Why won't my sharry baby bloom????

[kimberly]

Originally Posted by ScottMcC

I bought it in spike in Jun. At that time, the spike was about 28 inches long. Throughout Jun and July, the spike grew to about 35 inches long, and the nodes started to swell a little bit, as though buds were going to burst out any minute.

Since then, it has stagnated. The spike is still pleasantly green, just not developing further. The plant itself has grown significantly during this interval, and the 3 new growths that were just starting when I got it are almost mature now.

I have this plant sitting next to my cattleyas in a SW facing window, temps 70-80 daytime, sl cooler at night, humidity 50-70%, still in the fine bark mix and plastic pot in which it came, fertilize with MSU at 125 ppm every watering.

Any suggestions, other than just being patient???? I'm about to just give up and transplant it into s/h, since all my other s/h plants grow so well. It is actively growing new roots now--the only thing holding me back is I'm nervous about repotting while it's in spike.

I have grown Sharry Babys for years and they need
lots of water. If your bulbs are wrinking then not enough
water for sure. I don't grow mine with cats, but with
everything that is around 1500 foot candles.

Pull your plants back from too high a light escpecially
when in bud. It sounds like the flowers on the spikes
have blasted. I would cut off the spikes now and
wait for new ones as these unlikely will flower.

Check to see that you pot size isn't large

Other wise sounds like you are doing fine with fert. etc.

Hope this helps

Kimberly

[wallyworld]

Mahon, mine are in my vanda room and they get watered everyday. The reason that the plants are in baskets is to allow the roots to dry between waterings to keep them in the same enviroment. If I had these in pots, they would definitely rot in no time.

[ScottMcC]

for whomever said I had insufficient light: this is sitting right next to a standard cattleya, which is just flowering for the first time. when I purchased both, I was led to believe that oncidiums need less light to bloom than catts, but can tolerate a wide range.

so I think that my previous conclusion about the old one being a dud stands. luckily the new one is blooming up a storm--the buds on spike 3 are really starting to swell!