How to coerce sympodial orchids to produce multiple growths?

[stonedragonfarms]

I too have seen generous growth with kelp-based fertilizer application, though I have not decreased my overall fertilization schedule. As to multiple leads, I have found that many plants will throw 2-3 leads if you take the time to gently remove the senesced vegetative sheathes from the surface of the pseudobulbs; you have to be extremely careful when doing this, make sure your tweezers and scissors are regularly sterilized as you go along. By doing this, you will expose the dormant buds at the base of the plant to light, which often triggers them to push vegetative growth; you will also often see new root growth in the same area. It can be a time consuming process to do this, but I usually just add it to my repotting schedule and devote an afternoon or two to just getting it done.
Adam

[turock]

Originally Posted by Ray

For what it's worth, and this is nothing more than anecdotal, over the last several years, I have made three changes to my culture - switched to K-Lite, reduce my fertilizer dosage drastically, and started applying KelpMax on a regular basis. I attribute it primarily to the KelpMax, but I am seeing a significant increase in the number of growth fronts.

Wow, Ray! That's an incredible improvement. What is your specific fertilizer & KelpMax regime/schedule?

[Leafmite]

I have been growing Cattleyas for many years and I have noticed that the years I add Ironite to the watering can, I get more multiple growths on the Cattleyas. I also started using a liquid seaweed additive this year and some of those leads on my Cattleyas (and alliance) were producing three new growths at once. The most impressive results were probably with the walkeriana and walkeriana hybrids, the Brassavolas and the Encyclia as well as the larger species that I gave away.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by turock

Wow, Ray! That's an incredible improvement. What is your specific fertilizer & KelpMax regime/schedule?

K-Lite at 25-35 ppm N at every watering (every 1-or 2 days in summer, sometimes as little as once a week when "gray season" hits). Once a month, I add KelpMax at 1 tablespoon/gallon to that.

[Joseia]

I'm also a big fan of the KelpMax. I've been doing a little experiment with a Dendrobium Proud Appeal 'Ace' that I divided and repotted 8 months ago. They are both in similar pots, the same media, are watered and fertilized at the same time and sit right next to each other in a terrarium. Only difference is that one gets KelpMax once a month and the other doesn't get any at all. The one getting KelpMax grows three new canes at a time, while the one with no KelpMax grows out only one cane at a time. The one with KelpMax currently has 24 blooms on 4 spikes, and always has new spikes forming just as the old batch of flowers die and has already re-bloomed twice since being divided. The one with no KelpMax has only bloomed once, with 6 flowers on 2 spikes.

Granted, not a big data set.