Getting Phrags to bloom
 

Hello all,

there are many threads on the interWebz about this matter. It is relatively easy for many Phrag-keepers to get them to grow, but hard to get them to bloom. Most answers boil down to (as usual with orchids) "more light." Then there's this, that says Phrags are tolerant, will do well under different conditions, and aren't as big of "light hogs" as some suggest: 404 Not Found ... ulture.htm

I'm just wondering if any Phrag keepers out there have struggled through this and figured out what works - even if it was just for them.

Here's my situation: 13 phrags, hybrid and species, purchased over past 11 months. Most of them purchased in spike/in bloom, and are still in the place where they went through their blooming, which was fine. As many online find, it's easy to keep them blooming.

They are in standing water in humidity trays with the grate removed. I used the standing water to rinse them, then water and weakly fertilize them once/week. I alternate between the green Grow-More ladyslipper formula and Dyna-Grow Growth formula. Once/month I give them seaweed extract instead, and once/month no fertilizer, just two consecutive waterings to rinse out salts.

They are indoors in my house, in a corner that has windows facing south and west. However, there is a hill and some trees in the way, so it's not that much direct sun, but some. They haven't burned. However, they get about 3-700 Lux during much of the day, then starting about 2:00 till 6 or so it is dappled or direct sun (when the sun hits them the light meter maxes out to "1").

They have a constant breeze from a fan and from windows open, and at night during summer anyway (in Northern California) the temp drops down to 60s; during the day it's in the 70s in here. Humidity is about 50%.

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Sooo....

a) I do have a south facing window that gets more light. I could move them there, though I don't want to do that if they're fine where they are.
b) some sites mention top dressing once/year with N and bone meal. I do have oyster shell I could use. I never thought to do it, even though other terrestrial orchids (paphs, Cymbidium) are said to benefit from it
c) Perhaps I'm being impatient? Maybe expecting a plant that was in flower 8-9 months ago, to be in spike now, is not the way it works.

Any input from Phrag keepers appreciated - especially if you've struggled and then figured it out. If you have always magically had perfect success - well, I'm happy for you :D

One other thing. I have limited space. I'm growing indoors in windows; I don't have a temperature and humidity controlled greenhouse.

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Here are my plants:
Phragmipedium Geralda (lindleyanum 'Andean Process' X caudatum 'Cuzco Green')

Phragmipedium Urgandiae

Phragmipedium Cotton Candy (Green Hornet 'Grasshopper' X Hanne Popow 'Tickled Pink')

Phragmipedium Franz Glanz (besseae 'Winter Sun' x richteri 'Green Giant')

Phragmipedium sedenii

Phrag. Sunspot x besseae 'Cow Hollow II' FCC/AOS

Phrag QF Naukana Kealoha (longifolium var. gracile x Incan Treasure)

Phrag klotzschianum

Phrag QF Nicholle Tower (Longifolium 'Black as Night' x Dellasandroi)

Phrag richterii

Phrag. Richard Lemay (Sorcerer's Apprentice "Red"x pearcei 'Jenna')

Phrag Twilight 'Rising Rocket' 4N AM/AOS x Dallesandroi

Phrag.Giganteum (Grande 4N x warscewiczii)

Phrag Inca Embers

Thanks!!!!

Daniel Heller
Marin County, California

Personally, I think you're working too hard.

I grow mine in semi-hydroponic culture! and fed them 25 ppm N K-Lite at every feeding, which might be every other day, this time of year. They get 1 tablespoon/gallon KelpMax once a month added to that, and 3 tablespoons of Inocucor Garden Solution monthly, 2 weeks later.

They get paph-level light, greater than phals, less than catts.

Same culture year round, except of course for ambient light levels.

Thanks Ray. I'm probably not working too hard - but I think you may be sensing that I'm thinking too hard!!

Here is the link above, that didn't work, that I liked. Phrag. Culture Page

You're being impatient. Don't hurt me LOL

If they were in bloom when you got them, but first bloom seedlings, then they probably still have some growing to do, and may take some time off to recover and grow to full size.

You see, that's one of the cool things about many Phrags -- they often bloom quite early on young immature growths, and subsequent growths (and spikes) get bigger and better.

There's also a chance, that even though it sounds like you're taking good care of them, that they are still adjusting to your conditions. Hard to say whether your light is good enough or not, but it's true, when everything else sounds good, it's often a matter of lighting them up a bit more and then sitting back to wait until they decide it's time to bloom.

Species are usually very seasonal in terms of when they bloom, so if those species weren't quite ready to bloom when their season hit, then you probably do need to wait another year. Things like that klotz can take a long time to grow and bloom, so you may not see it blooming yearly until it's nice and mature with many growths. Of course, there probably are some clones that bloom young and bloom regularly, but that's likely an exception.

For your hybrids, the stuff with caudatum and its relatives (long petals) can also be a bit slow growing, and can require a few years to get big and mature before they'll bloom regularly. Again, it's a clonal thing, some are more floriforous than others.

For the rest of your hybrids, once they have some size on them, it's not unusual for them to produce new spikes every 8 - 10 months, and eventually some can literally be ever blooming.

So, really, all this was a long winded way of saying, just wait. If the leaves of your plants are dark green, then you need to get them into more light. However, if they're pale/light green without being yellow, then you're probably getting them the light they need, so it's just a matter of time.

Thanks. Great answer.

Some are, as you say, first bloom seedlings. I do have several that have many growths, though none that are busting out of their pots (well, one sedenii is.)

I'll hold my horses, and see what happens.

I only have 3, two I have good luck with one is being a problem child.

I look at Phrag photos, then look at the thermometer, then look at Phrag photos, then look at the thermometer.....

hi d novice! sounds like you are pampering them a bit much....but without seeing them, I would not give advise....I just wanted to ad to the above advise by informing you of a great group of orchidists right in your backyard! the marin orchid society is chock full of great folks! they used to meet monthly at that big garden park near san Rafael I believe....when I lived there I had a great time with them and they were so kind to a young crazy orchid lover! check them out!
gl!

The MOS meeting place has moved to a much more corporate setting :( I used to go to the meetings at the garden center, that's a neat place.

No one at MOS meetings talks much about phrags, interestingly. Maybe they know something I don't haha.

Thanks!

p.s. I don't do much more than any orchid person would do. But, if one isn't thorough in asking a question on here, people will ask for every detail that's not been mentioned. I thought I'd try to "nip that in the bud"

---------- Post added at 03:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------

I'm not psychic. What are you talking about?

I live in Phoenix. I have gathered Phrags are not hot growers.

From Phrag culture page, linked above

AOS doesn't have a Phrag culture sheet - kind of proves these are orphans. They do have a page that says 1000-1400 foot candles for Phrags, which is pretty low light! Lots of people say Catt. light for phrags; the phrag culture page above says more than Catt, less than Vanda light for Phrags. Hmmm....