# Patience...



## The Mutant (Oct 20, 2013)

I was prepared for not getting any more Paph flowers this year, due to the new fans on previously flowered ones being too small, due to the single fanned ones being to small, due to the ones being of BS, being stubborn bastards etc. etc.

Now, I have five in very low bud, in the "oh, let's stay down in the crown an think for a while"-stage (three of them have already wasted plenty of time in this stage already), probably designed to weed out those not meant to grow Paphs, from those meant to.

Unfortunately, none of the ones in bud belong to the good Paph category, as my cerveranum and purpuratum does. One of the hopeful bloomers is my wardii for example, and it's in a category of its own, called the "tormenting Paph newbies to death" category.

How do you guys deal with this? Having maybe a precious Paph in low bud, which just doesn't DO anything, except maybe growing one tenth of a millimeter in two weeks?

Do you sing to them? Whistle? Tell them bedtime stories? Get your Phrags to come over and hold lectures on the benefits of developing your flower quickly?

Do you spank them? Is it okay for me to spank them? For motivational purposes? 

Now I'll go back to stare at them a bit more (I know having more would get my mind off the few I have in bud, but since that's not a viable option I need something else to distract myself with)...


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## goldenrose (Oct 20, 2013)

hmmm ......
Have we been down this road before with you?
Get rid of the negativity and stop scrutinizing them! As they say - the watch pot never boils!


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## atlantis (Oct 20, 2013)

Well... I bought my _wardii_ in low bud but it grew quite quickly so I don´t know when the bract appeared or how many time it took from low seath to fully opened. But let me tell you about my_ P. acmodontum_.

I´ve heard some stories about _malipoense_ or _hookerae_ that take forever to flower... and I really believe those stories. But when I got my _acmodontum_ no one warned me about this fact in this species (maybe because it seems that it´s not what one should expect from _acmodontum_). 

The fu**ing truth is that my lovely plant spends between 4 and 5 months to develop its flowers. During the first 3 or 4 months it only shows the tip of the bract and it doesn´t grow not even a milimeter.

The first time it flowered I was about to jump down the window but I live on the ground floor so I decided not to do it (I would´t die even if I try).
The second time it flowered I thought about cutting my veins... but I didn´t want to make a mess of the floor.
Now I think it´s preparing to flower again and the plan is just to forget about the plant until the flower opens. I will water it, of course, but nothing more. Nor dialy monitoring neither comparisons with others Barbata...

This is a war between your plant and you. Go for it!


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## The Mutant (Oct 20, 2013)

goldenrose said:


> hmmm ......
> Have we been down this road before with you?
> Get rid of the negativity and stop scrutinizing them! As they say - the watch pot never boils!


Yup, and I haven't learned anything. :rollhappy:
I'm not negative, I'm impatient. I want them to flower now, please, preferably yesterday, thank you. I'm not cut out for being a Paph owner, unless they are good little Paphs, and no stalling ones... 



atlantis said:


> Well... I bought my _wardii_ in low bud but it grew quite quickly so I don´t know when the bract appeared or how many time it took from low seath to fully opened. But let me tell you about my_ P. acmodontum_.
> 
> I´ve heard some stories about _malipoense_ or _hookerae_ that take forever to flower... and I really believe those stories. But when I got my _acmodontum_ no one warned me about this fact in this species (maybe because it seems that it´s not what one should expect from _acmodontum_).
> 
> ...


Oooh, you have a well behaved wardii then. Mine is more of the stop-start variety, which means it takes ages to develop its bud. Last time, the bud blasted just as it was about to open, too. That placed it on the naughty list for me.

Guess which one of the other bloomers are? Yup, my acmodontum! :rollhappy: And what you're telling me is not making it better! We'll see what kind of wreck I'll be around Christmas, when maybe one or two of them have progressed somewhat.

I've also read the malipoense takes its sweet time developing its buds, but that's a toilet, and I don't really care for the flowers, so as long as it doesn't flower, I'm happy. 

If I had anything else distracting me, it wouldn't be a problem, but I don't have that at the moment. I have several Phals in spike, that I'm also waiting for to flower (both my schills for example), but since they are also taking their sweet time, they can't distract me. The Phrags work as a slight distraction though, but they are only two...

My Delrosi, with its weird affliction and the fact that all three fans are busily sending up sterile bracts, sure is an attention grabber, but again it only works for a short time. Then I'm back at checking my poor potential bloomers...


Yup, it's definitely a war, the question is; who will win? I have a feeling the Paphs will drive me crazy before they ever fold for me though.  Hopefully, they'll teach me patience... Some year...


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Oct 20, 2013)

Low bud is the danger time. 90% of my blasted paph buds occur in low bud. Once that stalk begins to appear below the bud, you are usually clear. So many things can blast those tiny nestled buts...too dry, too wet, too warm....and only for very brief moments of time....so short that developed buds aren't affected.


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## abax (Oct 21, 2013)

You can distract yourself by sending good vibes to my wardii. It's now showing color and stripes in the bud. However, it doesn't seem to be in any
hurry...unlike me. I have two fairries, one sukhakulii and one gratrix. in
bud and seem to be moving along at a Paph. pace. One conco-bella in
full bloom from Thanh and a Samantha Lowery that has one bloom open
and another bud I want to open before taking a photo. Oh, and one helenae that's been blooming for some time now.

