Paphiopedilum micranthum budding

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I am excited and anxious to see two of my micranthum clones in low bud for the first time. I have bloomed micranthum var eburneum but not the type form.

Part of me is hesitant to share fearing they will sense my excitement and blast. The other part of me knows that there is a long way to go before seeing these flower. So fingers crossed, here are my two type micranthum in bud... only many months to go to see if they will be successful.

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Absolutely amazing! Keep at it.

My biggest fuss with paph is that their bud takes sooooo sooooo long to grow. Their flower sheath and bud takes close to 3 to 5 months to fully form. That is a lot of time for mistakes/ factors to cause bud blasting
 
Good luck, Darlene. This is one (and armeniacum) that I finally gave up on. Even when I could coax a bud it invariably blasted. Got tired of beating my head against the wall. I think part of the problem was not being able to achieve the temperatures they wanted under my conditions.
 
Bud blasting have so many variables. This is what I wrote down in my journal so far.

The most apparent one is lack of water will 100% lead to bud blasts. Paphs are more terrestrial than epiphytic, so keep it moist consistently. Roots can be dipped only on the surface of water for max of 1 week before rotting, so if you leave for vacation you can leave so water at the bottom and let it evaporate for a week.

Temperature is another common one. I actually have been writing down my observation

  1. Most Paphs (Maudiae, complex bull dog, tea cup paphs) If single growth paph usually 7 leaves = maturity and ready to bloom. It require temperature 78F to 85F with +/- 10 to 15 drop at night and sudden influx of nutrients to trigger blooming (usually high phosphorous and potassium)
  2. If multiple mature growth paph usually 5 to 6 leaves, sometimes 4 leaves = maturity and ready to bloom. Same temp and nutrient as above to bloom, but usually the temp is more important, while nutrient is less because there are more growths to support nutrient needs of flowering
  3. Multifloral and more specifically, Sanderianum or Rothchildianum primary and novelty hybrid, prefer a new growth that has 3 to 4 leaves developed and 85 to 90F with +/- 10 to 15 drop, and a sudden influx of nutrients and consistent nutrients to trigger and maintain blooming or else they will blast.
  4. Temperature above 105 tends to result in bud blast, maybe that is due to excessive water loss. Water loss is greater than plants ability to absorb water? But it could also be due humidity?

Another bud blasting I experience is lack of nutrients surprisingly. During budding, I usually provide consistent nutrient Nitrogen 20-25, Phosphorous (multi-florals require more) - 35 to 60, Potassium - 30. But if I suddenly skimp and just give water, I have noticed some maudiae, complex bulldog. tea cup paphs will first cannibalize the leaves, if not enough nutrients, then bud blast. If there is a lack of nutrients, The plant is willing to cannibalize all the way to down to only 3 leaves to support the bud before blasting. This is a trend I have seen in some of my paphs in my early days.

Also additional information for people with Sanderianum or Sanderianum hybrid in them. We all know they are slow growers. But the optimal temperature range is 80F to trigger root growth, 85 to 90F for for fastest root growth which is approximately 1 inch every 12 to 14 days. I measured my Paph Sanderianum, Sander's pride, Paph Taiwan, Screaming Eagle, Prince edward of York by using a permanent marker on a clear soup container, but these are not seedlings, these are actually approaching BS, BS, or with 1 old growth.

Again, these are just my observations under Midwest Indiana conditions.
 
I would keep the flower buds dry. For micrantum and armeniacum, also tigrinum if water gets into the buds and stays there for long, they could blast. It is not easy to avoid since you have them outside now, but try.
 
So jelly here lol … my mics refuse to bud… I’m cheering for you! And follow all the tips here esp with the watering and nutrients.

I have been to micranthum habitats and they are wet a lot but with high winds that dry them by night usually.
 
How to you keep you micranthum growth so uniform? My plants send out growth shoots similar to mexipedium and are all over the place. Yours are so well behaved.
 
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