Hello Schomb growers!
I am not an expert but I do have several Schombs (actually Myr... that
new name. However I'm keeping the Schomb labels until whenever I take
one to a show)
None are humboldtii, although mine are similar large growing ones from
the same area of northern South America. In these areas the temps are
much more constant. The seasons are marked more by a rainy season as
long as December to June, in some places shorter February until April.
***So if you water less in the winter that could be the main reason
you get no blooms.***
I have brysiana, fimbriata, crispa, tibiscinis, superbiens, splendida,
thompsoniana, albopurpurea, undulata, exaltata... those spellings may
be off.
My experience is that they need high amounts of unfiltered light. The
e-glass in many homes and shade cloth in the greenhouse may inhibit
their blooming. In Ecuador I've seen them growing exposed to full
sun. As I recall at maybe 1000 ft above sea level one was a splendida
blooming about 15 ft up in a tree there in June when temps were about
90 degrees. (However don't rush Schombs out into the sun, a gradual
'brightening' is a must. I have sunburned a couple and it is permanent
damage to those leaves).
Of the above, the ones who bloom better for me are brysiana, crispa,
tibiscinis, superbiens and splendida. In my situation in coastal SC
just 20 feet above sea level, most of them bloom from mid April to
early June. (Could there be a connection to cooler temps peaking in
March?) Here is what I do. As K. said, the brightest spot is the best.
I hang them close to the clear corrugated lexan roof. No shade cloth.
(Shadows on a piece of paper should be distinct with crisp edges.)
Mine are all mounted and get watered from the tap several times each
week and I do that all year. Because they are mounted it is unlikely
that I will over water them. I also fertilize with the 'Michigan
formula' at 1/4 strength every other watering also all year (I should
probably use more variety in their diet). During the season before
last I neglected to fertilize much at all and the spikes were few and
blooms were stunted. I noticed the recommendation to use a more acidic
fertilizer. I'll give that some consideration. However I would surmise
that the ants are helpful in pollination rather than adding acidity.
No scientific data here but in spite of having several pseudobulbs, is
it possible that Schombs send an inflorescence when the bulbs grow to
a larger size? When people have told me of blooms from a plant with
two or three bulbs, it turns out they have a division of a mature
plant. Also I would guess that if a plant with larger bulbs puts out
smaller bulbs, it is not in as good of a situation or condition.
Something has changed. The pseudobulbs should be starting the size of
a midget pickle and progress to have larger bulbs to the size of a
small baseball bat, well some of my pseudobulbs are 16" long and 2"
wide.
Schomburgkias are one of favorites. I grow'em for the annual fireworks
display! I don't have the patience to hybridize them. Pollination to
first bloom can be ten years I hear (Don't quote me).
Lee

lee at classicorchid com

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So they do grow well in pots, but what it takes to bloom them has
evaded me so far.

J. Del Col

OK, so now we just gotta get them to bloom! These were moved to
myrmecophilia, so maybe they need slightly more acid? (In nature they grow
with ants who provide formic acid to their roots) Just a guess. But no
one else seems to worry about acid in their growing regimen. Santa Barbara
Orchid Estate just hangs them way high in their GH. I'm assuming you've
giving them enough light. Everyone says to put them high in the GH and that
they grow warm (makes me worry about my low winter temps.)

K Barrett- Hide quoted text -