Sheath dying before budding

[moniluhum]

I have several plants that have formed sheaths. It seems that they stay green but then turn yellow without any budding. Has anyone experienced this problem? What is the remedy? The ones in this picture are either getting direct morning sun or the plant itself gets the direct morning sun and not the sheath is protected.

---------- Post Merged at 11:24 AM ----------

Is it too much sun even though they get only sun up to 11am? Watering process like not getting sheath wet? I am at a loss.

[raybark]

That's really not all that unusual; I've seen that many times. The sheath has done its job, so the nutrients are resorbed and it dies, becoming easy to open.

[moniluhum]

But in many cases after the sheath dies there aren't any buds. They are duds. Is there a cause for that? Is there a better way to treat the sheath to improve the probabilities of buds being produced? It's exciting to see sheaths, as I have many plants right now with them, but get very disappointed when there is no flower produced. A real bummer.

[JDT]

Happens to all of us, we just grin and bear it and hope the next time it blooms. If I knew the answer as to why that happens then I might have a subject to write an article about if you ever figure it out please let us all know.

[raybark]

Monica, as far as I can tell, the development of a sheath and buds are relatively independent. There is nothing that can be done to a sheath to cause buds to form.

A plants that is sufficiently mature and grown well will produce buds more reliably.

[moniluhum]

Ah hah, so that's good to know. Now, if the plant is a mature and appears healthy what would cause a new stem not to flower? Not enough light perhaps? I gather not all stems will flower.

[raybark]

In a well-grown plant, pretty much each new growth will bloom. If not, there is likely something amiss with the culture. You're right, insufficient light may be the cause, but another is the excessive application of nitrogen - i.e., feeding too much.

[moniluhum]

So now you have me fertilizer shy. What would be a generally adequate fertilizer regimen? I have been told before but am a little confused.

[JDT]

What were your told to do? Let us know what you were doing and then I am sure you will get some feedback.

[moniluhum]

Do not over fertilize. Find a better culture for the plant. The culture part is hard to figure out since the plant is healthy and growing new stems. I am going to fertilize once a week.