Psychopsis in Springtime

[Bird Song Farm]

Sure looks like a spike. You should be able to tell for sure in a week.
My Hildos just finished it's 6th spike.
Any one know of a trick to get them to blossom all at once.??



Al

[jrodpad]

I really am thinking spike at this point but I'm going to give it one more week to be sure. In the meantime, here's what happened while I'm waiting on the (hopefully) spike.

J

[zxyqu]

It looks really thin to be a new growth, I'd vote spike

[Bird Song Farm]

The new growth on your plant appears to be emerging from the correct area to be a flower spike. Be very careful of it when it gets to be 4 to 5 inches long as it will break VERY easily. If you plan on tyeing up the spike, now is the time to put in the stake. Get it as close to the spike as possible and when the spike gets long enough, start to affix it to the stake. Don't force the spike in any way, if it's to short, wait. Not kidding, these break very easily.
Good luck, these are wonderful plants and you've got a great one started.
Al

[jrodpad]

So, the spike turned out to be a total dud. It got to be 1.5" ad then stopped. It hasn't grown at all in weeks - months probably. It's still putting out new leaves that are growing every week. It sent out a new flower too, which opened up this weekend. Pic below.

This one has been such a great bloomer that I bought it a friend. Another psy from Normans. It has a 2.5' spike, which grows a bit longer every week. No bud yet though. I'll post pics when it finally blooms.

-J

[camille1585]

A shame about the stalled spike. I always wonder why orchids do that. Nice bloom, I love watching the buds unfold! I think my Psychopsis is fast becoming one of my favorite orchids. It blooms non stop, although the buds are taking a bit longer to develop at this time of year. I think I'm going to have to get it a friend as well!

[orchidsamore]

Bird Song

I have not talked to you in a ling time.

To get all your Psychopsis flowers to bloom together you just have to pull all the flowers off the plant at the same time.

This was from an article in the American Orchid Society Journal. A member that has won numerous AOS awards for his plants wrote an article on how to get plants ready for judging.

For the Psychopsis, he said he timed the rate at which the flowers reappeared after falling off and found them to be 21 days for his plant. So 28 days before judging he pulled off the flowers on his plant and on judging day he had nine spikes with a fresh flower on each.

Check out how I am getting multiple flowers and keikis per spike with the use of Companion and Essentials

Butterfly orchids - The Psychopsis family

[Bird Song Farm]

Hi Jerry,
Good to hear from you! The Psy. I got from you with one spike now has 6. It is perhaps the best flowering plant I have. I also have an alba but it is a miniature. The spike is about 8" long and it blossoms regularly. I think it may be developing a keiki on the stem.
I sure hope others try this wonderful orchid.

Al

Originally Posted by orchidsamore

Bird Song

I have not talked to you in a ling time.

To get all your Psychopsis flowers to bloom together you just have to pull all the flowers off the plant at the same time.

This was from an article in the American Orchid Society Journal. A member that has won numerous AOS awards for his plants wrote an article on how to get plants ready for judging.

For the Psychopsis, he said he timed the rate at which the flowers reappeared after falling off and found them to be 21 days for his plant. So 28 days before judging he pulled off the flowers on his plant and on judging day he had nine spikes with a fresh flower on each.

Check out how I am getting multiple flowers and keikis per spike with the use of Companion and Essentials

Butterfly orchids - The Psychopsis family

[orchidsamore]

Al

you used to be on my mailing list but your emails were returned as no such address. Do you have a new email address?

[Bird Song Farm]

Have no idea why mail would be returned to you. The e-mail address is:
birdsongfarm@roadrunner.com

I wondered why I haven't received your monthly updates.

Al

Originally Posted by orchidsamore

Al

you used to be on my mailing list but your emails were returned as no such address. Do you have a new email address?