Sharry Baby blooming tips?

[ajmilewski]

I've attached photos of my Sharry Baby. I received it with flowers about a year ago and successfully grew a new pseudobulb that is bigger than the last!

The leaves are still kinda crinkled and there seems to a burn on a leaf? I give it morning sun but only until the leaves are very warm.

Any tips ? Potted in a mix of bark and sphagnum , I fertilize maybe every other week

Also, there's a tiny new growth ! new bulb!

Based in Los Angeles

[estación seca]

You didn't water it enough. That's why the leaves are pleated and wrinkled. The light brown spot is probably sunburn.

When did you last repot it?

[ajmilewski]

Dang how much do I have to water it!? I pretty much have been watering it every 2 - 3 days or so, it's never dry...

Re-potted after the last flower spike died so probably december of 2021

[camille1585]

I had a Sharry Baby until it got too massive, and they really like a lot of water. In the growing season I would often leave some water in the saucer under the plant, and water again around 1-3 days after the saucer was empty, depending on the temperature. In the winter I was watering about as frequently, but without leaving it standing in water.

The bulbs are nice and plump looking, so I think your watering is pretty good now. However back when the bulb was growing it was lacking water, leading to the pleating in the leaves. Where you watering the same way as now when that bulb was growing? If so, it could be that the fresh bark still wasn't porous enough then, and it was drying out faster than now.

[Ray]

HOW MUCH have you been feeding it “every week or so”? (Fertilizer formula and amount per gallon, please)

Excessive nitrogen can quash blooming, although that is usually accompanied by a bright, emerald green color, which I don’t see.

[ajmilewski]

Originally Posted by camille1585

Where you watering the same way as now when that bulb was growing? If so, it could be that the fresh bark still wasn't porous enough then, and it was drying out faster than now.

I've always been watering it the same! I had a Gilded tower that wasn't doing well so I made sure to water this one more often, should I re-pot before the new growth gets too big? (that little guy)

---------- Post added at 09:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:27 AM ----------

Originally Posted by Ray

HOW MUCH have you been feeding it “every week or so”? (Fertilizer formula and amount per gallon, please)

Excessive nitrogen can quash blooming, although that is usually accompanied by a bright, emerald green color, which I don’t see.

I'm using the 20 20 20 orchid food, about a half of the spoon it came with in a gallon of water, then, let's say I water monday, weds, fri, I would do a splash of fertilizer on Friday .

I don't have it down to a solid schedule as I have 5 other orchids that are all different

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by ajmilewski

I've always been watering it the same! I had a Gilded tower that wasn't doing well so I made sure to water this one more often, should I re-pot before the new growth gets too big? (that little guy)

There's still plenty of room in that pot for a couple years growth, and it's also harder to overwater when the plant is a bit snug in its pot and the medium full of roots.