how to encourage earlier bloom

[slippery]

So I currently have about 75 paph. delenatii which I will be
getting ready for the IOS spring orchid show at Chicago Botanic
Gardens. I tried to do a display last year, but most of the plants
were not in full bloom until 2-3 weeks after the show which is
held in mid-March. I grow my delenatii under T5 lighting in a cool
basement. The lights are on for fifteen hours during the summer
months. By November 1, I decrease the lighting to twelve hours
a day until April 1 when I bump it up again. So here is my plan to
encourage an earlier blooming. By mid-December bump it back up
to 15 hours. Enclose the growing area in plastic and provide additional
heat and humidity. Does anyone have any ideas as to whether this
may work? Sounds logical? Open to any suggestions. Thanks, Jerry

 

[C. Rothschild]

It may but I just think the new growths have to get to blooming size first which would probably a year maybe more or less.

 

[slippery]

O.K. that's a given, but every single plant flowers every year
and shortly after new leads start which seem to mature during
the course of the year and flower the following spring. So in
other words, they always flower for me, I just want them to do
it 2-3 weeks earlier. Jerry

 

[Justin]

75 delenatii...even the plants out of bloom muat be a beautifuli sight.

 

[Linus_Cello]

Maybe once you see the buds, raise the temperature?

 

[troy]

75 plants is almost the amount of my full collection lol... I hope they bloom for you in time, when my plants are blooming I give them a dose of inocucor and a very good dose of cal mag

 

[valenzino]

when plants give sign of starting flowering,increase hours of light and temperature

 

[JAB]

Or just let them do their thing on their timing. I'm not so sure the delenatii are overly concerned about any orchid shows

 

[tnyr5]

When professional nurseries are stuck with an accelerated schedule for a plant that needs seasons, they shave a little time off each season. I would start "winter" a week or two early, and then bring temps and light back up a bit early, too. Note that inducing early blooms may affect flower size/quality to a minor degree.

 

[gonewild]

You can probably induce spikes by applying Gibberellic Acid.

 

[slippery]

***,
They get to do their own thing every year and as you say are
totally unconcerned about orchid shows. I however have been trying
to do this for a while. I think it's time that they earn their keep.
After all, I'm not asking them to bloom totally out of season, just a
tiny bit earlier. Do it for daddy, please.

 

[slippery]

tnyr5,
What you say sounds very logical to me. As far as possibly compromising
flower size and quality...not that important to me. I don't intend to enter
any plants for show ribbon or AOS judging; it's all about the display.
All I need is enough willing participants (blooming plants) to make it
happen. Jerry

 

[gonewild]

I'm not asking them to bloom totally out of season, just a tiny bit earlier. Do it for daddy, please.

Give em drugs, 850ppm, look for spikes 11 weeks later.

 

[slippery]

Lance,
I have no trouble manipulating the environment a bit by increasing
light levels and temperature. That to me seems much like an early
spring, which happens from time to time. However, I draw the line
at doping. After all, they're Vietnamese not Russian. Jerry

 

[gonewild]

Lance,
I have no trouble manipulating the environment a bit by increasing
light levels and temperature. That to me seems much like an early
spring, which happens from time to time. However, I draw the line
at doping. After all, they're Vietnamese not Russian. Jerry

I used the word "drug" as humor.
Applying a natural plant growth regulator like gibberellic acid is ethically no different than using seaweed extract or a rooting hormone. Just a stronger dose of a known PGR.