Quote:
Originally Posted by Milda
Hi.
I think I need some help. I have got several coelogynes, some are easy to flower, some are not. Just now I am a bit confused. I have had a lawrenceana for several years and it's happily growing in spaghnum, medium temperature, hanging under roof windows with some shade by summer. It grows a lot of new bulbs every year, but not a single flower in sight. I have read that it takes a long time for the plant from spike to flower, but I haven't seen any photos of such a spike.
The other plant is a Burfordensis which I bought last year. It's also a fantastic grower, and has grown 2 new bulbs this summer. It has the same growing conditions as the lawrenceana. But I can't see any spike....
I am afraid they get to easily dry because they are potted in sphagnum. What do you think?
Do any of you have photos of these plants in spike?
Milda
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Hi Milda and you other ladies. I have quite a few Coelogynes. I think that what you need to do is every 6 months move them to a new spot and see if you can get them to bloom. I do not flower my Coelogyne lawrenceana now because I think that the fibreglass sheeting on my greenhouse has yellowed after 36 years and the light is bad. My Coelogyne mooreana also only flowers sporadically and I think for the same reason - too dark). Coelogyne tomentosa (syn. Coelogyne massangeana) on the other hand flowers regularly sometimes twice in a year (coming into spike now). I grow them in pine bark (Pinus radiata) covered with a layer of sphagnum moss. The moss does tend to dry out and become difficlut to rehydrate in my clay pots but if you let copious water run onto it, then it does become wet and retain water. In winter I water once a week or fortnight depending on the outside temperature, light and time that I have available.In summer I water more frequently (every second day sometimes). Also watch your fertilising. After 6 months change from a high nitrogen to a high K/P fertiliser. Don't have digital photos of Coelogyne lawrenceana but on (in flower) was bought to our meeting on Monday night and will probably be exhibited on one of the orchid society shows this weekend. Will try and get a photo and post.Good luck.