My Paph Is Budding!!!
 

Hi All,

I mostly lurk here, absorbing information, then with all the Paph talk
lately I just had to share this. Bought my mottled leaf Paph (Shadowlands x
Spellbound) Nov 2002, flowered early in Jan and has done well vegetativly(?)
since. Nov I started looking for a bud, but no luck. Looked into the culture
and my habits a bit more and started watering *slightly* more, diluting the
fert more, and trying to keep the humidity higher. I'm not sure whether any
of that helped, but the good part is that for the last week I've been
watching what I hoped was a bud and can now confirm that it is! Now the
trick is to NOT ease up on care.

Now for the questions:

i) Is it normal that they flower this late, or is this a culture/environment
thing?
ii) The oft asked what size to repot to when it comes time? Currently in a
2.5" square pot, plant has two large leafy growths (~12" leaf span) and two
smaller shoots.
iii) When I repot, should I keep the growths that have flowered? I'm
thinking they will spawn more side shoots.

Any other observations comments are also appreciated.

Thanks,
Jeffo

My Paph Is Budding!!!
 

"Jeffo" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I mostly lurk here, absorbing information, then with all the Paph talk
lately I just had to share this. Bought my mottled leaf Paph (Shadowlands
x
Spellbound) Nov 2002, flowered early in Jan and has done well
vegetativly(?)
since. Nov I started looking for a bud, but no luck. Looked into the
culture
and my habits a bit more and started watering *slightly* more, diluting
the
fert more, and trying to keep the humidity higher. I'm not sure whether
any
of that helped, but the good part is that for the last week I've been
watching what I hoped was a bud and can now confirm that it is! Now the
trick is to NOT ease up on care.

Now for the questions:

i) Is it normal that they flower this late, or is this a
culture/environment
thing?

I'd say its right on time. IMHO early Jan vs mid Feb are about the same
time frame.

ii) The oft asked what size to repot to when it comes time? Currently in a
2.5" square pot, plant has two large leafy growths (~12" leaf span) and
two
smaller shoots.

IMHO after blooming, or when new roots appear. Paphs can be repotted
anytime, but why not repot when the roots can penetrate the new medium?

iii) When I repot, should I keep the growths that have flowered? I'm
thinking they will spawn more side shoots.

That, and they will still photosynthesize and provide nutrition support to
the new growths.


Any other observations comments are also appreciated.

I like you comment about not letting up on consistent care. Since one never
knows when the plant will start its budding primordia it pays to keep care
consistent so it can have the proper nutritional support for that bud.
Assuming we aren't talking about a plant that needs dry rest in order to
bloom, like some dendrobiums etc.

K Barrett

My Paph Is Budding!!!
 

"Jeffo" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I mostly lurk here, absorbing information, then with all the Paph talk
lately I just had to share this. Bought my mottled leaf Paph (Shadowlands
x
Spellbound) Nov 2002, flowered early in Jan and has done well
vegetativly(?)
since. Nov I started looking for a bud, but no luck. Looked into the
culture
and my habits a bit more and started watering *slightly* more, diluting
the
fert more, and trying to keep the humidity higher. I'm not sure whether
any
of that helped, but the good part is that for the last week I've been
watching what I hoped was a bud and can now confirm that it is! Now the
trick is to NOT ease up on care.

Now for the questions:

i) Is it normal that they flower this late, or is this a
culture/environment
thing?

I'd say its right on time. IMHO early Jan vs mid Feb are about the same
time frame.

ii) The oft asked what size to repot to when it comes time? Currently in a
2.5" square pot, plant has two large leafy growths (~12" leaf span) and
two
smaller shoots.

IMHO after blooming, or when new roots appear. Paphs can be repotted
anytime, but why not repot when the roots can penetrate the new medium?

iii) When I repot, should I keep the growths that have flowered? I'm
thinking they will spawn more side shoots.

That, and they will still photosynthesize and provide nutrition support to
the new growths.


Any other observations comments are also appreciated.

I like you comment about not letting up on consistent care. Since one never
knows when the plant will start its budding primordia it pays to keep care
consistent so it can have the proper nutritional support for that bud.
Assuming we aren't talking about a plant that needs dry rest in order to
bloom, like some dendrobiums etc.

K Barrett

My Paph Is Budding!!!
 

"Jeffo" wrote in message
...
Hi All,

I mostly lurk here, absorbing information, then with all the Paph talk
lately I just had to share this. Bought my mottled leaf Paph (Shadowlands
x
Spellbound) Nov 2002, flowered early in Jan and has done well
vegetativly(?)
since. Nov I started looking for a bud, but no luck. Looked into the
culture
and my habits a bit more and started watering *slightly* more, diluting
the
fert more, and trying to keep the humidity higher. I'm not sure whether
any
of that helped, but the good part is that for the last week I've been
watching what I hoped was a bud and can now confirm that it is! Now the
trick is to NOT ease up on care.

Now for the questions:

i) Is it normal that they flower this late, or is this a
culture/environment
thing?

I'd say its right on time. IMHO early Jan vs mid Feb are about the same
time frame.

ii) The oft asked what size to repot to when it comes time? Currently in a
2.5" square pot, plant has two large leafy growths (~12" leaf span) and
two
smaller shoots.

IMHO after blooming, or when new roots appear. Paphs can be repotted
anytime, but why not repot when the roots can penetrate the new medium?

iii) When I repot, should I keep the growths that have flowered? I'm
thinking they will spawn more side shoots.

That, and they will still photosynthesize and provide nutrition support to
the new growths.


Any other observations comments are also appreciated.

I like you comment about not letting up on consistent care. Since one never
knows when the plant will start its budding primordia it pays to keep care
consistent so it can have the proper nutritional support for that bud.
Assuming we aren't talking about a plant that needs dry rest in order to
bloom, like some dendrobiums etc.

K Barrett