Body language. Is paph unhappy?

[RoseSD]

Day 1 looking straight, day 2 looking down...

I did shake the pot accidentally by cutting the chopstick short. Not sure if that was it. I did also extend and stretch the white string so it is longer and more flexible.

Should I give it fertilizer to make it happier?
OR, should I stop worrying like a mother of a sick child? 😀

[RoseSD]

Another crazy possibility is that it GREW so much it bends down again? But day 1 was ONLY yesterday?

[Shadeflower]

Hi Rose,
I would not not worry but at the same time you could mother it to death trying too many different things.

I think it is yellowing a bit at the base but that can't be fixed over night.

It could be it's too cold or the roots are suffering. I don't have enough exp with paphs. It's winter though, this time of year they will not appreciate big changes. Your aim is to get it through winter and then see if you can try strengthening it over summer. Hope someone with more paph exp can help but I do think it looks a little worse.
edit: could simply be the lighting.

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

Hi Rose,
I would not not worry but at the same time you could mother it to death trying too many different things.

I think it is yellowing a bit at the base but that can't be fixed over night.

It could be it's too cold or the roots are suffering. I don't have enough exp with paphs. It's winter though, this time of year they will not appreciate big changes. Your aim is to get it through winter and then see if you can try strengthening it over summer. Hope someone with more paph exp can help but I do think it looks a little worse.
edit: could simply be the lighting.

I thought about lighting too so took another one just now with flash on.
My house is warm and they are all inside. I hope winter at my residence is comfortable for all.

[Shadeflower]

yes it can play tricks on the eyes. I see the spike is what must be concerning you the most then.
It clearly wants to grow down and again I have no clue how it is meant to look but if it helps, that is what they seem to look like...

IN SPIKE Mottled Leaf Orchid Paphiopedilum Maudiae Lady | Etsy

[estación seca]

You're fussing too much over your plants. I can't advise you how to fix that, but it's harming your plants. Orchid growing is a poor hobby for people who can't stop fussing.

[RoseSD]

Originally Posted by estación seca

You're fussing too much over your plants. I can't advise you how to fix that, but it's harming your plants. Orchid growing is a poor hobby for people who can't stop fussing.

It is true. I followed your advice to give it a tall stake and want to.make sure I am doing it correctly. I think it is like how lab performing lab protocols, we try to follow proper procedure in every little steps to minimize error, which can blow the whole assay.

I understand for experienced growers these are trivial and unnecessary questions but it isn't about fussing when you are trying to do things optimally. Remember, I have just one paph purchased already flowering (only living reference I have and its spike is straight!), and this one will be my first paph giving out its first (while in my ownership) flower on spike. Can you blame me on being extra excited?.😉

[Roberta]

It is responding to that tie like it is being strangled. Get rid of the tie (you can leave the stake in case you need it later just to not disturb the medium any more, but don't try to use it. This is a rather early bud, growing fast (if you don't kill it with your fussing) . Sit back and observe it. It will straighten out and orient itself correctly But if you don't know the natural progression of a normal Paph spike, you won't know how to make small adjustments to improve not destroy it. Stop torturing your plant and just observe it... let it teach you.

And fertilizer is never a short term fix for anything. Would you give your child an overdose of vitamins? Once weekly, weakly is plenty. (Even that is a lot, Paphs are light feeders) You need to relax and let the orchid be an orchid.

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by RoseSD

Not sure if that was it.

A nice method is ...... if you are observing a paph develop a spike and bud for the first time .... or any orchid or plant ..... allow it to develop undisturbed. This just involves keeping the plant in the same spot -- undisturbed - and water appropriately ... normally .. as usual. In that way .... you can see how it behaves. And if you observe enough future flowerings in the same way ..... then you can then maybe do a few tweaks.

This doesn't mean you can't do some tweaking right now. The only thing is ... it's better to watch and observe and understand first .... before making certain assumptions about its health ..... and before moving/touching it etc.

Your paph is looking quite ok! Looking forward to see it open the flower!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

IN SPIKE Mottled Leaf Orchid Paphiopedilum Maudiae Lady | Etsy

The stakes in these photos were applied later in the process... and still look forced. Maybe protection for shipping, but still forced.

For Paphs like the Maudiae type with long straight spikes, they first go through a process of "unfurling" - eventually they sort of "reach for the sky" (assuming someone doesn't strangle them). The bud will nod downward until almost the last minute. They do that so that the bud develops with the correct orientation of pouch relative to the spike and the plant. (It should face outward with pouch down, not looking at the ceiling) At the end of the process a weak spike can be staked, but in general they have a much better chance of growing straight and strong (and so not needing staking) if they are left to grow naturally.
SouthPark is quite correct - observe it so that you see what is natural. Don't change the orientation - that also can cause the spike to go in odd directions. Just leave it alone and observe it. Save your adjustments until you know what the plant is doing, then you will know what minor tweaks might be in order,