Old cattleya collection haven't bloomed for over 40 years

[Jeremy T]

Hi, my mom has a collection of cattleyas that haven't bloom for over 40years. Growing Media: Charcoal and broken claypots. They never fail to grow new pseudobulbs but none of them will bloom (other than one that I separated to smaller pots- the surviving pot started blooming again).

I am wondering if I should start splitting all these over 40 year old cattleyas to multiple pots or there are any other remedies to fix the blooming issue. They are all kept with brand new cattleyas I bought for her over the last 3years and these new ones kept blooming for her. So they get same amount of sun, water and fertilizers.

Thanks.

Edit: They are based north of Singapore - right at the equator.

[Keysguy]

I'd start by seeing if more light might convince them to bloom as they are.

Sounds odd if they are kept with newer plants that bloom but it might be that they are just older species or hybrids that need more light than the newer ones you have been adding.

If they are growing well in place that's what I'd start with and maybe switch them to a high bloom fertilizer.

[estación seca]

If they're in Canada light is probably the issue.

[Jeremy T]

Originally Posted by estación seca

If they're in Canada light is probably the issue.

Oh I forgot to mentioned that they are in north of Singapore - right at the equator.

[estación seca]

What kind of light are they getting? If they're indoors with air conditioning it might not be enough light, or they might want to be warmer.

[Jeremy T]

They are kept outdoors in the garden with 50% shade.
They get plenty of sunlight from early morning until 3-4pm. Her Vandas will get the same amount of lights too and sometimes the Vandas will bloom twice a year.

[rbarata]

So maybe a low day/night temp differencial. Pick one of them and move it at night to a fresh location. Do it consistently for months (that's what I would do).

[estación seca]

Are they making sheaths, then not flowering? Or are they without any sheaths? Do they grow vigourously?

[Jeremy T]

Originally Posted by estación seca

Are they making sheaths, then not flowering? Or are they without any sheaths? Do they grow vigourously?

We havent noticed any sheaths, and as far as I know, they do grow one new growth/pseudobulb a year.

[estación seca]

Healthy Catts regularly make more than one new growth per pseudobulb. In the tropics I would regard one pseudobulb per growth per year as poor growth.

I would try would be even more light, more fertilizer and more watering.

What fertilizer do you use? How do you mix it? How often do you fertilize?

Try to give enough light that the leaves are closer to yellow than green.