*I've been trying to mind my own business, but it's HARD!


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## The Mutant (Oct 21, 2013)

*Eric:* Which was I was so devastated when my wardii blasted last year... It was about to open. The ones most probable to blast this time, I think is the urbanianum and the acmodontum, especially the last one. It has almost cleared the axis, but compared to the others' buds, the bud itself hasn't grown at all.

*abax:* I was actually thinking of your wardii when I saw that mine was in low bud. 
I have my urbanianum, wardii, acmodontum, Ashburtoniae, and my sukhakulii all in low bud. The only one I had in bloom, was my villosum and that one I gave away. XD


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## orchideya (Oct 21, 2013)

I just have a big bunch of phals that bloom and bloom one after another distracting me from sitting and waiting for flowers from paphs and vandas.


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## Carkin (Oct 21, 2013)

Hahaha, you are hilarious! At least you have buds to watch...I have been obsessively peering down my crowns with a flashlight in hopes of seeing bloom sheaths...but alas so far only new leaves.


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## AdamD (Oct 21, 2013)

Carkin said:


> Hahaha, you are hilarious! At least you have buds to watch...I have been obsessively peering down my crowns with a flashlight in hopes of seeing bloom sheaths...but alas so far only new leaves.



I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that! I almost killed my poor Bel Royal by spreading the crown leaves apart a bit to see if the new leaf was a sheath... It's still in recovery.


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## NYEric (Oct 21, 2013)

Wow, you really have a patience problem! oke:


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## The Mutant (Oct 21, 2013)

Got something to distract myself with; my Dendrobium normanbyense is spiking! Woot! :clap:

I know I can't take any credit whatsoever for the spike, but it doesn't make me any less happy. 



orchideya said:


> I just have a big bunch of phals that bloom and bloom one after another distracting me from sitting and waiting for flowers from paphs and vandas.


Problem with my Phals is, I have some first-time-for-me Phal bloomers, too (2 schills, my stuartiana, and my Princess Kaiulani 'Miki'), that I'm eagerly awaiting, so I'm walking around staring at them also. They are also sooo slow. 



Carkin said:


> Hahaha, you are hilarious! At least you have buds to watch...I have been obsessively peering down my crowns with a flashlight in hopes of seeing bloom sheaths...but alas so far only new leaves.





AdamD said:


> I'm glad I'm not the only one who does that! I almost killed my poor Bel Royal by spreading the crown leaves apart a bit to see if the new leaf was a sheath... It's still in recovery.


The only one I've used the flashlight on, is my Delrosi, and it's only putting up sterile bracts, so some failed blooming I guess? My Paphs have tricked me the entire summer and early autumn, but now they are actually delivering! Or, about to at least. 

When some of them actually decided to spike, they were so obvious about it, I couldn't help wondering how they could fool me earlier. Wishful thinking, is my guess. 



NYEric said:


> Wow, you really have a patience problem! oke:


When it comes to my chids; yep. :rollhappy:


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## abax (Oct 22, 2013)

Maybe there's some advantage to being old and far sighted. I haven't reached the flashlight stage yet because the buds are fairly obvious before
I even notice them. I am developing a modicum of patience and I can
thank Paphs. for what little I've managed. However, one needs the patience of a saint to bear that wardii! Think harder, Theresa.


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 25, 2013)

I didn't know what patience was until now.. I'm watching a malipoense spike grow. It just barely started in mid summer and I know it won't bloom until early spring. How do I cope? Get more orchids, preferably in spike, bud, or bloom. And build a greenhouse!


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## Trithor (Oct 25, 2013)

The Orchid Boy said:


> I didn't know what patience was until now.. I'm watching a malipoense spike grow. It just barely started in mid summer and I know it won't bloom until early spring. How do I cope? Get more orchids, preferably in spike, bud, or bloom. And build a greenhouse!



Malipo has to be the greatest 'enabler', that is about the sum of it! Be sure to post some pictures when you build your greenhouse:rollhappy:


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## The Orchid Boy (Oct 25, 2013)

It will be a very modest greenhouse at best. For use from March 1 to November 1. A seasonal greenhouse now that my bedroom is full.


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## paphioboy (Oct 26, 2013)

I think every beginner paph grower has gone through this experience  It is true that you should not fuss over them too much.. Then only time will pass faster. lol. Yes, you can spank them or send them my way..:evil:


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## The Mutant (Oct 26, 2013)

abax said:


> Maybe there's some advantage to being old and far sighted. I haven't reached the flashlight stage yet because the buds are fairly obvious before
> I even notice them. I am developing a modicum of patience and I can
> thank Paphs. for what little I've managed. However, one needs the patience of a saint to bear that wardii! Think harder, Theresa.


I'm thinking about both your wardii and mine, as hard as I can. Is it working? :wink:



paphioboy said:


> I think every beginner paph grower has gone through this experience  It is true that you should not fuss over them too much.. Then only time will pass faster. lol. Yes, you can spank them or send them my way..:evil:


Hmm... spank them or ship them off to Malaysia... Decisions, decisions... I think I'll spank them and then threaten them with shipping them off to Malaysia! Should work like a charm.


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## abax (Oct 27, 2013)

Well, the wardii bud is getting a bit fat and I can see green and white
stripes. I think that's an improvement. How's your bud coming along?
I just know that when it blooms and posted that SK and Eric are going to
tell me it's not wardii. ;>)


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