Large Catt about to bloom. Help

[let_it_grow]

I have a large NOID Catt, with pseudobulbs about 30 inches tall, they are slender compared to their length and have very thick leaves. I just noticed the newest pseudobulb has a spike with about 10 buds on it. I'm ecstatic cause this plant was an absolute disaster when I saved it but now I don't know what to do. I am fairly new to catts and although I have about 15 of them I have acquired all of them quite recently so none have rebloomed since I got them. Since this is a NOID I have no idea what to do now. Aside from switching to a bloom fertilizer (grotech: solo-tech bloom 4-9-11) I don't know what else to do. I'd really appreciate any input. This Catt was not in bloom when I got her so I have no way of determining an ID. All I have to go on is her size and leaves and since I'm new to catts that doesn't really tell me anything. Should I take her off the windowsill since I'm in Canada and the air near the windows is cold? Provide more light? Any help would be appreciated

[isurus79]

Do exactly what you have been doing all along. Don't change anything, especially the fertilizer! Many (like myself) would argue that bloom boosters are a waste of time and money. Plus, they are meant to be used before the blooms come, so using it now will not do any good. Oh......and don't forget to post pics on OB! Lots of pics!! lol

[tucker85]

I agree that you shouldn't change anything. Cattleyas can be sensitive to changes when they're in bud. Once the flowers are open, you can move the plant to whatever location you want, to display the flowers.

[smweaver]

I agree with the above comments, especially regarding the uselessness of "bloom boosters." My cattleyas all grow together, and they can easily handle cooler winter temperatures (down to the low 50s at night), so as long as your plant isn't touching the glass (which could lead to real problems), I wouldn't worry too much about the temperatures next to the window. In fact, the differential between day and night temps next to the glass will possibly be of great benefit to your plant, as many cattleyas appreciate a 10 - 20 degree or so difference between day and night temps. At this time of year they also appreciate higher light levels and a little less water than during the summer growing season. My opinion regarding my orchids is that if they were growing in nature, they wouldn't have some human fussing over them (it's quite humbling to realize that, given the right environment, they would probably prefer--if they were able to have a preference--for me NOT to be around pestering them). The trick is to give them what they want, which involves doing your research, reading as much as you can about what you grow, and observing your plants and their changing seasonal environments daily, making small changes when appropriate (as opposed to making big changes simply because you're bored or being obsessive). Good luck! And please post some pictures of the blooms when they open.

[let_it_grow]

I have always given my chids bloom fertilizer when pseudobulbs are reaching maturity and throughout the bloom phase. I have found that when I give a balanced fertilizer I get noticeably fewer blooms. Maybe it's a personal preference but I tend to use high nitrogen and micronutrients during growth and bloom fertilizers with a low amount of nitrogen and still include my micronutrients. I agree about trying to give them what they want in nature so in the summer months everyone except my miniatures go outside. I fertilize during periods of no rain and let nature do the rest. I think maybe I hang out at the hydroponics centre too much lol. I found that its the best (and only) place in my area to get lights, fertilizers, pots (suuuuper cheap there) and absolutely anything I need for my chids. I can get orchid bark and sphag, coco chunks and half the time they don't charge me because I brought in a few chids for them to show off in the store that they have rigged up into some kind of hydroponic setup (a vanda that gets sprayed automatically twice a day). They are used to clients growing weed so their suggestions for nutrients are based on that but I do find that if I follow the same general guidelines that it works for my chids too (or maybe they just like it when I talk to them ). I have about 40 chids that do very well and bloom for me it's just catts that I'm not used to. I appreciate the input. I moved her off the windowsill onto a bench in front of the window cause this house is over 100 years old and the windows are very drafty. It's below freezing during the day sometimes and there will be snow on the ground so that window will only get colder. Oh, on an interesting side note I desperately needed to repot her when I got her and I took it as an opportunity to do a bit of experimenting so I took large orchid bark for good drainage and mixed it in a ratio of about 3:1 with diced rockwool to retain some moisture but allow good drainage as well, I staked all the pseudobulbs so they were all pointing up (she fell over and half of her grew sideways while she laid on her side for who knows how long) and I tossed her outside during the summer. She grew like a freakin weed. I have tested this same combination on phals and oncids but using a slightly smaller grade of bark and they love it. They grow like weeds too so if anyone wants to give it a try its worth it in my opinion.

[james mickelso]

Timing the switch is the key. Too much nitrogen in the ratio can keep an orchid producing new growth at the expense of blooms or empty sheaths. And yes orchids will bloom despite anything we do. In nature the cycle goes something like this. When the rains come, nitrogen from the atmosphere is abundant while the potassium and phosphorus in the ratio are at a minumum. That is because the release of those two are slow because they are leached out of the rock dust and organic debris the orchids roots are in contact with by the rains. Then the dry season (with their more abundant pollinators) comes along with much less moisture available as rain but with some moisture as fog or clouds. The releasing of potassium and phosphorus increases as a ratio to nitrogen and the orchid (most plants) begins the switch from growing leaf and sugar storage material to initiaing blooms. That is how it works in nature and why I choose to switch to a bloom booster. It's not necessary to do this as most balanced fertilizers offer the orchid lots of nutrients. But unless the ratio changes, the orchid may not switch it's physiology. The best way to find out for yourself is to do the experiment and feed a couple one way and the others how you've been doing it all along. There's a reason for bloom boosters. It's not just marketing. People took a long time experimenting.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

There's a reason for bloom boosters. It's not just marketing. People took a long time experimenting.

I don't know, there are a lot of big commercial growers that are now abandoning their bloom boosters! I also never use them and have great results!

[smweaver]

Originally Posted by isurus79

I don't know, there are a lot of big commercial growers that are now abandoning their bloom boosters! I also never use them and have great results!

I too get decent results without the use of any bloom booster. And, in my opinion, marketing does play quite a big role in what we choose to do, and in what "experts" recommend (especially if those experts have an interest in selling what's being marketed). Just look at the pharmaceutical industry, for instance, with all of the money they put into marketing a product just to get you to go pester your doctor to prescribe what they're selling. They too take a long time experimenting, and much of that experimentation has more to do with the mighty dollar than some noble interest in health promotion. Or, if you prefer something more applicable to orchids, look at how Benlate was marketed not so long ago (and the cautionary tale it eventually became).

[let_it_grow]

I have actually inadvertently tested the theory on an oncidium. I repotted the plant and it broke into 2 equal pieces so I potted them separately. One was at my apartment on a light timer getting bloom boosters and the other was at my moms where I have been staying most of my time recently. I forgot my bloom booster at home and only had a balanced fertilizer at moms so I used that. The one at home sent out an average spike with 6 flowers, the one at my moms sent out a spike with 2 flowers. The plant was very large and when it fell into 2 they each had about 7 pseudobulbs each and both had 2 new growths when I repotted them. I'll see how the other growth does when they flower and see if there is still a difference

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by let_it_grow

I have actually inadvertently tested the theory on an oncidium. I repotted the plant and it broke into 2 equal pieces so I potted them separately. One was at my apartment on a light timer getting bloom boosters and the other was at my moms where I have been staying most of my time recently. I forgot my bloom booster at home and only had a balanced fertilizer at moms so I used that. The one at home sent out an average spike with 6 flowers, the one at my moms sent out a spike with 2 flowers. The plant was very large and when it fell into 2 they each had about 7 pseudobulbs each and both had 2 new growths when I repotted them. I'll see how the other growth does when they flower and see if there is still a difference

Sounds like a great experiment! You would have to grow them side by side under the same conditions and only change the fertilizer for it to be a good experiment though. I'm definitely curious to see the results too!