Since my oldest son't fiance (well, now she is) gave me my first orchid
over 3 years ago, I've been trying to get one to bloom. I've had as
many as 12 or 13, down to about 10 now. Last winter, the first one she
gave me, a beautiful paph, spiked after I stopped feeding and watering
it (except for spraying) for a couple of months. I came on here and
announced my excitement at finally getting one to spike, excited about
watching it bloom. It never did. As the flower was coming out, it
stopped. Dried up. Bummer! I decided that I had watered in incorrectly
while it was blooming. I water most of my orchids (the ones that get
watered) in the tub under the shower every weekend. I may have read
this in this forrum, not sure. Anyway, it seems to work very well in
this dry Colorado climate. But I think that the water was too cold in
the middle of winter and the flower too delicate. I think I "froze" the
flower as it bloomed. Next winter, I'll stop feeding the paph again,
but water it more carefully after it spikes. But I was still excited
that it spiked.
A few weeks ago I noticed that one of my Oncidiums was starting to
bloom. I immediately started watering it again, but not in the shower.
It gets special treatment and gets sprayed and watered in the kitchen
sink while the others shiver in the shower. And WOW, is it blooming!
Right not there are 10 flowers in full bloom, 2 about half way there,
and 3 or 4 more in earlier states of blooming. And it's beautiful! It's
in my living room window and I look at it every day. I finally did it!
OK, so God may have had something to do with it too...
I have about half of my orchids on sparse rations - no food or water
other than spraying, until they bloom. It worked on the paph and the
oncidium, so I'm hoping it will work on some of the others. They seem
to be doing well. Many of them are sprouting new growth, which is also
exciting.
Always open to feedback, if anyone has any other suggestions on how to
take care of them and get them to bloom.

Congrats on getting the Onc to bloom. We all know what it was like "the
first time", LOL.

I do question the wisdom of starving and dehydrating your plants in hopes of
getting them to bloom, though. There *are* orchids that want a winter dry
rest in order to flower, but most orchids need regular food and water to
thrive. We don't want to over water or over fertilize, but it can be harmful
to go completely in the opposite direction.

My suggestion: Google your various plants for culture information. I think
if you give them a bit more nourishment you may see more results.

HTH

Diana

My suggestion: Google your various plants for culture information. I
think
if you give them a bit more nourishment you may see more results.

Thanks for the advice, Diana, but that's what I tried for over 2 years!
Different foods, light, praying and cursing. Tried all kinds of things
suggested here and elsewhere. But several people suggested I starve
them, and so far, I've gotten 2 of them to spike. As I said earlier,
they are almost all putting out new growth, so I'm not worried about
them dying on me.

Diana Kulaga wrote:
Congrats on getting the Onc to bloom. We all know what it was like "the
first time", LOL.

I do question the wisdom of starving and dehydrating your plants in hopes of
getting them to bloom, though. There *are* orchids that want a winter dry
rest in order to flower, but most orchids need regular food and water to
thrive. We don't want to over water or over fertilize, but it can be harmful
to go completely in the opposite direction.


HTH

Diana

On 13 Jun 2005 14:41:10 -0700, "salgud"
wrote:

My suggestion: Google your various plants for culture information. I
think
if you give them a bit more nourishment you may see more results.

We have quite a collection in Colorado. None get starved or
dried to 'scare' them into bloom. If you are near Denver come
tomorrow to the Denver Orchid Society meeting Denver Botanic
Gardens on York at 7 pm. We have a speaker scheduled for 7. The
topic is Dendrobiums my newsletter is not here - so don't ask
which or who. Both before and after the meeting you can talk to
lots of members as to how they grow different plants in the
Denver area.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

Sue,
Went to an Orchid society meeting a few years ago when I first got
interested in them. Even helped set up the orchid show. I enjoyed it.
Unfortunately, time is precious when you work full time and are
starting up a new business.
If I remeber right, the meetings are on Thursdays. If that's correct,
I'd like to get to some more. This Thursay won't work because I teach
classes up in Ft. Collins on Thursday evenings, but that ends, for a
while, after this Thursday.
Besides, I don't feel great guilt about inducing them to bloom this
way. I'm happy that I, a notorious serial killer of much hardier plants
than orchids, have kept so many alive so long and had the patience to
get them to start blooming! I even brought one back from near death
after a bookcase fell on it and crushed it when I was moving 2 years
ago!
Besides, you cheat! You've got a greenhouse.
Seriously, am always willing to learn. One thing I need to find out is
when each of them is "supposed" to bloom. Then I could try other
things, like changing their diet and voodoo curses to encourage them at
the right time of year.
Thanks for your reply. When I can get to another Orchid Society
meeting, I will.


