Some catt hybrids are tricky when it comes to flower sheaths. Now I'm not sure if it is due to genetics, growing conditions or just completely depends on the orchid's mood that season. 1. Some of them contain the flower buds within the first sheath so you get flowers immediately. 2. Some grow out a "false" first sheath that is empty and dries out. And then a second "true" sheath grows later on that contains the flower spike. 3. And then there are a few odd ones that dont even grow a sheath and just shoots out the flower spikes directly from the top of the plant. I had a Blc "Charlie Brown" that was growing an empty sheath first and would dry up. I thought I was losing potential flowers. But after the first sheath completely dried up and fell away, there is a small second sheath growing inside that contained the true spike. I also had a Blc greenwich "Elmhurst" I forgot the full name. And that one did not even grow any significant sheath. Just a little nub at the top of the plant and then shoot out the flower spike. I will have to dig up my computer to see if I have a picture of the "false" sheath on my Blc Charlie Brown. But here is a picture of the flowers after the second sheath came out that contained the spikes. I thought I had a sterile plant after seeing the first sheaths dry up: Here is also a picture of the "sheathless" blc:

I was curious as to what bud midge was too and I found this website. But the title piqued my interest because only on one spike of one plant (Lc. Rojo), all of the buds opened beautifully, and lasted for an obscene amount of time, with the exception of one. It too was about the size of a grain of rice, and when I tried to feel it, to see if it was soft or brittle, it crumbled into nothing. I assumed it was the runt of the bunch and just didn't make it, for whatever reason. If all of them are doing it, though, humidity makes sense to me. Here is a link that might be useful: Bud Midge

Well, it is clearly having difficulty adapting to its new environment but whether that is due to light in particular or not I couldn't say. It doesn't appear so from your comments about the other oncids. Consider though, that oncids in general are more sensitive to temperatures than say, phals. Are the rescue oncids in bloom? Probably not, so it might not mean that the growing spot is bad in general but not good as a display area for blooms. Is there A/C on? I can't think that would help blooms. Check out the spot, you will see what is 'off' about it if you stand there for a little while. If you aren't comfortable then an orchid, especially a blooming one won't be either. H

Hi, Judy. Yes, I would suggest that you do it earlier in the Fall. The invisible flower buds develop in July-August. Afterwards and until they open in the Spring, that is when early frosts, late frosts, winter weather and lack of moisture/water can kill them. A good time to put winter protection is when the plant goes dormant or before your average date of first frost minus 1 or 2 weeks. Make sure that the protection "protects" the ends of the stems since this is where the buds develop. If you put chicken wire around the buds, make sure the chicken wire extends past the stems. The more separation, the more winter protection they get. That also applies to the vertical side. The chicken wire should be higher than the stems that are growing upwards. Again, the more separation between the vertical stems and the chicken wire and the cardboard, the better. Last suggestion, make sure that you pack the leaves down or use organic mulch. Press the leaves down to get rid of air pockets and put more in mid winter if you notice that settling has occurred; this usually weakens the winter protection. In the rare cases that I put the chicken wire winter protection, I place the wire -only- in October. The plants go dormant in Nov-Dec for me so the chicken wire is there and "ready to go" when the plants go to sleep or if hear there is going to be a crash in temperatures big time.