My species won't grow

[FrFrancis]

Hi Everyone,
I have been growing orchids for 30 years and so am stumped by my current problem. I have 4 paph species which I bought at seedlings: venustrum, delantii and hirsutissimum, and maliponese. While the plants seem healthy and the hybrids around them are growing well, these 4 have not put out any fans but sometimes grow a new leaf. They grow in an orchiata bark mixture from Quarter Acre Orchids that my other paphs love. They are in an east, north-east facing window about 6 under a growing light and given MU fertilizer weakly once every 2 weeks. There is a Paph Cereal Killer and NoID strapleaf, and an Appletonian growing with them and all of those flower regularly. The venustrum is 5 years old, the delantii is one years old and the rest are 3 years old. Except for the venustrum they were all labeled seedling and expected to bloom in a year.
THANKS

[campchi]

Originally Posted by FrFrancis

Hi Everyone,
I have been growing orchids for 30 years and so am stumped by my current problem. I have 4 paph species which I bought at seedlings: venustrum, delantii and hirsutissimum, and maliponese. While the plants seem healthy and the hybrids around them are growing well, these 4 have not put out any fans but sometimes grow a new leaf. They grow in an orchiata bark mixture from Quarter Acre Orchids that my other paphs love. They are in an east, north-east facing window about 6 under a growing light and given MU fertilizer weakly once every 2 weeks. There is a Paph Cereal Killer and NoID strapleaf, and an Appletonian growing with them and all of those flower regularly. The venustrum is 5 years old, the delantii is one years old and the rest are 3 years old. Except for the venustrum they were all labeled seedling and expected to bloom in a year.
THANKS

I dont grow phap, but from what I've read they tend to like constant moist. Bark alone might be tooo dry. Matbe other phap growers can chip in their experience

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[No-Pro-mwa]

I wish I could help you. I have a bit of the same problem. I do know they say that maliponese is a slow grower. I do have this one but I have not had it yet a year. It is putting on a new leaf but very slowly. I also have a villosum that I got as a seedling same as you it will also not grow. I even have a Maudiae hybrid that has stopped. It sounds like the same thing as you have going on.

I hope some one will come along to help us.

[Optimist]

That's strange, because mine (only a bulldog) was stalled for 1/2 a year and finally began to grow. I think the temperature had something to do with it. Since it is Winter, I turned on the humidifier at the same time. Maybe it cannot get the leaf out without humidity? Being low to the ground in nature, it is in a higher humidity area because the moist earth beneath the leaf litter It is cooler also, being at ground level. Anyway, that is all I can come up with. Cooler, and moister.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board. There are very experienced Paph growers here who no doubt will be along soon. They almost all like constant moisture. For this reason the three I have are in semi-hydroponic culture and doing well, but I don't have any you have.

[MrHappyRotter]

Can you post photos of your plants? That could also assist with any specific advice or recommendations.

Based on my experience, if you can't get the P. delenatii to bloom, you just need to give it more time. Unless you've had it for a few years, and it's multi growth, it may simply still be too young to bloom. That being said, this species will normally bloom off its first growth. It's a species that typically is adaptable to a wide range of growing conditions and once established and in good conditions, has a tendency to bloom regularly and reliably.

Granted your mileage may vary. Some people just have bad luck with certain species, and something that's fairly easy for me to grow and bloom might be tougher for you, and vice versa.

Paph. malipoense can be tough, slow growing, and seemingly stubborn as a seedling, in my experience. I've unfortunately lost 2 in the past. I do however have a plant that I acquired as mature sized and previously bloomed. It's growing well, but it is a tad sluggish. At its current rate of growth, I doubt it'll be ready to bloom until next fall at the earliest, and it started the new growths early this year. In other words, yes, it seems like a slow species. As the plants get larger, they tend to grow much more quickly, it just takes awhile for them to build up the strength.

[The Orchid Boy]

It may be that they are a little too warm. They like intermediate temps in the low 70s. They like consistent moisture and when I increased humidity, it was a huge help.

[FrFrancis]

Thanks, I keep humidity around 50% and the plants are kept moist. Could I be giving them too much light>

[Paphluvr]

You mention that "They are in an east, north-east facing window about 6 under a growing light." Is that 6" or 6' and what type of grow light is it. Is the window shaded by any trees or other obstructions? What are your day and night temperatures, both summer and winter. More info please!

[FrFrancis]

Sorry, that is inches, and there are no trees blocking the window. Humidity is in the fiftieth percentile and the temp doesn't get above 85 during the day (usually upper 70s) and stays in the low to mid 70s in the winter. Night temps get down to 60s spring through fall and stay in the low to mid 70s during the winter. I have a strap leave cross and a Maudiae type that grow next to them and they do well.

Lights are on 14 hours/day in the summer and 12hours/day in the winter.

Thanks!!!!