i need some advice please

[snazzyboots]

i have several plants that i've had for quite a while now and they haven't ever bloomed for me. i'm hoping for some suggestions or comments as to what i can do differently. they all have new growths and lots of new roots and seem happy. right now they are all outside and get dappled sun all day. they are on the south side of the house but a large tree partially shades them. i think this past winter they didn't get enough light and am building light carts for this winter but i have had others bloom so i'm not sure if that is the issue. they get fertilized about every week and we've had a lot of rain so they get watered a lot but all are in well draining mix or mounted. any comments are welcome. thanks in advance.
jenny

encyclia cordigera randii
blc keowee mendenhall
lc mini purple blue hawaii
sc royal beau ali
blc solar flare
encyclia gracilis

[snazzyboots]

for some reason the pics didn't post. here they are. thanks

[PaphMadMan]

Your plants look healthy, and mostly large enough to bloom. The most likely problem is not enough light.

[snazzyboots]

thanks for your reply. i am pretty sure that they get enough light now that they are outside. all the root tips are reddish and most of the plants have a reddish tint. do you think that the lack of light over the winter can have that much of a lasting affect on them? also even this past winter a few of these i had pretty close to the lights

[rosietomato]

Have you thought about getting a light meter to check the true amount of light your plants are receiving? Also what kind of fert are you using?

[snazzyboots]

i use msu fertilizer. i've thought about getting a light meter but haven't done it yet. heard the good ones are expensive

[PaphMadMan]

Light meters are of limited usefulness in my experience. Good for assessing natural light, but useless for any artificial light source that is not full spectrum. If your plants are developing red pigments now in natural light they should improve, but it does take time, often at least enough time to initiate and mature a new round of growth for sympodial orchids. And then it can still take until the right season for some.



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[katrina]

If your light has been too low then the red pigmentation will come on quickly and if you didn't acclimate them the higher light it could be deceptive. Meaning...they still might not be getting enough light to bloom but because of the "tan" you think they are getting enough light.

A plant needs the proper conditions for the entire grow cycle...usually a year...if it is going to flower. Lower than ideal light over the Winter months will result in no flowers during that cycle...even a year later. IME, 3 months of good light during the Summer doesn't make up for the rest of the year.

As for why some have bloomed but these have not...one size does not fit all. I have some catts that require a good deal less light than others and the "usual" catt light will burn them. I also have the exact opposite w/some...they need full sun in order to bloom well.

A light meter is good for full spectrum fluoros...but it won't work w/the red/blue LED panels/lights. I picked mine up on eBay for under $40 and I can tell you...it's been one of the better investments I've made for growing orchids. I've used it in the Summer to pinpoint ideal spots for Summer spots and it does work w/my HO T5's. I highly recommend buying one...I didn't realize how little light my plants were getting until I got it. I was shocked but it explained why I wasn't getting good blooming on my higher light orchids. It really is a good investment and you don't have to spend a lot on one.

[snazzyboots]

kat do you mind telling me which light meter you got? i certainly don't mind spending $40. i do think you all are right. it probably is a light issue. that was my guess but it is always helpful to have other opinions. so for now do you think i should try to get these more sun? thanks again. i really appreciate the help

[katrina]

Yes, absolutely, take advantage of the Summer sun and put them in a spot that will allow as much light as they can stand w/out burning them.

I got my meter several years ago and I can't find it on eBay now but this is the exact one I have...
Amazon.com: Dr.Meter Digital Illuminance/Light Meter LX1330B , 0 - 200,000 Lux Luxmeter: Camera & Photo

I know I paid a little less because it was under or just at $40 w/shipping...but that was several years ago. Still, not a bad deal on amazon.

[snazzyboots]

thanks. they get quite a bit now but i'll see what i can do to rearrange. the tree has grown some since last year and shades a bit more. i found a light meter. not sure where it came from or how to use it. if hubby can't figure it out i'll look into getting one. i really appreciate the help

[Catt Mandu]

Originally Posted by katrina

Yes, absolutely, take advantage of the Summer sun and put them in a spot that will allow as much light as they can stand w/out burning them.

I got my meter several years ago and I can't find it on eBay now but this is the exact one I have...
Amazon.com: Dr.Meter Digital Illuminance/Light Meter LX1330B , 0 - 200,000 Lux Luxmeter: Camera & Photo

I know I paid a little less because it was under or just at $40 w/shipping...but that was several years ago. Still, not a bad deal on amazon.

OK - just had a weird experience. I clicked the link Katrina provided (above) earlier today. Several hours later I'm on the Weather Channel website, there's an Amazon ad and . . . the ad is displaying that light meter and two others. I know this sort of thing is commonplace on the web, but it still feels a little too "Big Brother" to me.

[snazzyboots]

that is very strange.

[Reg22]

That happens to me all the time. I hate it. Big Brother IS watching...or the Internet boogie-man. Any computer geeks out there know the right name for this?

[BGGraham1]

Its sort of like the Tivo or Netflix thing where they send you a suggestion list based on what you've watched in the past. Tell you what, though, most of the time they're wrong. I'm too random for them to pigeonhole. Mwahahahahaha!!!

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Catt Mandu

OK - just had a weird experience. I clicked the link Katrina provided (above) earlier today. Several hours later I'm on the Weather Channel website, there's an Amazon ad and . . . the ad is displaying that light meter and two others. I know this sort of thing is commonplace on the web, but it still feels a little too "Big Brother" to me.

Yep...Google at it's best...collecting the info pertaining to your surfing. I try not to think about it but it's freakin' creepy to know every click you make is being watched/seen/collected.