Sobralia Repotting for Blooms - 2 years and No Blooms

[difreda]

I'm about to repot a sobralia which has never bloomed. It's a healthy growing plant - just won't bloom. Bought it at an Orchid show 2 years ago - all I know is that it's sobralia and about 3 feet high in the pot. It's in a sunny warm location (Miami Area). can anyone suggest a few tricks - Pot binding and moving to sunnier location did not work - Nor does feeding it often. Any tips from the Sobrlia experts. I'be read Katherine's re-potting post and have that medium - but I'm tired of keeping a pretty bunch of leaves - I know orchids are finicky but I'm stumped here - Help!

[ksriramkumar]

I am not sure of what to do to bloom for this genus but would like to know if has bloomed before (any old dried spikes?). may be someone who grows this genus would chirp

[JDT]

Like Sriram I have no clue on the culture but I did find this; Sobralia I hope it helps!

[difreda]

Well folks, I found the problem. The neighbor who potted this plant for me (back when I really didn't know what I was doing) used Styrofoam as a medium. The poor plant was starving and growing solely on the nutrients from the plant food I was giving it. The smaller pot in the picture is the pot I removed it from filled withe the Styrofoam chunks I removed for this poor Sobralia. Many Thanks to all who posted the excellent guidance on Sobralia culture. Katherine posted a reply which I modified a bit to include clay balls in her suggested mixture to improve drainage as the medium compacts a bit. I'll update this when the Sobralia blooms.


Now this baby needs to heal from the re-potting trauma and bloom. And Thanks JDT for the AOS link - I read it before but now I am also suspecting that I may need to relocate the plant further north in Florida during the winter to get a chill period. (I do that with my Clivia Miniatas).

[JDT]

I am thinking of using my refrigerator for some of my winter rested orchids next winter.

[Eauchiche]

Sorry to bump an old thread, but does anyone grow miniature hybrid Sobralias?