Orchids in Bloom

[Merlyn]

It doesn't need a name to be appreciated for its beauty !!! Everyone has a NOID or 2 !!! Enjoy !!!

[camillenad]

True! Thanks!

[RosieC]

Did you grow it with all these spikes, or buy it that way.

The reason I ask is that I think the way they grow them commercially can lead to more spikes than you tend to get at home. They inhibit flowering for 18 months or so by keeping them too warm and possibly also high nitrogen. Both warmth and nitrogen boost growth but can inhibit flowering.

Then they drop the temperatures/nitrogen to prompt flowering. However having been inhibited they are more likely to produce multiple spikes than if they had flowered in their own time.

At least that's what I've observed from my orchids. They always have more spikes when bought that they ever produce again and I know from what others have said that the commercial growers control spiking in this way.

[camillenad]

Nice, thanks for the info. I also have heard of "shocking" orchids to produce more spikes. This one i bought like this, but as soon as the flowers drop i will try my best to save all 5 spikes and them to rebloom(difficult im sure). All other orchids i've bought have respiked with just 1 spike versus 2 when 1st bought. All except one mini i have that i bought with one spike last year, but now its growing 2 spikes
Thanks guys, all of you. Im such an orchid newbie but i adore them, and little by little im getting to know more and more about them esp. from all of you here at the orchid board. Thanks again really appreciate all the feedback i can get.