New at growing slippers

[mattryan]

Hello I joined yesterday and have been reading up. I have a coupld of questions. Firstly I purchased a Maudiae type paph approx May 2011. It was in bloom at the time and the bloom lasted several weeks. I cut the spike after it turned brown. I did a re-pot into bark and have re-potted several times since. It started growing a new fan, but then stopped and it died maybe a year ago. Recently it started growing a new leaf from the crown of the old fan, I only have 1 fan of this growth. I am trying to post a pic. Is this normal?
Secondly I recently purchased 2 paphs at an orchid show I attened and I am wondering if the is any special care that they need. Currently I keep them moist and fert approx once per month. All 3 of my paphs are mottled leaf type. I have them under a grow light in my kitchen always above 50% humidity. All are currently growing a new leaf. I have read about calcium no idea if I need to supplement or not. I am feeding Better-Gro Orchid Plus 20-14-13 urea free. I am getting really good results with it with my other orchids.
Here's what the new purchases are: Paph Pinocchio X Bellatulum
Paph Hung Sheng Leopard X stonei

P.S. Have my eye on a couple others!!

Thanks for the help Cheryl

 

[The Orchid Boy]

They all look quite healthy. Usually paphs bloom only once a year. Some paphs don't keep many fans and so stay small. So hopefully your one paph will bloom in May of this year. I wouldn't worry about calcium supplementation with your hybrids, but I guess if you want you could sprinkle about 1/4 a teaspoon crushed oyster shell per inch of pot.

 

[NYEric]

They look OK, Just dont let water sit in the leaf axels.

 

[Dido]

They look good to me, interesting crosses.

 

[likespaphs]

do you know that each growth only blooms once and then that growth dies?
it should, however, put off new growths
and even though the one it started died, it may send off another one (or perhaps two, if'n you're lucky)

 

[mattryan]

Yes I just didn't understand why it bloomed then started new growth, which died then went back to the bloomed growth and is growing a new leaf. As you can hopefully see the largest is the maudiae ( left hand side) and it is working on a new leaf...this fan has already bloomed. I guess I am not making myself clear, hopefully you understand me now. Is this normal? The other 2 are divisions so hopefully they will bloom at some point. Thanks

Cheryl

 

[SlipperFan]

One-growth divisions? I almost killed my first orchid (a Paph) doing that.

 

[goldenrose]

...I purchased a Maudiae type paph approx May 2011. It was in bloom at the time and the bloom lasted several weeks. I cut the spike after it turned brown. I did a re-pot into bark and have re-potted several times since. It started growing a new fan, but then stopped and it died maybe a year ago. Recently it started growing a new leaf from the crown of the old fan, I only have 1 fan of this growth. I am trying to post a pic. Is this normal? .....

Most orchids require repotting once a year? I have to wonder if you're repotting to too large of a pot & that's what's contributing to the die back. You saih you repotted to bark, were they in sphag?

 

[ALToronto]

This vendor sells lots of one-growth divisions (tiny ones, too). He has a good reputation for growing paphs. I bought 6 very small plants from him.

Cheryl, inspect your plants daily on the undersides. I blinked and found my little micranthum covered in brown scale. They almost sucked one of the leaves dry. I separated it from the rest and am watching it and the others like a hawk. Haven't come back yet, but I won't blink again.

 

[Ray]

Slipper orchid growing is like falling off a log - lots of bumps and bruises, and the occasional bad word spoken. And then you get the hang of it.

For me, the key is lots of air flow to the root systems and plenty of water. Letting them get too dry causes problems - no pseudobulbs or thick leaves to store water.

Sure, a lot of growers do fine with single-growth divisions, but I believe the "colony effect" is particularly beneficial to them, as the resources shared through the rhizomes makes the colony far more resilient than the individuals would be alone.

 

[mattryan]

I didn't do the divisions I purchased them like that. The maudiae I purchased so long ago I can't remember what it was originally potted in. The pics at the top of my post show what size pots they are potted in. I haven't done a re-pot on the 2 I purchased at the show as the medium looks ok. They are from 2 separate vendors. I have looked all over my maudiae and can't see any new grow other than the new leaf, which I am still wondering about. Does this mean it might bloom again? I know it's not supposed to again. So why would it be growing anything on a already bloomed fan?

Cheryl

 

[quiltergal]

Hi Cheryl. Glad you found your way to ST. Can you post a picture of the Maud that shows the new leaf growing? I can't see it in the picture you posted. No it's not normal for a previously bloomed growth to resume growing.

 

[mattryan]

ok here it is. No idea why it is doing this. Thanks for the looks.

Cheryl

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Sympodial orchids don't usually do this but it isn't completely unheard of. I've only once heard of an old growth reblooming before, so it is unlikely that this growth will rebloom.

 

[quiltergal]

You are absolutely sure it bloomed from that growth?

 

[mattryan]

Yes I am. When I bought it it was in bloom and basically this is all that it's done since the flower died and the new growth died (since 2011). Glad it's finally doing something. This is why I joined because I must be doing something wrong for it not to have done anything. Especially since I read this type is easy and fast growing lol. The new growth that died was not very big at all only had 1 very small leaf, so I don't think it went into distress. But this has me stumped why it is growing this new leaf.

Cheryl

 

[mattryan]

Here's what it looked like when I got it after a re-pot.

 

[SlipperFan]

You are fooling us -- it's two different plants!

 

[mattryan]

No it's the same plant. I only had 1 slipper until I bought 2 at the orchid show in Feb. I will keep everyone in the loop in regards to what this does next. It would be sweet if it re-bloomed. Thanks for the looks and help

Cheryl

 

[SlipperFan]

I said that half in fun and all in earnest. The Leaves have different configurations in the two photographs.