Help, Leptotes bicolor is blasting all its spikes! - Orchid Board

camille1585 · #1 11-04-2009, 04:20 AM

I need some help with my Leptotes bicolor. I got it about a year ago as a NBS plant. In October I was really pleased to see that the 4 newest and largest growths were starting spike nubbins. But they seem to grow a little bit, then they just dry up and die. 3 have blasted so far, and I'd really really like to save the last one which is stll green. I'm growing it mounted on cork, with no sphag. It gets heavily misted twice a day and dunked every 2-4 days. Right now it's hanging a few inches under my 55W powercompact light. Temperature is about 20°C, and the humidity is in the 55-75% range.

Sandy4453 · #2 11-04-2009, 08:12 AM

Camille, I may be off the mark but one thing I've noticed with most of my low light growers is, if they're not receiving a LOT of air flow (fans!!!), bud blast and rot will follow. My Paphs and especially, Bulbos really took a beating this summer, all due to too little air flow. Could this be what's going on with yours?

orchids3 · #3 11-04-2009, 10:32 AM

Camile,
My Leptodes bicolor has gotten a blue ribbon every year I have enter it in a show for the past 5 years. It seems so easy to me. Mine is mounted on a piece of tree fern and I water and fertilize it the same as cattleyas. About once a week most months but twice or more when it is really hot in Florida. Air flow is good in my greenhouse. Those fleshy leaves store a lot of water so I think it might be easy to overwater. I have several small strap leaf Ascocendas "John DeBiase" that grow right next to it - so mine takes that much light. Temperature stability (not too much daily change) might be important. Hope this helps.

flhiker · #4 11-04-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orchids3

Camile,
My Leptodes bicolor has gotten a blue ribbon every year I have enter it in a show for the past 5 years. It seems so easy to me. Mine is mounted on a piece of tree fern and I water and fertilize it the same as cattleyas. About once a week most months but twice or more when it is really hot in Florida. Air flow is good in my greenhouse. Those fleshy leaves store a lot of water so I think it might be easy to overwater. I have several small strap leaf Ascocendas "John DeBiase" that grow right next to it - so mine takes that much light. Temperature stability (not too much daily change) might be important. Hope this helps.

Sorry Camille I don't have anything to help as you know I just got mine for the project 9.

Orchids3 I sure would love to see a picture of yours. Its sounds like a beauty!
What kind of fertilizer do you use and at what ratio.

camille1585 · #5 11-05-2009, 03:43 AM

Thanks for the help! I guess it could be air flow, or a too strong variation in temperatures. My fan died not long ago, and at this time of year there are no stores that have any. Since the plant is hanging right under the light, it's getting some heat from the bulb which is not being blown away by the fan anymore. As for temperature changes, at night the light is off and the orchids are between the window and a curtain, so it's a bit cooler. I measured the temps yesterday, and under the light the Leptotes has 23-24C, and at night the windowsill is at 17-18C. If you think the temperature is the problem, I can move the plant at night so that it doesn't get that much of a temp drop.

Blueszz · #6 11-05-2009, 08:31 AM

Camille, about fans...
I saw fans online only minutes ago. It was at Trekpleister Home but it are the large fans. One is a round type, the other a tower type fan (75 cm high). Both were only € 12.95 I think you can only get them online at Trekpleister.
Another solution might be installing a computer fan. You can give it power with an old cell phone charger. I have a charger for you if you like and if you don't know how to assemble the whole thing I can get you the fan too (I think they come as cheap as €4,00). If you mount it in a correct position you can blow the heat from the lamp away. Don't know if that would be enough for your plant. With a bit of luck it can be posted as a letter (cheap).

Nicole
PS Also Kijkshop has them online: Kijkshop.nl - HOME CLASSICS Tafelventilator
A while ago I saw them in one of their shops, these are small but they are *not* the oscillating ones!

orchids3 · #7 11-05-2009, 09:05 AM

Flhiker
The picture archives dont seem to have that one.
Fertilizer is 17-5-17 Cal Mag (4% Ca and 1% Mg).
For Most of my collection (including the Leptodes) the rate is 100 ppm N in the summer. I fertilize very weakly or not at at all when I believe my plants are not growing.

playtime8978 · #8 11-05-2009, 09:05 AM

I have a Leptotes bicolour and it is blooming for the second time since I got it, but its in a south window in intermediate conditions, it is potted in coconut husk chips, I have only had it about 6 months so cant really give too much advice, it is watered once every 10 days or so with being in the coconut husk chips

orchids3 · #9 11-05-2009, 09:06 AM

I think its too late to save the buds this year but maybe next year. Would deffinately find a fan somewhere.

Leisurely · #10 12-27-2009, 04:49 PM

Camille, don't give up hope in saving that last spike. It could be that the plant, as a first time bloomer, put out more spikes than it could support, so it aborted all but one and the last one might just make it.