bloom sheaths but no blooms?

[kvet]

Hi!
January 2020 I purchased this little orchid! It bloomed a second time late 2020/early 2021. Late 2021 and early 2022 it grew multiple sheaths which simply dried out and didn't bloom. The plant appears to be doing this again, it has 5 sheaths, all which appear very thin - see picture which shows two of these five, and excuse the dust. Is this normal behavior, or maybe I'm doing something wrong?

See attached image, thank you for reading and any ideas you may have

[Ray]

It's hard to be certain, but...

Some plants form sheaths long before buds, so be patient.

Sometimes, if a previously-bloomed plant starts producing "blind" sheaths, it indicates that there was something a bit amiss in the culture - too little light, insufficient water, too cold, insufficient nutrition in general or excessive nitrogen could all be possibilities.

Think about the plant's "energy level". If culture is good and it has socked-away enough reserves, it'll go full tilt to blooming. If the stores are marginal, it might have enough energy to form the sheath, but not enough to take it further.

[Roberta]

It looks like you're growing it on a windowsill. Since you live in a mild-climate area, consider growing it outside.(I think you are in southern California, right?) It may benefit from the better daylight, day-night temperature differential, and possibly even better darkness at night. (Some Catts are sensitive to ambient light when they expect darkness - some more than others) It looks like it is growing very well, sometimes plants need a modest shock to initiate blooming. (If it has been indoors, I wouldn't do it now, but in the spring you could do that and it would have the full range of seasons to acclimate)

[kvet]

Hi, and thank you both for the response.

The plant is located at a due-east-facing window, sunlight from morning to about noon, and I have two curtains which block out most ambient light there at night.

Most waterings are with k-light, ~50ppm roughly weekly, sometimes I will offer kelp max (1Tbsp:1gallon ratio), or just clean distilled watering.

The last ~3 waterings have been with dynagro foliage pro at 1/4tsp:gallon ratio for no reason other than I was too lazy to make a second round to the closet. Note that this is the first time I've used FP on this orchid, in past it was the other three exclusively.

Yes, I am coastal southern california.

Temperatures in my house used to stay with whatever outside temps were since I always kept the windows/doors open, but since rescuing and homing a pet last year, this winter I've kept temps 65-72F, and as a result of the heater, RH has been in the mid 50%s (65-75% is my usual year round if windows/doors are open).

I forget what the exact medium was, for sure kiwi bark and perlite, might have a little moss and either gravel or turface or both - been a while

Yes, the plant itself is doing well, and if it doesn't bloom, that's totally okay, I was really just wondering why it's pushing empty sheaths. These certainly look like they'll be empty again so oh well.

It seems like this answer is more complex than a single factor, could be any number of things. If there are no blooms this year, perhaps next year I should try a different fertilizer in the fall to add a little more blooming nutrients?

It might be the lack of temperature differential, too, since I use the heater at night to keep temps from falling below 65F.

Any other suggestions? I don't want to put this plant outside, and if that means it won't bloom, then okay

Happy holidays!

[Roberta]

If this is an SVO plant (figure that is likely if it is in Kiwi bark) maybe email Fred Clarke for advice. He's very approachable and responsive, and likely he has some insights, particularly specific to that plant.

[kvet]

Yes, the plant is from SVO The link may not have made it through earlier:
kindly translate abbreviations

I purchased the kiwi bark a few months later for a number of repots, including this one.
Sounds like a plan to reach out to Fred, I'll respond here later when I hear back, thanks!

[estación seca]

If this is the same plant in your thread Kindly translate abbreviations.... There's a fair amount of C. dowiana in this, which needs warmth, as well as C. (Sophronitis) coccinea, which prefers coolness. So I couldn't guess what is the optimal temperature.

Going dry for too long can cause bud blast. I try not to let Catts in bud dry completely.

[kvet]

So, ES... what you're saying is that this plant is paired perfectly with me since I have a warm personality and am full of coolness.

Fred got back to me, and wrote that generally speaking, if the roots and plant are healthy, but it is a "shy bloomer", I could try increasing light. Also, this plant typically blooms early spring.

Okay, not much I can do about that without doing things I don't want to such as adding lights or taking it outside, so, oh well Maybe I'll toy with putting the plant outside next season 2023/2024, since I will be traveling this coming feb/march and won't want to deal with all the associated acclimation, etc.

[kvet]

Well, this happened. I'm not complaining.

[estación seca]

Congratulations!