Growing Slipper Orchids - Part 5

Sharing of my experience in growing Slipper Orchids (Paphiopedilum)

First of all, thanks for all the emails, queries and feedbacks. I hope I have managed to share most of my slipper orchids experience.

Having a deformed bloomed can be disappointing, no doubt, I have experienced that before! We have to understand that not every blooms are perfect, sometime, you are rewarded with perfect, big flower on its first bloom; However, there are times that you are rewarded with deformed or crippled or small flower.

There are reasons why the flowers were not perfect:

1. The plant was infested with pests prior or during budding

2. Overdosed of pesticide

3. Plant was weak during budding

4. Bud was crushed during budding

5. Recently repotted

6. Change of growing environment

7. Change of cultural habit, watering, fertilizing, not enough lighting etc etc...

To avoid having small, deformed or crippled flower, I usually do not change the potting mix too often, so it's important to have good potting mix that can last a longer period. As I have noticed, too often in changing potting mix will cause the plant to go into hibernation mode, and likely to only see them to grow again after 3 to 6 months time. 

Worst if the plant is really to spike, that might cause the plant to take up more energy to push to flower. So, my personal view is that not to change the potting mix too often, let the plant to settle down first. 

Change only after the flower had wilted.

On another note, if the plant is seriously infested while budding. I will not hesitate to cut off the spike, reason being that I would rather take care of the plant than to look at the flower. Don't think anyone would really want to see a flowering sick plant.

Remember to give all the plants with enough space, that will help them to flower well and promote good air circulation too.

Oh, on a separate note, I just got to know that my Complex(es), spicerianum, henryanum, Maudiae, Yang-Ji Soaring, Nathaniel's Fatmama, Fanaticum, Susan Booth are spiking now, I can't wait to see them, Just have to wait for another few more days before I return from business trip..

Oh Man!! That is really a torture...