Why no blooms

[john mickel]

I have 100 paphs - I get 1 or 2 blooms a year - I have changed mix,light, water,and temperature - I am tired of hearing - " they will bloom when they bloom - I keep getting brown off of bottom leaves - very little root development - and they have been growing for years thanks john

 

[JeanLux]

hi John, sounds impatient! If you want to have some advice from the forum members, you should introduce yourself and your growing environment! otherwise people have few chance to try to help you!!! Jean

 

[likespaphs]

can you post pictures?
are you sure the plants are mature?
i understand it's frustrating when they don't bloom....
do you know if you are watering them appropriately?
do you know about your water quality?
do you fertilize?
where are you?

 

[swamprad]

Yes, please post more details about your lighting, watering, humidity, temperature, etc. Indoors or in a greenhouse? What types of paphs do you grow? Are you sure they are all blooming size? Slippertalk is a great place to find answers to your growing questions!

 

[Heather]

Definitely need some more info, John, but a hearty welcome to you. With a bit more we might be more helpful. Sounds to me like light might be an issue but need to know more....

 

[SlipperKing]

Sounds like poor water to me....I had the same issues, loss of leaves and no roots then I found out my city was on a well! I switched to rain

 

[goldenrose]

:clap: WELCOME John! We're glad to help, as others have said give us more details. Rick made a good point with the water issue, that seems to be quite critical.

 

[Nutz4Paphs]

John, I echo the many voices here...More details. As soon as you post your conditions, you will probably have more to read and consider than you want to. oke: Welcome and enjoy.

 

[SlipperFan]

Welcome, john. I agree with the comments above. Orchids are amazingly adaptable to many conditions, and probably no one has the same exact conditions as someone else. But it's important to know things like what kind of light you grow under, the medium you use, the temperatures you grow in as well as how often you water and what you water with.

 

[NYEric]

Hi and welcome to the forum. If you're keeping them alive that's accomplishment #1. Leave die-off from the bottom is normal. To get them to bloom you may need more light, humidity change, fertilizer adjustment, et al... as you can read here there are some plants that have only bloomed once in 13 years, my longest is about an 8 year wait

 

[biothanasis]

Welcome!!!!! Having no idea of what conditions you might have, I would suggest taking care of your fertiliser (weakly weekly), water quality (I use RO) and light (there should be an analogy in all these)! Air movement helps, too, for the lessening of black leaves! Well that is according to my problems and my growing conditions...

 

[Ernie]

Send the Paphs to me and take up micro-reefs as your hobby. No, please post more details and we'll be way more helpful.

-Ernie

 

[john mickel]

Who Am I ?

Thanks - I have been growing many many species for 37 years - but that aside I have reduced my collection to paphs and pleuro's - I grow on patios - change the light with shade cloth 2 times a year - ie: spring summer to fall winter - 60% shade cloth - I use De Iozed water with light fertil. 2 times per month - with less in the winter - my plants were all from the best suppliers and are for the most part BS size - actually I have always spent the extra money and bought ful size - many in bud or bloom - never to bloom again - I have been an AOS member for 30 years - try to deal with the written needs from many books - my mentor was Dr Hosigowa - of course if I had a green house I am sure I would have blooms on a regular basis - teps here in San Diego -go from 45 - 95 - I water 2x's week - except for December when I dry them off as in " situ " I use standard mix as they came in - I will say that if anything I think I over water - but drainage is always good and with goodair movement and sun that should be ok -Those touted as multi-groth growers languish and throw out small divisions but no blooms - ie" you should get a new bloom/ new growth - I try to keep them all in smaller pots as there is little new growth - ie: not an over-potting issue - as proof I would say I get a plant in bud - blooms fine - no blasting - then no bloom the next year - many plants are primary crosses which should be a lesser problem - thats about all I can think of - thanks - john

 

[john mickel]

Also- I was always taught that you cant over water a paph if you have good drainage - that came from several of the best paph growers in northern cal. - john

 

[goldenrose]

First off, there are plenty of people that don't have a GH & grow orchids very successfully, so don't say or think that! You've got a good temperature range/drop. I think we may need more info -
What brand of fertilizer are you using?
Are you using any type of top dressing? (dolomite, calcium nitrate, oyster shells)
You said many are primary X's - parvis, brachys, multis, barbata, cochlo? Each family group may have slightly different requirements.

 

[Hera]

I am curious what kind of fertilizer you are using. Could you have something with too much nitrogen and all the energy is going into leaf development?

 

[john mickel]

Answer

Schultz plant food 10-15-10 - every other schultz Orchid food 15-36-15 I think - oystershells on brachys - parvis multis as above - basically I have 5 or more from every main group as listed in a plant list from the good growers and best suppliers - I label each plant label with needs from internet growers - although most ofthe growers like Glen from Piping Rock say they only use 1 fert. =I have at least 15 diff sources for years and have always received great plants Thanks -john

 

[john mickel]

please see goldenrod answer - thanks - I have never had good root development - sometimes - I see great stuff when I pull the plant after getting it from the supplier -

 

[goldenrose]

Are the roots black, mushy, shriveled? If so, more than likely it's over watering. Black tips on the foliage of plants can be a sign of fertilizer root burn. You might find 1/4 strength at each watering to be a better option, if that's the case.
I don't think I'd give orchids a steady diet of Schultz, IMO it's a rather general plant food. Is it urea free?
MSU fertilizer takes into account what type of water is being used with their formula. What do orchid growers use & or recommend? Hausermann's has their own mix, as does Orchids Ltd. There are times plants benefit from a high nitrogen formula, then switch to a high phosphorous, such as you've been using.
It's interesting that you bring up the belief of some - 'if the drainage is right, you can't overwater a paph', sorry, but I disagree with that, there are way too many variables. Aussie Gold mix claims that too & any orchids I tried it in did poorly in it.

 

[john mickel]

I did try MSU 1 time - I probably never let them dry out - it is UREA free -I once had a member that believed water 3 weeks and let the 4th week be skipped - then theres the thought that keeping on the dry side will incourage the roots to grow a search out moisture ? Thanks - I really think I get few blooms because of poor root growth - I must be duing something since the plants roots have good roots when purchased - White , hairs on roots etc