What do you think?

[gego]

Had posted this same plant last Dec. Same time I started experimenting adding organic fert in my urea based feeding. This plant was one of the chosen few that got the new feeding just because the grower was using MSU type of fert. When I bought it the leaves were short but wide, the reason why i chose it. The flower in the picture is the third flower since Dec. The wilted flower on the right is the second flower and the bud coming up will be the fourth.

My observations:
1. With the new feeding, the spike of the third flower is twice as long as the second and first flower.
2. The leaves are now growing longer but narrower but area wise they are bigger. Also the number of leaves on each growth when flowering differs. The first two flowers have more leaves than the last two.
3. The plant that have the fourth spike developed in just over three months and has one growth coming out.

Questions:
Is this plant saying goodbye to me?
Have you experienced this kind of growth?
Is this normal? A freak?

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[gego]

A close up of the new leaves with the bud



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[Stone]

I think whatever you're doing is good! I've always been a fan of organics to complement manufactured ferts. The fact that the flowering is taking place at different times of the year may have something to do with it as well.
So you added what to what?

 

[PaphMadMan]

Had posted this same plant last Dec. Same time I started experimenting adding organic fert in my urea based feeding. This plant was one of the chosen few that got the new feeding just because the grower was using MSU type of fert. When I bought it the leaves were short but wide, the reason why i chose it. The flower in the picture is the third flower since Dec. The wilted flower on the right is the second flower and the bud coming up will be the fourth.

My observations:
1. With the new feeding, the spike of the third flower is twice as long as the second and first flower.
2. The leaves are now growing longer but narrower but area wise they are bigger. Also the number of leaves on each growth when flowering differs. The first two flowers have more leaves than the last two.
3. The plant that have the fourth spike developed in just over three months and has one growth coming out.

Questions:
Is this plant saying goodbye to me?
Have you experienced this kind of growth?
Is this normal? A freak?

Good growing!

I'd say you have a plant that was just reaching vigorous maturity anyway, when you gave it a change that let it really show its potential. Taller spikes and bigger leaves overall would be expected from a mature larger healthy plant. Fewer leaves per growth wouldn't be unexpected if a Paph is cycling faster - it doesn't need as many new leaves to support a flower if there are plenty of still young healthy productive leaves on multiple older growths.

Not all Paphs have this fast growth and cycling capability, but you got a good one and your care is letting it show it - so not a freak at all, just good genes and excellent care. Just keep doing whatever you are doing, don't ever put off repotting just because it has buds/flowers, and you'll have an awesome specimen soon.

And I would also like to know what your fertilizer combination is, and also what media.

 

[Happypaphy7]

This kind of association and conclusion is very problematic.
It's like when someone repotted a plant into a different potting mix in the spring, when plants start growing vigorously, and say, oh, wow~ I like this new mix! Or repotting activated the growth.

Back to your plant, I love this one because I find the leaves beautiful and pattern rather different than what I usually see on tonsum, which is very nice already.
The flower on your clone is nice for type, as I usually don't find tonsum pretty.

As Kirk says, the length and size & number of leaves may increase as plants age.
You even mentioned the shape of leaves, which I believe has to do with genetics not fertilizing.

Let me share an example.
I had this Maudiae type hybrid of album flower for many years.
It was about the strongest paph I ever had.
It would bloom three times a year. Each growth will mature at different size, some would have only two small leaves while others would have three four leaves before sending up a spike.
The size of the leaves were different every time.
This pattern was the same whether I fertilized regularly or nearly none at all for one year.

I have other multiple growth Paphs, and this similar pattern shows.
Then I have others that have similar size and number of leaves on the plants overall.

The length of spike ( at least the pattern I saw) was either always consistent, or suddenly much taller once plants got older.

If you ever divide, think of me!
The flower is beautiful on your clone, and I could never get tired of looking at those leaves, plus, it's a vigorous clone!

 

[gego]

Thank you guys. I will remember you all LOL
I will continue to post the progress of this plant.

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[gego]

Good growing!

I'd say you have a plant that was just reaching vigorous maturity anyway, when you gave it a change that let it really show its potential. Taller spikes and bigger leaves overall would be expected from a mature larger healthy plant. Fewer leaves per growth wouldn't be unexpected if a Paph is cycling faster - it doesn't need as many new leaves to support a flower if there are plenty of still young healthy productive leaves on multiple older growths.

Not all Paphs have this fast growth and cycling capability, but you got a good one and your care is letting it show it - so not a freak at all, just good genes and excellent care. Just keep doing whatever you are doing, don't ever put off repotting just because it has buds/flowers, and you'll have an awesome specimen soon.

And I would also like to know what your fertilizer combination is, and also what media.

It's still on the original media, which is orchiata bark. I dont want to change it so the only change I did was adding an organic fert alternating with a 30-10-10. I fert every 3rd day at 40-50 ppm N. I tried this Dr. Earth's Nitro, 7-2-2, with humic and food for microbes and saw a good reaction from most of the plants. I don't have many plants so I can really monitor them one on one. It doesn't really take long to notice if a plant will react positively. So I selected a few plants and actually bought some cheaper clones for my experiment. This is pure organic so half of the N are in insoluble form. So it takes time for it to be available and very low salt. This I believe is the best way to feed the microbes/bacteria and spare more for the plant. Anyways, that's my theory and I'm testing it right now.
I think the increase length of the spike was very evident. The first two blooms have about three growth already and one flowered plant. If it was due to maturity then the second bloom should have shown some improvement but it was the same as the first. Btw, that stem is 19 cm from bottom to the back of the flower. I will post more if I see something interesting. Check this Nitro out, its not expensive and it has the usual organic sources and some sugar /carbohydrates.

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[gego]

This kind of association and conclusion is very problematic.
It's like when someone repotted a plant into a different potting mix in the spring, when plants start growing vigorously, and say, oh, wow~ I like this new mix! Or repotting activated the growth.

Back to your plant, I love this one because I find the leaves beautiful and pattern rather different than what I usually see on tonsum, which is very nice already.
The flower on your clone is nice for type, as I usually don't find tonsum pretty.

As Kirk says, the length and size & number of leaves may increase as plants age.
You even mentioned the shape of leaves, which I believe has to do with genetics not fertilizing.

Let me share an example.
I had this Maudiae type hybrid of album flower for many years.
It was about the strongest paph I ever had.
It would bloom three times a year. Each growth will mature at different size, some would have only two small leaves while others would have three four leaves before sending up a spike.
The size of the leaves were different every time.
This pattern was the same whether I fertilized regularly or nearly none at all for one year.

I have other multiple growth Paphs, and this similar pattern shows.
Then I have others that have similar size and number of leaves on the plants overall.

The length of spike ( at least the pattern I saw) was either always consistent, or suddenly much taller once plants got older.

If you ever divide, think of me!
The flower is beautiful on your clone, and I could never get tired of looking at those leaves, plus, it's a vigorous clone!

Yes, I can see that. So this particular plant did not have a rest, no winter/summer, grown inside the house with LED lights. Temp was pretty the same from October until now. No change of potting, in fact this is ready for repot. But I think the organic stuff I gave is keeping the media from going sour.

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