Paphiopedilum bellatulum with buds: what should I do now so that the flower buds do not abort?

[GuRu]

......But you have your opinion and I have mine. Ultimately if it works for us, regardless of method that is what we go with.......

I won't argue with you...so I said....if your method works o.k. grow them your way.

Well where are most Brachypetalums found, SE Asia, old country names like Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, China, and I believe their ranges stretch to India. Just google some of these species.
Where do you think they are from?
Another group of slippers that come from many of the same area are the Parvisepalums, micranthum, armeniacum, delenatii and alike.

Of course the come from these countries but this doesn't mean they grow in constantly wet condition. Have a look at theit leaves for instance they are thicker and harder as the leaves of other Paphis. This shows me....they grow in other conditions and like more light and can stand dryer spells.

 

[big923cattleya]

You are the first person that I have ever run across who uses the feel of a leaf to determine how to grow any slipper orchid, much less a Brachypetalum.

 

[Mafate]

Yes, the type error was my fault. I ment you didn't do anything wrong and I corrected my post.

I grow my Brachies on a west facing windowsill without any utilities .... and they like it and flower regularly. Look here how I do it (post #19)

Hi GuRu, thank you for the link, and interesting to see how these plants can correctly grow different way!

What is your inorganic potting mix composition? Is it made of quartz sand for instance? I am curious to know.

Regards.

 

[GuRu]

What is your inorganic potting mix composition? Is it made of quartz sand for instance? I am curious to know.

Regards.

Mafate, no quartz sand because this would be too dense when wet. It's a mix of inorganic components and I wrote about about it already before. More text and two photos you will find in post #6 of this thread .
The ingredients all for themselves didn't work but the mix works.

 

[GuRu]

........And do you advise me to remove the glass jar to prevent possible rot? I placed it because I was wondering if the ambient humidity was not too low.......

The glass may be good to stimulate growth of the plant. I use also transluscent plastic bag to increase humidity and help plants to establish again after repotting or when they have root problems. But maybe for the bud a humidity too high isn't really approbriate. So far as I know flower the majority of plants not during rain seasons or periods with the probability of high rainfalls.

 

[Mafate]

Mafate, no quartz sand because this would be too dense when wet. It's a mix of inorganic components and I wrote about about it already before. More text and two photos you will find in post #6 of this thread .
The ingredients all for themselves didn't work but the mix works.

Thank you GuRu for the link. Could you please specify the proportions you use for each element of your mix:

• Expanded clay balls 4-8 mm
• Expanded clay balls 8-16 mm
• Cracked clay balls
• Seramis
• Cut styrofoam stripes

Do you think that another ingredient could replace styrofoam stripes? I would prefer something more natural if possible... ;-)

Thank you for your help.

Sylvain

 

[GuRu]

Thank you GuRu for the link. Could you please specify the proportions you use for each element of your mix:

• Expanded clay balls 4-8 mm
• Expanded clay balls 8-16 mm
• Cracked clay balls
• Seramis
• Cut styrofoam stripes

Do you think that another ingredient could replace styrofoam stripes? I would prefer something more natural if possible... ;-)

Thank you for your help.

Sylvain

Hi Sylvain, sorry but I mix the ingredients more or less by emotion. Have a look at the photos to estimate every single component. You can do without the styrofoam stripes completely because they are in my mix only a remain of other tries before.

 

[Mafate]

Hi Sylvain, sorry but I mix the ingredients more or less by emotion. Have a look at the photos to estimate every single component. You can do without the styrofoam stripes completely because they are in my mix only a remain of other tries before.

Hi Rudolf, ok no problem, I will make a try at the next repotting. Thank you very much for your help.

Regards.