A Psychopsis casualty

[Lee]

Hello,

After several years of faithful blooming my psychopsis spike (one of two) bud dried out and fell off. Conditions have remained the same throughout ownership of this orchid. What could have happened and what can I now do? A new third spike has appeared and is still quite immature. I was so excited to have 3 spikes on one psychopsis but now am at a loss about what to do with the spike that has the fallen bud. I would appreciate help from other psychopsis growers. Full disclosure: I live in Zone 5...the psychopsis is one of several orchids on a table in front of an East window. I use a light shade to filter out direct sun but otherwise raise the shade when there is no sun.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Lee

[Brooke]

Lee sometimes they just do that for no apparent reason. The spike itself may be done and if it starts to turn brown from the top down it is done. If the spike stays viable, another bud will appear.

I grow my Psychopsis in catt light. An east window in Ohio with a light shade over the sunny window would be almost in the dark to the plant. The sun is still very weak now and even phals can take a sunny east window. Put your higher light orchids in front of your lower light orchids to help shade them but remember two feet from the windowsill is about 1/4 of the fc's at the sill.

Most orchids can take some direct sun from an east or west window. South windows are the most intense.

Brooke

[janet_a]

mine blasted five buds in a row once. but it's blooming now. i'm thinking humidity, myself.

[Lee]

Thanks for the helpful advice. The shade that I referred to is a honeycomb shade which is very sheer and allows a lot of light in. I always thought direct sunlight was to be avoided. My psychopsis is sharing space with phaelenopsis and paphs. I wonder, too, if humidity is an issue. I cannot use a humidifier in this area but I wonder if I should be misting the orchids? If so, would I mist just the surface of the plants and avoid leaves and blooms?

Lee

[Daethen]

I have a psy that has 2 spikes. One spike bloomed then blasted the next bud and is about to now open another flower. The other spike blasted the first 2 buds and has been sitting dormant but green. They both took about a 6 week break before the latest flower developed. I would just be patient, it may have needed a breather.

[Lee]

I love the abbreviations I see used here......it would be so nice if an orchid "veteran" could post a glossary of these for the newbies like me......it would save time and spelling issues! So far I notice "psy" for psychopsis and "phal" for phalaenopsis.....Anything else?

[rcb]

A google search on orchid abbreviations took me to this link.

Orchid Genera Abbreviations

[Lee]

How interesting! I use Google constantly but never thought of it in this instance because I thought this was an "insider" thing among forum orchid fanciers.......thanks!

[Lee]

P.S. I feel like a kindergartener who has stumbled into a high school physics class by mistake. This forum appears to be for the orchid "cognoscenti." I wonder if there is a forum better suited to people like me who love orchids, are struggling through trying to learn about them and using trial and error to grow the easy ones. I must say though that there are few thrills as great as seeing an orchid re-bloom. I find myself staring at these in amazement, especially the paphs. What a wonder of nature!

Lee

[Filb]

Everyone starts out being a kindergartener Lee.
I consider myself maybe a first grader, hah..
It just takes time to learn and the process is fun!

[Lee]

Thanks, Filb

I am a former Michigander.......hope I can be as nice as you!

[janet_a]

Originally Posted by Lee

P.S. I feel like a kindergartener who has stumbled into a high school physics class by mistake. This forum appears to be for the orchid "cognoscenti."

absolutely not. everyone is welcome here. there are certainly folks in here who have high level conversations in botanical latin; and then there are those of us who just kind of sit back and watch and eat popcorn. at least no one is watering their plants with ice cubes anymore. (i saw some plants in a nursery recently with tags that said to do that--! when will these wholesalers learn??)

anyway, i saw your other post about how your flowers look--there are quite a few popular psychopsis hybrids out there.

psychopsis - Google Search

mine's a Mendenhall 'Hildos'

[Daethen]

Lee, stick with us and you will soon be spouting latin as well. We all start out in kindergarten and with the help of the geeks I have graduated. You are more than welcome to learn here. Just remember that the only stupid question is the one you don't ask.

[Lee]

Thanks so much for the support. How very kind!

Lee

[koshki]

Lee, first welcome to Orchid Geeks!

This is most definitely NOT a place for just the "cognoscenti" (what a great word!) Stick around for a while, and you will pick up all sorts of interesting stuff.

But be careful! Looking at photos can be hazardous to your wallet!