trichopilia tortilis culture help

[Bluesky]

Does anyone here grow this plant? My plant is just declining. I've had it since 2006 and it's never bloomed. I had it in a clay pot w/small bark mix. It lost all of it's leaves but the 22 p-bulbs it has are plump. I put it outside a while ago and it now is trying to push 3 new growths. I re-potted it into a net pot w/NZ sphag. Don't know if that was the thing to do but what I was doing was not working.
Can anyone please give me any growing tips? Thanks.

[RosieC]

Sorry I can't help, hope someone who knows about it sees this soon.

[WhiteRabbit]

again - good luck!

[Bud]

This plant is originally found in Mexico all the way to Costa Rica in elevations of 1500 meters above sea level. Sepals and petals are green corkscrew like. Lip is white with a yellow center and fragrant.
It is best given cool temperatures in partial shade (putting it outdoors for the hot summer in your grow zone was a mistake; this plant would have been better off indoors in the east facing window). Water plant when mix dries. During the winter give it a slight rest between watering. On a regular basis; water this plant once a week but in winter water it every other week from December 15 to February 15….when the new roots and buds emerge continue the regular watering regimen….weekly weakly fertilizer and this wants a medium mix that mimics the media where it grows (it doesn’t want the sphag you repotted it on….you better put it in the kind of mix it’s been used to since 2006). Your plant is not dying even if it lost leaves….just put it back on its usual place and give it the usual care you did since 2006….if you give it the proper winter rest….it will successfully bloom for you in the spring.

[Bluesky]

Hey, thanks so much for your reply Bud. I'll will put it back in bark mix then & bring it inside although we are getting quite cool temps now. Did not give it a winter rest so I'll also do that & hope for the best.

[Bud]

just trust your instincts....you managed to care for this plant since 2006....what cant possibly go very wrong now?
yes if the cool temps outdoors will help it ...then let it feel the outdoors until a week before the frost comes....just put it in a shady part....

you really have to give it a proper winter rest for it to bloom....otherwise it will just keep on giving you keikis