When do Cattleyas normally bloom?

[butterfly_muse]

Good morning, everyone!

I have been watching my cattleya hybrids grow like weeds over the summer, and I am curious as to when they generally bloom?

Each 'chid has given me one full new growth and they are all starting to push up a second new growth - buuuuut I don't see any spikes or anything starting. I have read that they tend to bloom around September/Oct, but so far there is nothing and I can't figure out why. I have been fertilizing them with Dyna-Gro "Grow" and using some of Ray's Kelpmax every now and then. They have seemingly really enjoyed being in my west facing window over the summer and have really gone nuts with growth.

Over the last few weeks, we have had the windows open at night and temps have been anywhere between the 50s-70s, but mostly in the 50s and low 60s, which I have read can induce them to spike..

So why no flowers? Is it just their specific breeding? Do they need more light now that the days are getting shorter? Do I need to give them MORE fertilizer (I fertilize once every couple weeks or so)? =\

I have a beallara that is currently in spike, as well as a mini phal also pushing out blooms on two spikes. So I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[HighSeas]

Depends on which Catts you have. Many bloom in the spring and summer but there are winter bloomers as well. The new growths you have are the precursors for the next blooms. They send up a "sheath" from which the blooms emerge. If they aren't blooming, it's generally one of these issues:
Not enough light....Feeding issues....air movement and temperature. They like a LOT of light so I would guess that maybe they aren't getting enough. Sometimes more is better but be careful not to burn them. They can't take direct sunlight.

Mine bloom nicely but I feed with every watering when they are actively growing. Weakly. Good luck!

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by HighSeas

Depends on which Catts you have. Many bloom in the spring and summer but there are winter bloomers as well. The new growths you have are the precursors for the next blooms. They send up a "sheath" from which the blooms emerge. If they aren't blooming, it's generally one of these issues:
Not enough light....Feeding issues....air movement and temperature. They like a LOT of light so I would guess that maybe they aren't getting enough. Sometimes more is better but be careful not to burn them. They can't take direct sunlight.

Mine bloom nicely but I feed with every watering when they are actively growing. Weakly. Good luck!

Maybe I will increase their fertilizer. I'm in the process of getting them lights, but for some reason, UPS and FedEx don't think my address exists :P

[Leafmite]

I think the lights will make a difference.
Some cattleyas bloom twice a year but others just once. With species cattleyas, you can find one to bloom every month of the year so, with hybrids, it just depends which species were used to create your orchids. I just bought a cattleya last autumn that, when mature, should bloom for our orchid show season.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I think the lights will make a difference.
Some cattleyas bloom twice a year but others just once. With species cattleyas, you can find one to bloom every month of the year so, with hybrids, it just depends which species were used to create your orchids. I just bought a cattleya last autumn that, when mature, should bloom for our orchid show season.

I have an Eplc. Golden Sunburst, an Lc. Fire Dance 'Patricia' and Blc. Taeko Tamaki. I'd have to look at their tags to see the parentage, maybe I can research when those normally bloom to get a rough estimate.

[Leafmite]

Calcium is important to cattleyas but I would not increase the fertilizer until you increase the lighting. I keep a constant source of calcium available for my cattleyas but I stop fertilizing now as growth has slowed down due to less light. Only a few that grow year-round get any fertilizer but it is minimal. Some species cattleyas will die if you fertilize when they are resting.

---------- Post added at 11:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:32 AM ----------

I don't have these so looking them up would be best. Some vendors even list when they bloom.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

Calcium is important to cattleyas but I would not increase the fertilizer until you increase the lighting. I keep a constant source of calcium available for my cattleyas but I stop fertilizing now as growth has slowed down due to less light. Only a few that grow year-round get any fertilizer but it is minimal. Some species cattleyas will die if you fertilize when they are resting.

---------- Post added at 11:34 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:32 AM ----------

I don't have these so looking them up would be best. Some vendors even list when they bloom.

I have read about calcium, but when I inquired about it I was advised that they probably receive enough from the faucet water I use (it's filtered) -- but should I add something just in case? If so, what?

