Initiate Paph blooms?

[Lana]

I have to say, orchids adjust pretty well to their new growing conditions. I have Phals, Dens, Paphs, Catts, Neos... I grow them outside on the small patio, and I don't have the means to create different growing conditions for the different genera. Because of the limited growing space, some of my Phals even get full afternoon sun for an hour or two... And in winter I don't always bring them inside when it gets chilly. And they all bloom, some more than once a year. The point is, don't stress out THAT much about providing perfect growing conditions. Do your best, but remember that things of nature have the way to adapt and survive. And if they want to reproduce (which plants usually do), they'll have to find a way to bloom.

[The Mutant]

Originally Posted by Lana

I have to say, orchids adjust pretty well to their new growing conditions. I have Phals, Dens, Paphs, Catts, Neos... I grow them outside on the small patio, and I don't have the means to create different growing conditions for the different genera. Because of the limited growing space, some of my Phals even get full afternoon sun for an hour or two... And in winter I don't always bring them inside when it gets chilly. And they all bloom, some more than once a year. The point is, don't stress out THAT much about providing perfect growing conditions. Do your best, but remember that things of nature have the way to adapt and survive. And if they want to reproduce (which plants usually do), they'll have to find a way to bloom.

Oooh, I hope this will work for me too! It would be great if I could get them to bloom without going through too much trouble.

[Discus]

Some paphs seem to like quite a lot more light than we often give them; I recall reading some time ago about a Paph. St. Swithin 'Super Saint' that sat sulking for years before the owner moved it to a rather sunnier spot, and was then awarded with a lot of award-winning quality blooms. .

Might be that as well as mature growths, a bit of extra food (from light) helps paphs to throw out flowers - mine have suddenly decided to put out flowers after not doing much for ages after I added T5 supplemental lighting to my plant stand. The phrags look happier too - in general all the plants have perked up a bit.

[camille1585]

Perhaps what you could do for this year is to grow them with the Phals without changing much, in the winter spring you will find out which Paphs bloom fine in your standard conditions, and then for the ones that didin't bloom, you know to try something different next fall. Time consuming, but that way you only give special treatment to the Paphs that need it, and not all of them!