Susan Erickson wrote:
On 13 Jun 2005 14:41:10 -0700, "salgud"
wrote:

My suggestion: Google your various plants for culture information. I
think
if you give them a bit more nourishment you may see more results.

We have quite a collection in Colorado. None get starved or
dried to 'scare' them into bloom. If you are near Denver come
tomorrow to the Denver Orchid Society meeting Denver Botanic
Gardens on York at 7 pm. We have a speaker scheduled for 7. The
topic is Dendrobiums my newsletter is not here - so don't ask
which or who. Both before and after the meeting you can talk to
lots of members as to how they grow different plants in the
Denver area.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

SUE!
What a beautiful gallery you have !!!!!!!!

Marty
www.OrchidBoard.com



Susan Erickson wrote:
On 13 Jun 2005 14:41:10 -0700, "salgud"
wrote:

My suggestion: Google your various plants for culture information. I
think
if you give them a bit more nourishment you may see more results.

We have quite a collection in Colorado. None get starved or
dried to 'scare' them into bloom. If you are near Denver come
tomorrow to the Denver Orchid Society meeting Denver Botanic
Gardens on York at 7 pm. We have a speaker scheduled for 7. The
topic is Dendrobiums my newsletter is not here - so don't ask
which or who. Both before and after the meeting you can talk to
lots of members as to how they grow different plants in the
Denver area.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On 14 Jun 2005 11:18:11 -0700, "Marty" wrote:

SUE!
What a beautiful gallery you have !!!!!!!!

Marty
www.OrchidBoard.com

Thanks - that is all John's photography. He will not let me even
hold the camera.


SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

On 14 Jun 2005 07:09:08 -0700, "salgud"
wrote:

Sue,
Went to an Orchid society meeting a few years ago when I first got
interested in them. Even helped set up the orchid show. I enjoyed it.
Unfortunately, time is precious when you work full time and are
starting up a new business.
If I remeber right, the meetings are on Thursdays. If that's correct,
I'd like to get to some more. This Thursay won't work because I teach
classes up in Ft. Collins on Thursday evenings, but that ends, for a
while, after this Thursday.
Besides, I don't feel great guilt about inducing them to bloom this
way. I'm happy that I, a notorious serial killer of much hardier plants
than orchids, have kept so many alive so long and had the patience to
get them to start blooming! I even brought one back from near death
after a bookcase fell on it and crushed it when I was moving 2 years
ago!
Besides, you cheat! You've got a greenhouse.
Seriously, am always willing to learn. One thing I need to find out is
when each of them is "supposed" to bloom. Then I could try other
things, like changing their diet and voodoo curses to encourage them at
the right time of year.
Thanks for your reply. When I can get to another Orchid Society
meeting, I will.

I don't know when Fort Collins has their meetings. I know there
is a contact posted via the AOS website.

Good luck. The next show I know about in CO is at the DBG on the
weekend of October 8-9th.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php

I'm only in FtC one evening a week, usually, and just zoom in to teach
class and then head back to Denver. I did mark my calendar with the
Denver Orchid Show date, so hopefully I can make it this year. Thanks!

Susan Erickson wrote:
On 14 Jun 2005 07:09:08 -0700, "salgud"
wrote:

Sue,
Went to an Orchid society meeting a few years ago when I first got
interested in them. Even helped set up the orchid show. I enjoyed it.
Unfortunately, time is precious when you work full time and are
starting up a new business.
If I remeber right, the meetings are on Thursdays. If that's correct,
I'd like to get to some more. This Thursay won't work because I teach
classes up in Ft. Collins on Thursday evenings, but that ends, for a
while, after this Thursday.
Besides, I don't feel great guilt about inducing them to bloom this
way. I'm happy that I, a notorious serial killer of much hardier plants
than orchids, have kept so many alive so long and had the patience to
get them to start blooming! I even brought one back from near death
after a bookcase fell on it and crushed it when I was moving 2 years
ago!
Besides, you cheat! You've got a greenhouse.
Seriously, am always willing to learn. One thing I need to find out is
when each of them is "supposed" to bloom. Then I could try other
things, like changing their diet and voodoo curses to encourage them at
the right time of year.
Thanks for your reply. When I can get to another Orchid Society
meeting, I will.

I don't know when Fort Collins has their meetings. I know there
is a contact posted via the AOS website.

Good luck. The next show I know about in CO is at the DBG on the
weekend of October 8-9th.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php