How will I know when the cattleyas are resting, I assume they will just slow their growth? (Sorry, this is my set of cattleyas, I just bought them back in May so I haven't had them too long. It's my first winter with orchids full stop ^^; heh!) Do I cease fertilizer completely at that point? Or just maybe once a month or...?

[Leafmite]

I would find an extra source of calcium, just to be safe. I add eggshells and when I am not fertilizing and my growths finish, this keeps them happy.
I warn everyone about the calcium as I made the mistake of not giving my cattleyas enough and I paid dearly...I lost most of my near-blooming/blooming-size cattleyas to black rot--one was even in bud.
I had been using my calcium rich pond water (those fertilizer tablets for lotus and lilies are very calcium rich) and when I gave up my pond, no pond water.
When a cattleya is not growing, it is resting and doesn't need fertilizer. As soon as the new growths begin, you resume fertilizing. With more light and heat, they grow faster and need more nutrients then in cooler temps with less light. In the winter, my temps are around 64'F so I fertilize orchids that are growing about once a month (except for the cattleya dowiana...I am just going to let that one alone). With cattleyas, you just learn to let them tell you what to do...that is why they call them the 'Queen of Orchids'. If one of your hybrids' new growths is growing like crazy, fertilize as you normally would.

[tucker85]

Increasing fertilizer in the fall is not a good idea. The days are getting shorter and the light is less intense so orchids need less fertilizer, not more. I've read that too much fertilizer can even cause some orchids not to bloom.

Most cattleyas bloom around the same time every year. A few bloom more than once a year. Most of my standard size cattleyas bloom in the fall and winter. A few are spring bloomers. Many of the bifoliate cattleyas and cluster blooming cattleyas are summer bloomers. Several of the yellow cattleyas bloom in summer also.

The best way to ensure good blooming is to give good care during the spring and summer growing season. That's when regular watering and fertilizing and adequate light is important to grow strong plants. Since you have one or two new growths on each catt, I would think it's just a matter of time until they bloom. You may want to write down when they do bloom so you'll know when to expect it next year.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I would find an extra source of calcium, just to be safe. I add eggshells and when I am not fertilizing and my growths finish, this keeps them happy.
I warn everyone about the calcium as I made the mistake of not giving my cattleyas enough and I paid dearly...I lost most of my near-blooming/blooming-size cattleyas to black rot--one was even in bud.
I had been using my calcium rich pond water (those fertilizer tablets for lotus and lilies are very calcium rich) and when I gave up my pond, no pond water.
When a cattleya is not growing, it is resting and doesn't need fertilizer. As soon as the new growths begin, you resume fertilizing. With more light and heat, they grow faster and need more nutrients then in cooler temps with less light. In the winter, my temps are around 64'F so I fertilize orchids that are growing about once a month (except for the cattleya dowiana...I am just going to let that one alone). With cattleyas, you just learn to let them tell you what to do...that is why they call them the 'Queen of Orchids'. If one of your hybrids' new growths is growing like crazy, fertilize as you normally would.

Do you grind the egg shells into a powder or just crush them and add them directly to the medium, or?

---------- Post added at 01:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:57 PM ----------

Originally Posted by tucker85

Increasing fertilizer in the fall is not a good idea. The days are getting shorter and the light is less intense so orchids need less fertilizer, not more. I've read that too much fertilizer can even cause some orchids not to bloom.

Most cattleyas bloom around the same time every year. A few bloom more than once a year. Most of my standard size cattleyas bloom in the fall and winter. A few are spring bloomers. Many of the bifoliate cattleyas and cluster blooming cattleyas are summer bloomers. Several of the yellow cattleyas bloom in summer also.

The best way to ensure good blooming is to give good care during the spring and summer growing season. That's when regular watering and fertilizing and adequate light is important to grow strong plants. Since you have one or two new growths on each catt, I would think it's just a matter of time until they bloom. You may want to write down when they do bloom so you'll know when to expect it next year.

I will keep track, that is a good idea. I am planning to move the cattleyas under lights for the fall/winter, so should I still stop fertilizing? Or will they behave differently since their "daylight" will be longer than it is naturally at this time?

Sorry to ask so many questions, it's my first winter with any orchids at all so I want to make sure I care for them properly.