Maxillaria tenuifolia leaftip dieback?

[ramonypony]

So, my coconut orchid still hasn't bloomed since I got it a couple years ago. This summer I moved it outside and to a much brighter location (my outdoor shower) than it was in last year because that seemed to be the reason that most don't bloom.

It has always grown nice looking new bulbs with leaves that stay green until they get a certain length and then the tips die back on all of them, without fail. I really hate it and I wonder what am I doing wrong? I wouldn't mind it not blooming so much if the leaves at least looked pretty.

[Ray]

The first things that come to mind are excessive fertilizer application, very high TDS of your water supply, or a lack of calcium (what's your water supply?)

[Leafmite]

Try a drier winter (water it but let it dry out before watering again), no fertilizer during the winter, upper spectrum of Cattleya light (as with a wakeriana, dowiana or aclandiae), fertilize lightly, and give it plenty of water the rest of the year. It is what I do and mine blooms every spring. The year I gave it shade during the winter was the only year it did not bloom so good light is essential.
This year, for whatever reason, it started a second bloom earlier in the summer and has been blooming since.

[Leafmite]

I agree with Ray about fertilizer burn. This one doesn't need much fertilizer to be happy.

[ramonypony]

Well, I think I've fertilized it twice since it moved it outside so I kind of doubt that's the issue. I don't have much info about my water supply, I requested it from them but what they sent me didn't really tell me anything. I think the water hardness is pretty medium. I guess it could be a lack of calcium, I have garden lime, would that work?

[Ray]

NO GARDEN LIME!!!!!!! That's overkill (and maybe "kill", if used wrong).

Assuming your municipal water supply originates from rivers or wells, where you are in TX will make a huge difference in the mineral content of your water. Don't go "adding" things until you've eliminated other possibilities.

Have you repotted since you got it? Buildup in the medium is the same as overfeeding.

[ramonypony]

I was mistaken, it's actually garden gypsum. I have repotted it, I think I made a mix of bark, CHC, perlite and a little sphagnum. Before I moved it outside I noticed new root tips were filling the pot.