I think my Bletilla striata entered the growing phase

[rbarata]

Not sure, it's still to small but it probably is.
It's sprouting near the pot edge which is a common behaviour of this genera.

[sbrofio]

Yes, it looks like B sprouting! Mine are a bit more advanced and some plants of friends of mine are almost in bud.

[rbarata]

How has been the weather where you live? Temps and such?

[sbrofio]

I live in northern Italy, here temps between 6°C in the night ad 14-15°C in the day until 1 week or so ago. in last 10 days or so temps have risen to 10°C and 18-19°C with sunny esposion during the day. At my friend's place, in southern Italy, spring has arrived one months earlier, so really good weather since the very beginning of March.

[sbrofio]

Here mine. Pic taken yesterday during gardening. The are semialba.

[rbarata]

Mine is an alba.
I bought mine a few months ago so probably I won't have so many new growths like you do because mine is only one pbulb.
Charles Baker says that until the plants don't get pot bound they won't flower.

Temps here are slightly higher but the pot in it's location doesn't recieve sunlight. That's the probable cause for the delay.

[sbrofio]

I bought two pieces for being alba, instead they were semialba. They made just 1 flower the same the year I planted them now it's their 3rd year fo growing wih me. Sun only in the morning from dawn until 13-13:30. Fed with manure in pellet.

[rbarata]

So, each pbulb grows more than one shoot?

[sbrofio]

Yes, mine had 2 when planted, then they grew and branched

[Selmo]

It should grow quickly once it breaks dormancy. Ours seem to grow inches a day. They will put out a few leaves and a flower spike, if they are going to bloom this season. So they have to go into dormancy in order to bloom. We keep ours outside in 2gallon pots with good old potting soil and some extra perlite. We grow them this way so, they can be moved inside during the winter. They seem to do better this way for us. They don't seem to be hardy enough grow them in the ground here. We keep them outside from spring until fall, early winter, when temps fall below 25F at night. We then put them in the unheated garage. We keep the garage at about 32F with a small space heater. The dogs water bowl does not freeze. We don't water much during dormancy, maybe twice during winter. Just make sure that they don't freeze solid, and don't get bone dry. When they break dormancy, we move them back outside. If it drops below 30F we put them back in the garage until night time temps stay above that. This year we have had to move them twice. We had a very warm February (6 days in the 70's) and the beginning of March was a little chilly (4 days in arow of 19/20F for lows) and yesterday and today in the mid and upper 80's. Love Midwest weather, if you don't like it just wait a few days. Outside they are in dappled sunshine, no direct sun. Water them well when actively growing. Best of luck with yours. Here is a picture from Sunday.