Zygopetalum

[Mini Me]

hi all im new to Orchids have only owned them for a year. Ive managed to get my Phalanopsis to flower again and my dendrobium to flower but my Zygopetalum which i have owned for just over a year now i cant seem to get to flower again. when i got it from the catalogue a few days later the leaves turned brown and the flowers that were on it dropped off. I ran to my local garden centre with a photo and asked what the problem was they said dont water it for a while as it had been over watered by the catalogue people. I managed to save it and its growing wonderfully. there are quite a few sudo bulbs and other shoots popping up but it just wont flower what am i doing wrong? i only water it with rain water not tap water and it is on my kitchen windowsill which is bright but not in direct sunlight the room itself is quite dark but its bright by the window. any help would be appretiated as i dont feel i want to risk buying more orchids until i can master this one plant. Also it is sat on the same window sill as my dendrobium and my phals. thank you

[davetheorchidaddict]

Welcome to our group and addiction, sounds like you have had some success so you are hooked like the rest of us. I really cannot offer anysuggestions for your Zygopetalum because they hide when I am shopping for plants because I have killed so many of their relatives, good luck.

[mayres]

Welcome mini me!
Check out this link on zygo care - Basic Zygopetalum Culture
I have found them a challenge as well - people who grow them with/like cymbidiums seem to do pretty well with them.

[Mini Me]

wow thanks for that guys i think maybe my Zygo needs more light and more water lol i use the drip feeder gocha a gocha/drop by drop and have found that to be excellent so far will maybe buy a cymbidium to go with it too then. Ive asked my O/H for an Orchid for my birthday so will see what the garden centre has hehehe.

[jerrymeola]

You might not have enough light at the window. I find when I measure windows the seldom go over 1500 foot candles, but every window varies (mine run around 600 foot candles) and needs to be measured separately.

I would not increase the water. It has nothing to do with the failure to flower and you said that it was growing well with lots of new growth. When things are going right do not change them and your growth seems to be doing well with your current water. It may dry out faster with whatever method you use to give it more light, but see how it reacts first before increasing water.

[Mini Me]

ok sounds a good comment will try and find a brighter window and keep watering as i was thanks.








the two shoots off the sides are my new bits im hopeing it will flower soon but no sign of a spike just yet. the ceramic pot has a layer of glass stones at the bottom when i water my zygo and same with the others i just cover the stones with rain water so the plant isnt submerged in the water for too long.

[davetheorchidaddict]

It looks like the orchid itself in planted in a net pot or basket, this is to aid in evaportion of mosture, I would remove it from that ceremic pot - it may not be as pretty but I feel it will help the plant.

[katrina]

I can't say for certain but it would seem to me that if you have enough light to bloom a Den...especially if it's a phal type den.... then I would think your light is sufficient to bloom a zygo.

My thoughts run in 2 directions here...
1st -- and probably most likely...the previous trauma is causing it to skip a bloom cycle. My mackayi did this.
2nd -- many of my zygos can vary by months on the bloom times...perhaps it just needs a bit more time.

It looks great...nice healthy leaves...you're obviously doing something right or that foliage wouldn't look so healthy.