Cattleya Buds

[Jungeoma]

I have had several Cattleyas starting new flower buds but after a while they dry up and abort. What could be wrong?
The long slender bud came from a Catt. but dried up and died at about two inches. It loked different and I was excited to see what it would become.

[tucker85]

Bud blast or bud drop is one of the most frustrating things about growing orchids. Unfortunately there are so many different possible causes that it's not possible to know for sure what's gone wrong. The only thing you can really do is to give the best culture you can and hope for the best.

[lotis146]

R u on top of watering? Did you move them since they started spiking? I got a new Zygo hybrid and it had a very new (short) spike to my surprise. Within a few days of getting it the spike died; I feel your pain.

In my case I think the change in environment coupled with the fact that I probably should have watered them right away caused the loss. The other plant came in bud and one of three blasted.

[silken]

The last 4 pics are not clear at all so I can't tell for sure. It looks like a sheath rather than a spike. These do turn yellow and brown on some cats and sit like that for some time before the spike and buds are formed. Just leave them as is. As for the spike in the first 2 pics, If you moved it or changed the temps while it was developing or if it has poor roots are some reasons why the buds blasted. But as mentioned, there could be many reasons. I have had small buds blast or small empty sheaths on young plants when they make their first attempt to bloom. Usually next growth produces a successful bloom.

[No-Pro-mwa]

No expert here but for me anyway, I got several smaller Catt's and have re-potted all but one and I wasn't watering enough and only 2 had bloomed for me. I have upped the water and now have several more blooming. They would make sheaths but no bud inside.