Laelia purpurata striata in bud
 

I bought this one bare rooted from Orquideas de Latino America at the Barcelona Orchid Show end September. At first I put her into a clay pot, but since she didn't have any viable roots, I don't think she was 'feeling' confortable. More or less a month ago, I decided to mount her onto cork. I cut off all the ancient roots. Almost immediately after mounting her, she started growing a new root and 'something' inside the sheath. It has grown quite quickly, but I had to cut the top of the sheath to let the bud come out of it. I'll post again when the bud opens. All this happened within a few weeks after changing her from pot to cork. I've never before seen such a quick change in any of my orchids.

Wow! that does sound like a quick turn around. I have what looks like a healthy Laelia purpurata that has never bloomed. Maybe I should mount it!

Can't wait to see when your buds open.

Silken, more light. Purpuratas like as much light as you can give them short of burning. Try changing the ratio of P and K to N when you start to see a sheath or when the new pbulb has matured halfway.

Thanks James. It must be the problem, but I sure give them a fair bit of light. My other high light plants bloom so I guess these may need more. It is mature enough to bloom I am sure. I do use a bloom booster ratio when pseudo bulbs get about 1/2 size but maybe I should cut out the nitrogen completely for a short while at that time. I'll make it bloom one of these days-I think :)