Bud blast on multiple orchids
 

Hello,

I have about 25 orchids, mostly Phalaenopsis and some dendrobiums. I have had these orchids over ten years and they have bloomed consistently every year. However, this year they all got spikes which developed buds and looked healthy. Then one by one the buds began dropping off all of them. There was no change in growing conditions that I'm aware of. Has anyone else ever had this experience?

What a bummer!

Consider the following:

> Cold draft
> Hot, dry draft, or some other sudden drop in humidity
> Mites - although that would be less likely an "all at once" impact.
> Ethylene - there are basically two potential sources, a dirty-, or improperly tuned gas heater, or ripening fruit.

How terrible! I hope you find the reason why it happened. :(

I'm so sorry! I agree with what Ray said.

I would be crushed! I think Ray's onto the source, though. My initial thought was a blast of cold.

Thanks for the replies. I was thinking my plants must have some type of plague and I'd have to get rid of them all but if it's just environmental hopefully they will be ok next year. I have searched thoroughly and see no indication of mites.

I cut all the spikes off so I didn't have to watch them dying a slow death. Too heartbreaking.

Thanks again for your help.