How do I get a pholidota chinensis to bloom?

[KarenAnn]

I've had pholidota chinensis for a few years now. It grows like CRAZY! I just repotted it this summer and split it into MANY plants (well, it kind of did it itself - it was so overgrown that it just split itself). I grow it under lights in the winter and outside in the summer. It's never bloomed for me. I can't find too much about them. Does anyone have any suggestions? The plants are very healthy and happy, so I don't know what's wrong.

[Ray]

Supposedly these bloom with new growth, and as that is apparently not lacking, it must be something cultural that's amiss.

Tell us about your feeding regimen...

[KarenAnn]

I'm not the best feeder in the world. I use a variety of things. Over the summer I used fish emulsion/seaweed and I'm fond of the worm poop for orchids sold in spray bottles (some of my orchids seem to like it). I have the MSU stuff and super thrive, which I use once the plants move inside. But I have to confess that they don't get regular feedings.

[Ray]

When it comes to problems getting orchids to bloom, the keys seem to be:

1) Insufficient light
2) Insufficient nutrition
3) To much nitrogen

In your case, based upon your response, I'd bet on 2) and/or 3)

[Roy]

Hi, in this forum I have my plant of chinensis pictured.
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...-close-up.html
This plant flowers every year but not from every growth. As you will see there is one spike out but what you can't see is another spike still in one of the growths. It still hasn't moved. My culture of the plant is explained there also.

[KarenAnn]

Oh, Roy! It's beautiful. So what do you feed it?

[SueK]

Karen

I have a Pholidota Chinensis and in a posting to OB in September I had a whinge that it hadn't flowered for me. Now all of a sudden this month it is absolutely covered in flower spikes. Even the smaller divisions which I made earlier in the year are in spike. Mine has been outside all winter and it is high up in my greenhouse. I don't fertilize too often in winter, but when spring comes then I fertilize weekly. You are supposed to keep them pretty moist, and I didn't know this, so I really can't explain the profusion of flower spikes on mine, because I haven't been following the rules.

Hope you are not confused now.

Sue

[Roy]

Originally Posted by KarenAnn

Oh, Roy! It's beautiful. So what do you feed it?

I just feed the plant with whatever fertilizer I'm using on the other orchids. I prefer to a High K fert most of the time, something like a N.P.K of 21, 5, 19. This is a formula I had made up for sale by one of the largest fert' manufacturers here. Has all the trace elements also.

[KarenAnn]

Well, it's been a long, long time since I've posted on the board, but I am extremely happy to report that finally, my pholidota bloomed over the winter. In fact, two of my plants (splits from the original) bloomed. I was so excited. It's such a lovely little flower. I hope this is the beginning of lots more. Thanks everyone!

[Roy]

Well done, you must have spoken to them the right way.