LC Canhamiana just opened

[james mickelso]

This LC Canhamiana for me. Hope you enjoy. Also a Beallara and an Oncidium Leah Teak.

[lotis146]

Those are beautiful! The color of the Beallara reminds me of my Onc. Heaven Scent.

[james mickelso]

Thank you.

[silken]

Very nice. I had two buds on my Canhamiana this spring and they blasted for some reason. Yours is a different colour than mine but I like it.

Nice Oncidiums too.

[james mickelso]

I try to keep my catts dry when they get buds about half complete. Not dry but nearly so. In nature the flowers open when the pollinators are out and about which is usually the dry season. The pbulb has plenty of moisture to see the flowers through. But I don't keep them so dry as to stress them. I put water right at the base of the pbulb slowly. Hope this helps.

[silken]

I don't think I am guilty of over-watering but will try and watch that with my in spike ones. Something made it blast...Thanks.

[james mickelso]

Did it get cool? That usually doesn't have much effect but mine have lost flower buds when it has cooled down in winter here. Any major changes can blast flower buds. I just lost 10 new pbulbs growths because I overhead watered. I got slammed at work and didn't have time to water properly so I took a hose out and drenched everything. The new second leaves just starting to push all got rot and I had to cut them all back down to about 1 inch long. They will push new growth from their bases but next seasons flowers are all gone. I have also lost a couple flowers in bud from bud rot. The buds get big and full, then they start to change color and texture. I cut them open to find black mush. One of my BLC Magic of Mishima "Volcano Queen" was within two weeks of opening with three big luscious plump buds and "BAM!!!" I came out in the morning to look before work and saw that gray look. Opened her up and mush. I had waited two seasons for her to come back from a huge flowering. I was bummed all day. So I really watch my watering when they are pushing flower buds.

[RosieC]

Really lovely ones! I love the Beallara especially.

I've moved this into 'Orchids in Bloom'

[james mickelso]

Thanks Rosie.

[silken]

Originally Posted by james mickelso

Did it get cool? That usually doesn't have much effect but mine have lost flower buds when it has cooled down in winter here. Any major changes can blast flower buds. I just lost 10 new pbulbs growths because I overhead watered. I got slammed at work and didn't have time to water properly so I took a hose out and drenched everything. The new second leaves just starting to push all got rot and I had to cut them all back down to about 1 inch long. They will push new growth from their bases but next seasons flowers are all gone. I have also lost a couple flowers in bud from bud rot. The buds get big and full, then they start to change color and texture. I cut them open to find black mush. One of my BLC Magic of Mishima "Volcano Queen" was within two weeks of opening with three big luscious plump buds and "BAM!!!" I came out in the morning to look before work and saw that gray look. Opened her up and mush. I had waited two seasons for her to come back from a huge flowering. I was bummed all day. So I really watch my watering when they are pushing flower buds.

A person sure has to have persistence when it comes to growing orchids!
I keep mine in a greenhouse here on the Canadian prairies. So if my furnace and the power ever went for a long time, I would likely lose them all. But I keep it heated to 65F daytime ad 55F at night and that plant has lived with those conditions for about 5 years and grown well and bloomed many times in the past. Summers are very warm and sunny. I never overhead water. So it is a little hard to explain how they blasted. We were gone for a month this winter and I had a house sitter looking after my orchids. I can't say for sure how he would have watered them although he did have instructions. I'm just happy he kept them all alive! This is one of my first orchids and rather a large plant so I am always fond of its blooms. Oh well! Next year!