Bulbophyllum's not blooming

[keithrs]

It's not so much the 20% N that's the problem... It's your final PPM of N that can be a problem. You can use a 1/4 tsp per gal. and you'll only be feeding about 65 ppm N.... Or feed @ 1 tps and be serving 300 ppm N......65 ppm N will have little effect on blooming but 300 ppm N will. You can do two things to reduce N.... 1) Flush more in between fertilizing and in effect make the plant use its reserves or 2) Lower your dosing amount.... Say from 1/4 to 1/8 tsp.... I like to take different aproch and make stocks and at every watering feed a reduced amount from the stock. I like to feed @ 25-30 ppm N. I can truly stay that's more then enough if feeding @ every watering.

Paul... You may want to try "MSU" or "K-Lite" in the future.

[james mickelso]

Are you saying that the proportion between N, P, and K make no difference but just the ppm of N? In the AOS literature I've read in the AOS mag from the late 90's ( I can't find the copy at the moment but still looking) they say it's the proportion between N, P, and K that determines whether an orchid will produce new growth or flowers. Please explain. Maybe I read it wrong. In nature the orchids get most of their nutrients from bird poop, decaying leaf litter, dust from the air, and good old CO2 and some nitrogen from the air as dissolved in rain. Am I missing something?

[Susie11]

I would say that humidity is the key. I only have one bulbo I got it in April this year and it is on it's second spike. The first one aborted. I don't know why but someone suggested to me that it could have been the humidity -or lack of- so I got a large pot to put the bulbo pot in and in the base of the cover pot I put marbles inside and filled with a few cm of water. I then place the bulbo pot on top of the marbles and since then I have got another spike growing. This one is a good healthy one it is green and thick. I hope that this one makes it. I also spray the insides of the cover pot too just to really keep the humidity high. I have a bulbo grandiflorum maybe they have different requirements but I would give it a try.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Paul mentions he has the plants exposed to relative humidity levels of around 80%. That is an adequate humidity level for Bulbos to produce blooms.

Temperature ranges sound like they're where they should be as well...

The only other few things I can think of as to why these plants are being rather stubborn are:

1. An issue with fertilization. (As was mentioned prior.)
2. They're probably not getting enough light.
3. Both plants are experiencing severe enough root problems to delay blooming.
4. There are not enough pseudobulbs to produce blooms.

[keithrs]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Are you saying that the proportion between N, P, and K make no difference but just the ppm of N? In the AOS literature I've read in the AOS mag from the late 90's ( I can't find the copy at the moment but still looking) they say it's the proportion between N, P, and K that determines whether an orchid will produce new growth or flowers. Please explain. Maybe I read it wrong. In nature the orchids get most of their nutrients from bird poop, decaying leaf litter, dust from the air, and good old CO2 and some nitrogen from the air as dissolved in rain. Am I missing something?

The ratio of N:P:K does matter.... What I was implying is that 20-20-20 is just the percentages of NPK.... So you can change the ppm(amount) of N given so N doesn't block flowering.

Paul... Sorry for the high jack!

[vmax3000]

Are bulbos sensitive to the nitrogen source (ammonia vs urea)? Not that I am trying to open a can o' worms, but this thread is fascinating. One of my species that I placed under the bench in frustration last year bloomed this spring, to my great surprise. A couple years back, I switched from Peter's 20-20-20 to MSU (Feed Me! formula for RO water) and have had a decent response from many of my non-bulbos. The bulbos have had a mind of their own. My Daisy Chain blooms annually without fail, while some of the others just grow and look good/odd as plants.

Sometimes this fert stuff starts to seem like the dark arts to me...plants respond slowly and a switch, although it seems like the thing that caused something to bloom, actually isn't, because the plant had been coming along nicely under the prior feeding/watering regime.

[keithrs]

Originally Posted by vmax3000

Are bulbos sensitive to the nitrogen source (ammonia vs urea)? Not that I am trying to open a can o' worms, but this thread is fascinating. One of my species that I placed under the bench in frustration last year bloomed this spring, to my great surprise. A couple years back, I switched from Peter's 20-20-20 to MSU (Feed Me! formula for RO water) and have had a decent response from many of my non-bulbos. The bulbos have had a mind of their own. My Daisy Chain blooms annually without fail, while some of the others just grow and look good/odd as plants.

Sometimes this fert stuff starts to seem like the dark arts to me...plants respond slowly and a switch, although it seems like the thing that caused something to bloom, actually isn't, because the plant had been coming along nicely under the prior feeding/watering regime.

I don't really want to high jack Pauls thread more then I have... But it think you saw the effects of a complete fertilizer.

I can pm you some threads that talked about different form of N if you would like.

[Paul Mc]

No, you're not really hijacking. I'm wondering if this might be a part of the issue. I'll admit I don't understand this stuff very well yet myself! I want to know this.

[james mickelso]

Yes I am interested too. I am considering getting some of Ray's SOLO but would like whatever info on fertilizing I can get. I know there are different opinions on it and whatever info you have would be appreciated. Especially for the newbies here.

[vmax3000]

Originally Posted by Paul Mc

No, you're not really hijacking. I'm wondering if this might be a part of the issue. I'll admit I don't understand this stuff very well yet myself! I want to know this.

Keithrs,
I think you have a willing audience! Should we start another thread, or just stick with this one? It would be related to Paul's original comment/question