Sheath to cut or not to cut that is the ?

[WolfinKW]

OK I have an LC. Straight Answer "No Question" that has a sheath coming out. I've read elsewhere on a board similar to this that one should snip the sheath open so that "air can get in there" which will help it bloom. So my question is do I assist in the birthing of the bud or do I let it go natural and scream it's head off?

Wolf

[LJA]

Let it go natural.

If the sheath starts to brown, that's the time you can help things along by snipping the tip and pulling each side of the sheath apart to expose the developing buds. The idea is to keep condensation from building up inside the sheath and blasting the buds, and that usually won't happen as long as a sheath stays green.

[WolfinKW]

Thanks LJA I'll do that and keep an eye out.

[Jmoney]

ditto to what Louis said. I've been lazy a few times about cutting an opening for dried sheaths and have paid for it with blasted buds. Just be sure to use a sterile instrument...and don't go overboard, just a small opening at the top, and pull the sheaths down enough so that the buds can get "air" so that moisture evaporates.

[Piper]

Ditto the smart guys. I just wanted to add that I up the watering during sheath and bud formation and throughout the blooming. How many buds actually survive is largely dependent on available resources at the time the plant forms them. (Same goes for how long the flowers last - to a point). If the plant is getting ideal levels of light, water and fert, it will bloom max flowers for max duration (depending on the plant). If it's sub-optimal, it will put out fewer or abort those already started, or drop blooms early.
Keep a record and note how often you water. I've dont this and found experimenting with more water during formative and blooming stages I really boosted blooms and flowering time for some of my orchids.

Julie