Slow grower or something else?

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

I would bet the broken down medium explains the lack of growth.

How long has it been that warm? If so, that could explain the growth setback too. Paphs are generally cool to warm growers. They can tolerate a few days in the 85 to 90 degree temp range, but if it's been several weeks to a month, growth will stall. You might have a cooler growing variety on your hands. I believe that the mottled leaf paphs tend to like cooler temps.

I think you might have it backwards. Mottled leafed paphs can handle the warmer temps. I specifically bought the mottled ones for that reason, because all of the complex ones I lusted after were cool growers. It is also why I have such a small paph collection in the first place. They hate my climate.

[RandomGemini]

Ah! You're right! I do have that backwards! I think I might need a little more caffeine.

Still, those temps for longer than a few days are a bit much for some paphs and it is a rule of thumb, for a reason. It may be that the paph you have that isn't doing as well, could be hybridized with one of the cooler growing species... which might make it less temperature tolerant. Just throwing that out there for you.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I don't like to over generalize with the whole mottled leafed Paphs liking warmer temperatures thing.

Paph malipoense, Paph micranthum, and Paph armeniacum are all mottled leafed Paphs and they don't like it all that warm.

Examples of mottled leafed Paphs that do like it warm are Paphs such as Paph vietnamense and Paph thaianum.

While Paph helenae likes it on the intermediate side of the temperature range, but they are not mottled leafed.

There are numerous examples like the ones I mentioned.

It is far more reliable to find out where they came from in the wild if they are species, and you will find your answer to how warm or cool they like it. If they are hybrids, find out where the parents came from, and you will get a fuzzy idea of where in the temperature ranges your hybrid will fall into.

[lotis146]

I have a Paph I got over a year ago in bloom, my first actually, and I wasn't watering it enough from the door. It suffered, I came here, I learned, I repotted, and it's still SUPER SLOW growing. I seemed to start a new growth relatively quickly then suddenly the growth stalled, then picked up, and now it's stalled again.

Then this spring I picked up 'Pink Fred' and it gave me a total of 5 blooms (subsequent). It had a small, small new growth when I got it that grew a little bit then stalled. Then this summer it started growing another new growth. Lately they've both grown the smallest amount but aren't fast AT ALL.

THEN my Odette's Vision started two spikes month ago but they stalled. Lately they have started developing again.

What I've learned, at least with the last one, is that I do not water my Paphs enough at all. Even as I know this I still don't get to them enough, probably they should be watered in my case 2-3 times a week whereas I tend to water once a week, maybe twice. I was also exposing Odette's Vision to too much light.

I feel your pain on the slow growing...

[Ray]

I'll offer another avenue to enhancing growth in all orchids: a very open potting medium and very frequent watering.

I have seen it commented here in the past, and lot is just hinted at it, but it's worth reiterating: water drives growth.

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by Ray

I'll offer another avenue to enhancing growth in all orchids: a very open potting medium and very frequent watering.

I have seen it commented here in the past, and lot is just hinted at it, but it's worth reiterating: water drives growth.

I have it potted now in a fine fir bark mix with a little bit of sphagnum (like a pinch) and I'll keep an eye on it to see if it takes to this new medium. I wanted to use sponge rock and charcoal, but I'm out and didn't want to drive 45 minutes to the supply store near me. I don't think water was necessarily the issue though because they get a lot of rain here in coastal SC.

Originally Posted by lotis146

I have a Paph I got over a year ago in bloom, my first actually, and I wasn't watering it enough from the door. It suffered, I came here, I learned, I repotted, and it's still SUPER SLOW growing. I seemed to start a new growth relatively quickly then suddenly the growth stalled, then picked up, and now it's stalled again.

Then this spring I picked up 'Pink Fred' and it gave me a total of 5 blooms (subsequent). It had a small, small new growth when I got it that grew a little bit then stalled. Then this summer it started growing another new growth. Lately they've both grown the smallest amount but aren't fast AT ALL.

THEN my Odette's Vision started two spikes month ago but they stalled. Lately they have started developing again.

What I've learned, at least with the last one, is that I do not water my Paphs enough at all. Even as I know this I still don't get to them enough, probably they should be watered in my case 2-3 times a week whereas I tend to water once a week, maybe twice. I was also exposing Odette's Vision to too much light.

I feel your pain on the slow growing...

I'm not sure it was the water that was lacking. I make sure my paphs get ample supplies, even if my other orchids don't. I'm going to watch this one's growth like a hawk, and see if the broken medium was the issue.

[Ray]

Where are you in SC? I am writing this from Litchfield Beach.

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by Ray

Where are you in SC? I am writing this from Litchfield Beach.

I live in Charleston. You're probably an hr away. It's funny that you're up that way. My Orchid society was wanting to grab some people and look at native orchids near Hobcaw Barony.

[tarev]

Paphs for me really takes a good long while to grow...they sit there a lot as if doing nothing. But as long as I see it do a fan, it rekindles my hope it is going to try and make that spike. Usually I get more action when it is nearing the cooler months. During summer..just almost nothing. I do give them more water now, since it is summer, and too hot here.

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by tarev

Paphs for me really takes a good long while to grow...they sit there a lot as if doing nothing. But as long as I see it do a fan, it rekindles my hope it is going to try and make that spike. Usually I get more action when it is nearing the cooler months. During summer..just almost nothing. I do give them more water now, since it is summer, and too hot here.

I figured they'd be more active than they have been during the warm months, but hearing you say yours grow better in the cooler weather gives me hope mine can mature at least one more leaf before they come inside for winter.