Yikes! I keep losing spikes!

[Deborah]

I would be very grateful if anyone could shed some light on this problem.In the last few months I have lost spikes on : neostylis lou sneary,rhychostylis gigantea alba,kagawara samrerng,not to mention blc pamela finney 'all victory' blooms faded after about a week.
I'm thinking the fluctuation in humidity might be the problem,I have increased it to between 60-68% but I'm pretty new to growing these beauties.
Thanks ahead of time.

[quiltergal]

Hi Deborah, check this thread. Another member had a similar problem.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...n-shrivel.html

If you are fertilizing regularly you may be hitting them with too much nitrogen which can cause spikes and buds to blast.

[Deborah]

Thanks Terry ,I take it easy with the nitrogen this time of year,but I'll back off a little more and see if it helps.

[quiltergal]

I could be drastic fluctionations in temps too.

[shakkai]

Certainly the higher the humidity the longer flowers seem to last. But mostly (in winter especially) if humidity is above 50 or 60% it should be okay. So humidity wouldn't have been my first thought.

A draft maybe?

[Deborah]

I do have a small fan to circulate the air,and I've wondered if ,as the temps drop at night, this might need to be shut off. it is not blowing directly on the plants but the temp gets down to between 58 and 61. this area consists of all warm growers.catts,vandaceuos,phal.