Surprising changes you made to get a bloom

[IdahoOrchid]

The following is a quote from another thread. I was going to post it there but thought it might have more impact in its own thread.

http://www.rv-orchidworks.com/orchid...ead.php?t=5523

OK Molly, how did you do it? I have one that is just sitting there growing. How long did you try before you succeeded?

Here is a story for you. This is not about a Brassia, but it is about getting an orchid to bloom and intended to illustrate the minor things that can keep an orchid from blooming.

My mother in law was given an in bloom Dendrobium as a gift several years ago. She loved it. She cared for that plant for SEVEN YEARS without it ever blooming again. It even moved with her from California to Boise, ID.

A couple of months ago Renee (my wife and her daughter) and I went to visit. I had heard about the orchid several times. I had purchased some lava as some media for my bonsai. She asked me about the orchid and told me how she was caring for it. She had NEVER repotted it but it was doing quite well in spite of that. I used some of the lava to repot it for her. I inspected the plant and it had no signs of flowering going on. The only thing she was doing "wrong" was it needed to be watered a little more often. I also moved the orchid 12 to 14 inches (maybe 18 inches) East in a South facing window in front of her kitchen sink.

TWO WEEKS later, when I got home from work I found out that Renee's mother had called. Apparently she was quite excited and told her that the orchid had bloomed and that I was her hero. TWO WEEKS!!!

I totally forgot to bring my camera with us the last time we went so I cannot share the picture with you. Sure wish her daughter would forward the picture to us since we DID have something to do with it!!!!

Sheesh, I wish I could have gotten MINE to bloom!!! Two flower buds last year that sat dormant and a new one this year. I have resorted to utilizing the friendly services of a society friend's greenhouse and it now has a 4 inch spike on its way.

(as a side note, her phal did not look so good so I was hero again by presenting her with a new, in spike one and the second trip mentioned above.

[bench72]

interesting...

and two weeks aye... so, was it the new mnedium or the more easterly position? I guess we will find out if the plant is not repotted next season and blooms again in the same spot!

well... ok, I've got one... but it didn't take two weeks, but two Paphiopedilums of mine spiked because they got put on top of the garbage bin for a week earlier in spring... I don't know if it is the fact that the temperature is warming up, or if it is the extra light in that position or the smell of being tossed away.... but I might start putting more of them on top of those bins