Blc.Eagle Eye All Victory

[nenella]

This is my very first cattleya & have had it 3 years now. She always flowers at this time of year. My 3 challenges are now:

-make sure the next growth grows 'upwards' & not sideways !- by staking
- Get more new growths (than just one a year)- by cutting through (75%) between older growths
- Get 3 blooms per sheath rather than 2...
I think I know what to do for the first 2 points as have seen threads on the OB...
But I have no idea on how to avoid (the middle bud on the 3 original ones in the sheath ) from 'aborting' -this is the second time it happens...

Any suggestions would be welcome! By the way I grow indoors-south facing window

[kiki-do]

No suggestions here, but she sure is gorgeous!!!!!!! Is it fragrant? Wow!

[Cookiemonster]

Congrats nenella, i remember you coming ob chat asking about the bud blasting- but these flowers are absolutely stunning!!
I think you'll find out w/ time what is causin the buds to abort, too dry, water/other spraying stuff gets on the buds, too much sun, wide temperature changes ect

[cb977]

Oh that's stunning!

How big are those blooms? I love it!

[camille1585]

Beautiful blooms!! I would love to grow catts, but was afraid that at our latitude we don't have strong enough light. Do you give supplemental light as well, or is the sun from the south facing winter enough to bloom catts? In that case I could give Catts a try!

[kavanaru]

Nenella, I do not know why thsi happens so often with this plant. I had mine also for a long time (until this summer) and always had the middle bud blasting. However, I can tell you it is better so A friend of mine has normally the same proble, but once he managed to have 3 flowers in one spike, but we did not like it as the flowers were not nicely presented anymore (just clustered together).

Sue, those flowers are quite large and gragrant... one of my favorite Catt hybrids... here an old picture of my plant, from last october...

[nenella]

Thanks everyone, Yes the flowers are as big as a hand and yes it's scented. It's only been open a couple of days so the scent is not strong yet
Camille no I do not have any additional light. You should try!
Cookiemonster,I still don't know what happened with the ones that blasted - the 2 plants are not in prime shape, I think I'll repot..
Ramon I think you are right in saying it's better with one or two flowers on a stalk as otherwise very 'squashed' and nice seeing your photo again..My photographic skills are not up to yours!

[quiltergal]

Very pretty Nenella! The staking works wonders. I did that with my Blc. Chia Lin 'New City'. It's a really big plant and the new growths were allowed to grow sideways or whatever direction they wanted to go. After I got it I borrowed the idea from Mauro the master, and the latest two growths are growing straight up. Makes more room on the shelf. I also have a problem with getting my Catts to mature all the buds they start with. Seems like at least one aborts before it ever gets started. I'm not sure if it's a culture issue on my part. Chia Lin started with 2 buds but only 1 is maturing.

[Lagoon]

It's just gorgeous for sure