Just a general question...

[2009zohsix]

We bought two Paph's six months ago and both have produced new leaves since then. One has produced leaves that were a bit bigger than the original leaves and the other has produced much smaller leaves then their original leaves. Both are side-by-side and receive the same conditions.

Is there anything significant about the new growth being much smaller than the original growth?

Thank you!

[estación seca]

You might not be watering or fertilizing enough. They don't need much fertilizer. Some do want more light than others. In general the mottled-leaf Maudiae types are low light plants, while the solid green multiflorals and sequential bloomers are higher light plants.

Which ones do you have?

[2009zohsix]

Thanks for the reply. They are the mottled-leaf types and occupy the space I had for a miniature Phalaenopsis that did well under a low LED light. I do lightly water three times a week, keeping it damp but not wet, and fertilize once a week.

I'll try putting a saucer under the pot and see what happens. Thanks for the suggestion.

Dan

[estación seca]

I suspect you're not watering enough. Growing smaller leaves is a classic sign of that.

It also depends on your temperatures and humidity. I have most of mine in semi-hydroponics, so there's always water at the bottom of the pot.

I bought three new ones in bud at our recent show. They originated from Lehua Orchids, who grow in medium or large bark with near daily heavy watering. I'm keeping them in my low-humidity house. I water them by soaking them in a deep bowl of water, with the level up to the top of the bark, for several hours every 2-3 days. Lightly watering these isn't the way to go. I might have lost some buds if I'd watered less.

Edited after reading Roberta's reply - I'm leaving them in their current medium, which I don't think is best in my conditions, because the buds are about to open. As soon as they're finished flowering I'll move them to semi-hydroponics with the rest of my Paphs.

[Roberta]

If you're watering the Paphs the same as the Phals, that will tend to lead to underwatering the Paphs - the Phals want to dry a little between waterings, Paphs don't want to dry out at all. One way to manage this without making yourself crazy (especially as your collection gets larger) is to modity the medium... Use medium bark for the Phals, small bark for the Paphs. Then Paphs will tend to stay damp while the Phals dry a bit, on the same watering schedule.

[2009zohsix]

I do water the Paphs three times a week and the Phals once a week. I just have them in the same location from a light standpoint. I'll up the watering on the one Paph and see what happens. Thank you for your reply.