Paphs. not opening fully . . .

[Rick]

We measure relative humidity and not total moisture in air.

Yes colder air holds less moisture than warmer, but if you only put a set amount of water into the system, % saturation is easier to reach at cooler temps than warmer.

In leaky boxes, with hotter air, you have to put more water in to reach the same level of saturation, but it's leaving your GH/box at the same time, requiriing even more water.

 

[SlipperFan]

The only thing I have to add, besides Welcome to Slippertalk! -- is to echo Eric's request to show a picture. Even after reading all the posts here, I'm not sure whether what you are seeing is normal, or a problem. A good picture would help a great deal. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

 

[NeoNJ]

My Paphs not opening fully .....

Well, as of today --- the Paph. in question still has not opened fully, and the Dorsal sepal is still not extended upright, and its been 3-4 days....

So I will move the plant tonite to the enclosed windowsill with the humidifier, and try and take a PIC of it tomorrow and post it here....
so you can see the flower .....

Thanks again.

 

[SlipperFan]

Great! Thanks, NeoNJ. Looking forward...

 

[Ernie]

and take a PIC of it tomorrow and post it here....
so you can see the flower .....

Plant pic might be helpful too.

 

[NeoNJ]

re: Paphs not opening fully ....

HELP ! I'm trying to post Photo's of the Paph in question and can't figure out
how to do it....

Nothing is working. is there some sort of tutorial available on how to Upload Photos ??

Thanks.

PATRICK
(NeoNJ)

 

[likespaphs]

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=177&

where are you hosting photos?

 

[NeoNJ]

Hi NeoNJ, I think Goldenrose's suggestion of checking out various threads on humidifiers is a very good one.

For me, I just bought an inexpensive one from Target for $30 (Safety 1st Ultrasonic 360 Degree).

I think the extra humidity helps my plants because I live a little inland in southern California, where the air can get really dry. I grow on my windowsills too, and most of my Paphs are doing well with just humidity trays and misting the top of the medium every morning.

For the humidifier, I use distilled/RO water so that I don't get any crusty mineral deposits in the device or on my plants.

Good luck and hope all goes well with your plants

I took your recommendation and purchased the 'Safety 1st Ultrasonic 360 Degree Humidifer'. WOW! WHAT a difference! This humidifer pushed the Humidity level to 99% ----- it certainly is alot better than the Cool-Mist humidifiers I had been using. Thanks for the recommendation. It has done wonders in increasing the humidity levels ..

 

[jjkOC]

Glad to hear that it helped! Hopefully you'll see improvement with your future blooms!

I took your recommendation and purchased the 'Safety 1st Ultrasonic 360 Degree Humidifer'. WOW! WHAT a difference! This humidifer pushed the Humidity level to 99% ----- it certainly is alot better than the Cool-Mist humidifiers I had been using. Thanks for the recommendation. It has done wonders in increasing the humidity levels ..

 

[NeoNJ]

Glad to hear that it helped! Hopefully you'll see improvement with your future blooms!

Well, the problem continues. I have a total of 5 Paphs in flower - and all of them have the same problem ---- the Dorsal has not opened fully on any of them. Even with the new humidifier.

I'm really becoming very concerned (ok, upset) over this, coz I think to see a Paph in bloom where the Dorsal is drooped over and you cant really appreciate the flower is a real Bummer !

 

[jjkOC]

That is a bummer... can I ask what kind of Paphs they are?

Were you able to post the photo via hosting site? I load all my photos on Picasa and then copy the image address (by right clicking on the image to open options and select "copy image address"). You can imbed the photo into the thread using the notation:

Where "url" refers to the copied image address. When you copy the address, it usually starts with "https:". I usually delete the "s" from the "https".

Your photo will display automatically if you have the proper notation. Good luck!

 

[Ernie]

Are they Maudiae-type hybrids? What are the crosses? Got pix? Sometimes you just get hoody dorsals, not always your fault.

 

[SlipperFan]

Pictures would certainly help. Many Paphs' dorsals don't stand upright. Names would help, also.

