Paph: When is it yours?

[camille1585]

I guess the simple answer is that you get credit for everything EXECPT inducing the spike!

[dbarron]

Yeah, I'm hopeful the spike will move right along, despite the reputation of long waits. However, I'll wait (what else can I do) ?
It's Vanda M Pearman (bellatum x delenatii), and I read bellatum tends to be a slow spike.

[lotis146]

Interesting thread, thanks for bringing up the topic dbarron. I've often felt that if it spiked after several weeks in my care I could give myself a bit of credit for keeping it happy enough but honestly it's an excellent point that they take so long to grow it's not 100% to your credit so soon after it arrives. Even as it seems you can kill it instantly upon arrival, as with everything it's easier to destroy.

Now especially being a nerd I appreciate the idea of not taking credit for at least six months or at least the maturation of a new growth or new growing cycle for say Phals. I think too that taking credit for your plant - IMHO - changes with the more experience you have. If you're new and your plant holds its blooms for a month or two then Heck Yeah! But as I learn more and have acquired more plants now I'm proud if I rebloom a plant, but I don't feel like it's braggable unless the spike itself is impressive (good quality flowers, lots of them) or say I get two spikes with more blooms than last time.

I could go on with my own thoughts though b/c I have plants that have yet to bloom; they could bloom half a flower and I'd be proud!

Congrats dbarron on the bloom either way.

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by dbarron

Yeah, I'm hopeful the spike will move right along, despite the reputation of long waits. However, I'll wait (what else can I do) ?
It's Vanda M Pearman (bellatum x delenatii), and I read bellatum tends to be a slow spike.

I have one and it has not yet bloomed, so this is very interesting.

I have delenatii in bloom. It took a little over one month from spike to open flower.
I also have bellatulum in low bud. It spiked back in January. So, yeah, it is frustratingly slow. I though it was dead.

Vanda M Pearman being a mix of these two, I guess it can be anywhere in the two extremes.
Usually delenatii hybrids are easy, but then again it can depend on what it is mated with, like Delrosi that can be pain in the butt to even induce to spike.

[dbarron]

Well thanks for personal confirmation that bellatulum is slow (lol), so I can down grade my expectations and not be terribly unhappy if it's still making progress in July.

[NYCorchidman]

I hope you will see flowers before then. lol

[Leafmite]

As long as you give a disclaimer about when you purchased the orchid, you might as well proudly post the pictures of your blooms.
I am currently having fun with seedlings I have bought many years ago reaching blooming size and flowering for the first time. Even though the first booms haven't always been the greatest, it is still rather exciting.