Psychopsis For Orchid Show and Advice

[Kevinator]

Hello everyone!

I am wondering if I should participate in The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show next year in March. My orchid that I want to enter is Psychopsis Butterfly var. Alba 'Canary'. Pictures are in some of my older threads. It is a large and healthy plant. Also, is there anything special I should know about winning the competition?

Thanks!
-Kevinator

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by Kevinator

Hello everyone!

I am wondering if I should participate in The Santa Barbara International Orchid Show next year in March. My orchid that I want to enter is Psychopsis Butterfly var. Alba 'Canary'. Pictures are in some of my older threads. It is a large and healthy plant. Also, is there anything special I should know about winning the competition?

Thanks!
-Kevinator

stake, stake, stake, stake, and STAKE! presentation is important, so make sure the spikes are staked if need me, and remove and dried leaves and clean the leaves to make them shine! but this is stuff you'd do closer to the show, until closer, just grow it well!

[Kevinator]

Thanks for the info!

A few more questions. Is there any way to maximize a Psychopsis's show potential? Mine seemed to grow smaller and more sluggish after I bought it two years ago. Also, how do you deal with wrinkled, old leaves without cutting them off? Mine is starting to get a somewhat yellowing on its old leaves and if I remove them then the plant would look like it was divided.

Thanks!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Psychopsis normally shed their old leaves and leave behind bare pseudobulbs. That is nature, you can't change that.

Plants in general are what are considered "plastic", and will adjust their growth to what their environment is like. If it is growing smaller, it probably is related to three things - light, nutrients, or water.

Insufficient water usually means buckled leaves and/or smaller growths.

Bright light can also affect the size of the growths. If they are getting the maximum amount of light they can tolerate without burning, the next subsequent growths may be smaller.

An insufficient amount of nutrients could also be a determining factor in how large or small the subsequent growths are. Make sure you fertilize on a regular basis.

It's difficult to know which factors are affecting your plant without a picture, and even when provided a photo, it can be tricky to diagnose what the problem(s) could be. There is some trial and error to be done sometimes, in order to figure things out.