Onc. Tsiku marguerite 'NN1' flowers fell off - Orchid Board

edy50dr · #1 03-25-2014, 03:21 PM

Hi Everyone,
Just registered here. Received a Phal as a gift 3 years ago; it re-bloomed last year. Went to the NYBG orchid show last year and got bit bad with the orchid bug. LOL
Now have 8 various orchids.
Problem: Bought the orchid in my forum title 2 weeks ago at an orchid show. It has 2 branches and one of them was blooming. All the blooms fell off, the last fell off today. I am wondering if my home is too cold right now. 60-61 degrees at night and 64 during the day. I have watered it 3 times in 2 weeks and fed it twice weakly. I think it gets enough light, though it has been cloudy for several days.
It is on a tall plant stand along with the others and the stand is about 3 feet away from patio doors with atrium skylights on top. I am wondering if this orchid is better suited for my office which can be much warmer.

Zoi2 · #2 03-25-2014, 04:09 PM

Hello and welcome to the OB.
Buds and flowers will sometimes fall when the plant changes location. Give it good culture and it will bloom again for you.
Joann

edy50dr · #3 03-25-2014, 04:27 PM

Thanks Zoi2 for the welcome.
Do you think it could be too cold in my home for now? It will get warmer later in the year.
I'm not sure if I should leave it where it is because there is another spike with branches and the tiniest buds. I would hate to see those flower and then fall off also.

WhiteRabbit · #4 03-25-2014, 05:46 PM

I don't think that your temps should be a problem. Make sure it's not getting any cold or warm, dry drafts.

edy50dr · #5 03-25-2014, 06:16 PM

Thank you White Rabbit. My home is dry and am trying to increase the humidity.

james mickelso · #6 03-25-2014, 11:35 PM

The dryness won't be an issue. The age of the flower spike is probably the issue. Oncids last anywhere from a couple weeks to 6 weeks. I have a Sharry Baby last 8 full weeks once. But usually around 4 weeks. And yes a change in environment can shorten the life span of flowers. The temps aren't an issue either unless this came from 80*f and your 60*f all at once. But that usually isn't an issue.

catherinecarney · #7 03-26-2014, 11:41 AM

Hi and welcome!

I have found Onc. Tsiku Marguerite 'NN1' to be a hardy and forgiving plant. Your home conditions sound similar to mine (though my humidity runs 40-50% during the winter), and my plant is growing and blooming quite happily in a south window.

Most likely you lost the flowers either because of age (was the plant in full bloom when you got it?) or due to being moved to new conditions (if it was grown in vastly different conditions than your home the shock of the change could have caused it to drop buds and flowers).

The good news is that this plant seems to bloom every time it matures a pseudobulb, so you should have more flowers to enjoy in a few months.

Catherine

edy50dr · #8 03-26-2014, 05:16 PM

Thank you James and Catherine.

I bought this orchid along with some others from J&L Orchids. And yes, one spike was in full bloom. The other spike has lots of buds but has not bloomed yet.
J&L probably had it in a greenhouse where it was probably warmer and more humid so I am now assuming it is the shock of a new home that did it. But thanks for mentioning the age of the flowers; that was something I had not considered. I was emboldened by my initial success with my orig. Phal. but I am still such a newbie.

catherinecarney · #9 03-26-2014, 10:30 PM

I'm still a newbie, and probably always will be--there's no way I will ever master more than a small amount of the information out there about orchids! At least I can get good info on the stuff I don't know about from this board.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and try new plants or new approaches to growing them. Part of the process of keeping orchids is learning what works for you in your situation.

Happy growing!

Catherine