Frustrated with big Cattelya's

[Nanook 2010]

Have had a few big cats for going on 4 years now and am getting frustrated by the lack of flowering. They are very healthy and growing great, but after producing sheaths on new growth they are turning brown and dying.

I think I am moving them too often....I moved from GA to FL last summer and this year they went in my screened in patio with filtered sun all day. I have since moved them to hang under my oak trees to get them less direct sun

I fertilize once a week with 30-10-30, and like I said, they are all very healthy, new growths and new roots

I've attached a few photos to give you an idea of what I'm talking about

Thoughts?

[tucker85]

You may be giving them too much nitrogen. Many cattleyas have a distinct growing season and a blooming season. I'm sure your 30-10-30 is fine when the orchid is growing but might be too much nitrogen in the fall and winter when the plant should bloom. How much of the 30-10-30 are you using per gallon? Also does your fertilizer contain calcium and magnesium?

[dounoharm]

could be a little too much shade too...my big cats bloom best when they are exposed to strong sunlight...the leaves get pale looking but man do they ever flower and grow!!...cats like the very hi canopy in the jungle, not the low shade....gl I hope they present you with many blossoms!

[Nanook 2010]

I think they were getting too much light before......no shade all day..only filtered by patio screen

Tucker ....here is the fert.......sorry it's 20-10 20...I use the recommended amt....

So cats aren't summer bloomers?

[tucker85]

Originally Posted by Nanook 2010

I think they were getting too much light before......no shade all day..only filtered by patio screen

I grow all my cattleyas under patio or pool screen also. The standard charcoal colored fiberglass screen is 25% shade, or 75% light. My cattleyas bloom very well under those light conditions here in Florida. It's not too much light for them but they'll grow and flower with a little less light, down to about 60% light if you feel more comfortable with that. Cattleyas grown under patio/pool screen will be a light green color and bloom well. Grown with less light they'll be a darker green but bloom well down to about 60% light in Florida.

[tucker85]

That's about 132 ppm nitrogen which should be fine. In October you should cut back to half that amount. Since you're growing outdoors where the plants get a lot of rain water I would also recommend a calcium/magnesium supplement if you don't mind spending the extra money. You can buy it at hydroponics stores or online. I use one called Magical at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water twice a month. It's best to use it by itself, not mixed with fertilizer. Aside from that, I don't know why they won't bloom. Good luck.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by tucker85

That's about 132 ppm nitrogen which should be fine. In October you should cut back to half that amount. Since you're growing outdoors where the plants get a lot of rain water I would also recommend a calcium/magnesium supplement if you don't mind spending the extra money. You can buy it at hydroponics stores or online. I use one called Magical at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water twice a month. It's best to use it by itself, not mixed with fertilizer. Aside from that, I don't know why they won't bloom. Good luck.

Hi Tucker, I just ordered MagiCal, eBay seller, $18.79/liter, which will last me quite some time, and free shipping, so it was not at all so expensive:-) Will try it and will see, my Cattleyas are not blooming also, and they are growing outside so maybe this will help:-))) Thanks for tip

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by tucker85

That's about 132 ppm nitrogen which should be fine. In October you should cut back to half that amount. Since you're growing outdoors where the plants get a lot of rain water I would also recommend a calcium/magnesium supplement if you don't mind spending the extra money. You can buy it at hydroponics stores or online. I use one called Magical at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water twice a month. It's best to use it by itself, not mixed with fertilizer. Aside from that, I don't know why they won't bloom. Good luck.

I agree that supplementing with Ca and Mg is good. Here is an inexpensive source. Ca - purchase gypsum, about 1 teaspoon will dissolve per gallon of water; it will dissolve quite slowly (may take a day or 2). You can buy Epsoma brand, or similar, at many garden stores, especially those catering to organic gardeners. You can also use the pelleted gypsum meant for lawns (decant and use the liquid, which will turn brown; discard the organic residue, which is the pellet binder). Also, plaster of Paris is nothing but gypsum with some water driven off by heating - you can use that also, dissolved first in water (I know, sounds freaky; Plaster has a long history of agricultural use; ).

For Mg, Epsom salts are a good, cheap source. They are available in any pharmacy, very cheap. Be sure to use the ones without additives; some are scented, etc., I'd avoid those.

[edited: I had said "pelleted lime" when I meant "pelleted gypsum", sorry, coffee has not kicked in yet. Also, if trying the plaster, it must be plaster of Paris, not lime plaster]

[Nanook 2010]

Thanks tucker....will give it a shot.....my wife keeps telling me just to quit worrying and leave them alone! Maybe she's on to something

[euplusia]

Flower induction and flowering season depend on the species. Most Cattleya species flower only once a year, and induction is controlled by variation in daylength, variation in humidity and rain or variation in temperature.
After the new pbulb is finished, I would reduce watering and give a rest, so that the plant does not immediately start to thrive anew.
The background is that many orchids go through a vegetative and a generative phase. Try to clearly stop the vegetative phase at the end of the growth cycle.