds. You can however, make sure they are watered enough so the sheath and bud inside doesn't dry up. So, my instructions to you if you wish to take them is to water them more or heavier when you do. Once watered I blow the excess water out of the sheaths and or buds. Are you growing on a windowsill, under lights, greenhouse. Earlier this year I cut the watering on these two species as well as attempted to keep them at a lower temperature. Once I saw a sheath I moved them to another tray that gets more water.

 

[Happypaphy7]

I also think watering was the main issue.
Unless you keep them significantly cooler than usual, there is no need to cut down on water and especially when buds are developing, more water is needed not less.

Far as I know, malipoense is the one that spikes in the fall in nature and then wait throughout the winter and bloom in the spring.

There are members who grow parvis not so cool at all (minimum temp of 18C) and still flower them just fine.

Maybe next year, you can try watering more (or normal) instead of cutting back?

 

[NYEric]

problem #2. I agree w/ fibre, unless the photos are at an angle that is distorting the plants the hang and emerson don't look big enough to be BS.
I would water the "micranthums" but not the leaves; and put them in a place w/ high airflow, like by a fan.

 

[daniella3d]

It looks like you might have some insects on them. Are you sure they don't have spider mites ? That could explain the bud blasting 2 years in row and the dammage on the leaves.

I had one that did the same thing and I found mealy bugs inside the crown. I treated all my orchids with a miticide (floramite) and with imidaclophrid.

I bought 5 plants from a greenhouse in Montreal and they were all infested with bugs. One flowered and the flower was all chewed up and lasted for 1 week, the other blasted. After treatment they all did great.

Now I have one that is blooming and it's been 9 weeks, not showing any sign of dammage and looking great. I had no idea the flower could last that long!

I will never allow my plant to be infested again. systemic all the way.

 

[abax]

I was going to suggest that there might be some infestation
on the leaves, but couldn't quite tell from the photos. A
good drench or two with Orthene 97% might be a good idea along with a bit more water and air movement. On the other hand, I have several plants in bud that are moving along really slowly due to weather conditions.