 

[NeoNJ]

Are they Maudiae-type hybrids? What are the crosses? Got pix? Sometimes you just get hoody dorsals, not always your fault.

Hmmmm. Really? I've never really seen Paphs with drooping hoody Dorsals. Didn't realize that could happen...

In any event, the Paphs that currently have drooping Dorsals are:

- Paph. sukhakulii
- Paph. impulse x Ruby Leopard x Hsinying Glory
- Paph. Lady Macbeth
- Paph Calsow (Alma Gavaert 'Hager' x Onynx 'Maybrook'.

I guess I find these unattractive when their Dorsal is not up and erect.

 

[Ernie]

Droopy dorsals certainly aren't desirable in most cases. The first on your list, sukhakulii, should have a very nice, upright dorsal though, so it could be something cultural. I'd guess the Impulse cross would be the most likely to not fully flatten a dorsal, but the suk, Lady Macbeth, and Calsow can be nice and perky.

 

[SlipperFan]

In nature, what is the function of the dorsal sepal? Is it not to shield the pouch from getting rained into? If it's straight and vertical, can it do that?

I still say pictures would be very helpful, to know exactly what you are talking about.

 

[atlantis]

Hello NeoNJ:

The problem you're talking about seems to be more frequent in vini-color Maudiae than in other plants.

I had the same problem with mine and I´ve heard and read more cases of people having a not-fully-open-dorsal in their vini-color Maudiae.

If it happens in all your flowers, you have probably an environmental problem, BUT in the case of vini-color Maudiae, the quality of the plants that were used to obtain the cross could be one of the reasons for this to happen.

As you see, I had troubles with the whole flower (dorsal, petals...). I hope better results for the next flowering. If it happens again in the future, I´ll eat this plant in a delicious salad.

greetings!

_Alberto_

P.D. If you have any trouble understanding what I´ve written, please tell me and I will try again with other words.

 

[NeoNJ]

In nature, what is the function of the dorsal sepal? Is it not to shield the pouch from getting rained into? If it's straight and vertical, can it do that?

I still say pictures would be very helpful, to know exactly what you are talking about.

LOL, you are to funny. I don't think it is to difficult to "visualize" a Slipper orchid with a limp dorsal. I'm just trying to figure out why this happens,
as I (for one) find it a very unattractive trait in Slipper orchids, and I have had a few this past Spring that did it, and it ruined the entire look of the plant, so I thought it might have something to do with "Culture" or lack thereof, and if it is something I can fix, control, or correct so it doesn't happen again.

All of the Paphs that I have seen on display at Shows have had "vertical, straight, upright" dorsals.

 

[SlipperFan]

LOL, you are to funny. I don't think it is to difficult to "visualize" a Slipper orchid with a limp dorsal. I'm just trying to figure out why this happens,
as I (for one) find it a very unattractive trait in Slipper orchids, and I have had a few this past Spring that did it, and it ruined the entire look of the plant, so I thought it might have something to do with "Culture" or lack thereof, and if it is something I can fix, control, or correct so it doesn't happen again.

All of the Paphs that I have seen on display at Shows have had "vertical, straight, upright" dorsals.

I wasn't really trying to be funny. Perhaps it is a language issue: To me, "limp" is not the same thing as "droopy" or "hoody" or "not fully opened."

 

[cnycharles]

it's much easier for you to take a picture and for us to look at it and compare in our minds, what has happened for this plant to end up looking like that; than for you to talk and talk and talk and have every different person have a different image in their head of what they think you are trying to explain, especially if someone doesn't have english as their first language.

'a picture is worth a thousand words'... really is true! and yes it's a pain for people to figure out the first time how to post pictures, but then once the bullet has been bitten, it's done and becomes second nature! a plant will have different 'looks', and different forms of 'limp' or 'non-upright' dorsals; the very good paph growers here can look at a plant or group of plants, and pretty much know right away what the cause likely is (from their experience) and relate to you what needs to be done