It would be considerate to provide a picture. Otherwise it is just a guess. And what good is a guess.

Can you tell me how to post a photo from my iPhone on this website? I clicked the photo icon where I posted the message, selected my photo from my iPhone with no luck

I upload my iphone pics to Photobucket from my phone. It's quick and easy and free. Get the Photobucket app on the phone.

Once uploaded on Photobucket, On the right side of the picture, I click the 'direct' box and it copies. Then go back to your post on Orchids, click on the Photo icon on your post. Paste the direct link in the file box and click Open. The photo appears on your post.

It is quick and easy. Uploading photos from the phone makes everything work smoothly.

Now, back to your plant. I have run into a similar problem. I live in Sarasota, Fl. I lost many spikes, buds on many, plants. Spikes develop and look great. Buds form and suddenly the entire spike begins to blacken and die. All hard cane dend buds blackened. Most of my Catt flower buds did also. I've been so upset and discouraged.

I have asked some professional growers and was told it was a weather problem. I find that hard to believe because many people had flowers without problems.

I have never run into this before in all my years of growing. I tried fungicides which didn't stop it. Insecticides did nothing. It almost appears bacterial but what I don't understand is why the spikes develop, large buds form, then begin to dehydrate and the entire flower spike blackens. All the plants are healthy.

So, I will follow your post to see if anyone has an idea.

I'll try to post a few pics of my plants tomorrow.

Jane

Hi

Interesting ,I've had almost the same problem with both terete and strap leaf

has only affected the Vandas, couple of Catts are flowering with no problem.

Really weird as the strap leaf I've had for over 30 years and has never failed to flower!! have no idea what the problem is !! I was thinking that maybe it was nearing it's lifespan but also happened to the terete Hope we find out what's wrong!!! gary

Here are photos of Vanda problem

Looks buggy. Could be thrips. The weather on the East coast and especially Florida has been whacky. So Life cycles of plants and bugs are out of tempo. I like Orthene as this poison is relatively benign to plants, animals, and humans and kills on contact as well is a systemic which means it gets in the plant and lasts for a few weeks. It appears to have damaged the current flower only so it seems the future of the plant is OK.

Take a magnifying glass or jewelers loop to the damage. The more you know the better off you are. Good luck.

I hate nuisance bugs.

I bet the home organic gardner will be challenged here in South Florida unless we have a damaging freeze to clear the way. Either way I won't plant tomatoes as they are the most vulnerable to bug attacks.

Shavedmonkey is giving the right clue... those two flower spikes were blasted by thrips. Get used to using a systemic insecticide for thrips, unless you grow in a closed greenhouse. Vanda growing in South Florida is fairly easy but can also introduce many challenges.

One the more popular systemic insecticides for orchids n general and vandas in particular is orthene.

Easily found at a big box store (HD, Lowes, etc) as ortho fire ant product. The orthene for orchids sold at orchid supply places is high percentage 90+ pct... more expensive, the fire ant product is weaker at 50 pct... same chemical, i use a bit more to equal the strength.. acephate.

Smells awful, (rotten eggs) I used it about once a month on blooming size vandas at one tablespoon per gallon of water... follow label direction. I know it's hard to wait a year for a flower bloom and then see the spike just brown and out... and your plant has tried really hard to bloom, looks like 5 spikes on consecutive leaf axils

Ben: You and shavedmonkey are so right! I bought some Orthene and see an improvement already. One Vanda spike had just slight damage and it seems to have recovered. The Orthene directions said to initially spray once a week for 3 weeks. After that should I spray once a month as a preventative measure? Should I use it on other orchids or just the Vandas?

It can be used on all orchids that I know. And is good on most all other plants except edibles. I use it quarterly or at the first sign of a bug issue. Orthene is not effective on spider mites.