My SB gets filtered sun from 8:30 to noon-ish, then the house and trees prevent direct sun. She sits outside, on my east-facing wall, all year, until temps start dropping below 45°.

When she sends out spikes they usually grow as long as they're going to get, then start unfolding the individual bracts, and then start to pop out buds. I've had mine 5-6 years and have never seen her flower before the process is complete...but I'm in FL. She's in the process now, matter of fact.

I'd probably do what you're planning: wait til it's done blooming and repot, since that may well be the issue.

I have a Red Fantasy that I bought with 2 blooming spikes in early Spring. I repotted immediately and I'm afraid that toasted the 2 spikes earlier than they would have faded.

I put it outside for the summer in May and it immediately put out another spike, which bloomed much as Vaodiva described. Now it is putting out another 2 spikes. I still have it outside and I'll leave it there until overnight temps begin to go below 50 regularly.

I bought a friend a huge Sharry Baby (not Red Fantasy) and it had multiple spikes. That was in early July. It took until recently for those spikes to unfurl and bloom. It did what you mention, a couple of buds prematurely opened first. It was a long wait for the spikes to completely form and bloom up, after that.

Don't give up hope and if the weather is kind, I wouldn't be afraid to move it outside, but beware a sudden drop if the plant has been very sheltered until now.

Mine have always done the same. Don't know how they treat the plants before orchid shows to get all those glorious blooms to show up at once, but I kinda like having them sequential--get to enjoy them longer!

Sharon

I've noticed this year in my zone both indoors and out that oncids have held their spikes or bloomed very slowly. I called a well respected orchid G/H to ask why. I have my SB's outside in full sun.

Their repsonse was that it is a combo of things. We had june, most of july cooler than normal. Then it heated up. Heat plays a roll if the light is right. Oncids such as Twinkle can throw spikes early. They told me this is perfectly normal and to have patience. They can hold for months. They also hold if conditions are not met.

If your blooms are popping open slowly you may try a light increase and a temp increase if the SB is in climate control. SB handles full all day sun in my zone without battling an eye. Still had to fight a Spring spiker to have him pop.

Clara

I've had up to 5 spikes on an SB, and they don't open all at once. Also, as you describe, a few flowers start the bloom, and the rest come in over time.

However, I suspect that your plant may need a little more water:

When a plant is extremely potbound, the roots often stop being able to take up water at all. The water runs right thru before they are able to take any up. Believe it or not, it's called "hydrophobia". And I've seen it in extremely pot bound tropicals-- I had a couple die and found the original tightly wound root mass bone dry, surrounded by the new medium I'd added, sopping wet. They just got *no* water, no mater what I did.

Try giving it a half hour soak when you water. If you can add a little superthrive to the water, that's even better. Set a timer so you won't forget to take it out, which I often do. You can also try putting a little moist sphag around the bottom of the newest pbs-- new roots will come from there, and if you keep that area moist with a little sphag, the new roots are more likely to survive.

And BTW, being outside when in spike is not a problem. If anything, your flowers will have a richer color and fragrance if the buds develop outdoors. In plants where the spike gets really tall, like SBs, you have to worry about the klutz factor, so I usually try to put it next to something taller to protect the spike.

It's a bit late now to be putting out a plant de novo in zone 6, but for next year... many oncids are day-length sensitive. Spikes start as the nights begin to lengthen in August. I honestly don't know if daylength affects the bud formation. But I do think you'll get more spikes if you summer them outdoors.

It is not at all normal for an orchid that was in spike in July to only now be getting around to putting buds out. In July it would not have been the heat that stalled the plant, it must have been light. When there is an obstruction ones judgement of the light situation has to be extremeley keen. The artificial light supplement is always a good idea but what size bulb? What distance from the plant?

H

Mehitabel- The lack of water getting to the plant did occur to me and just recently I did begin to soak the plant for a longer period of time than I had been. I will also try the moist sphag suggestion as well. Thank you.

Howard- I would agree with light being the main factor here. I only recently as you may recall add the supplemental lights. It was only after the lights were added that the buds began to form. I currently have 2 23 watt CFLS pointed at the plant at a distance of about 8 inches for 14 hours a day (timer). I would like to eventually get better bulbs but since my grow area is in my living room I need to find some sort of lamp that will blend in well and still hide a larger size CFL bulb. I currently have an octopus lamp from Target. but the larger bulbs would not fit properly. Any suggestions for lamps that will accomidate these bulbs and still blend well in a living area would be helpful.
Thanks!
Larissa

Howard... bear in mind that you are equating July with summer heat. That didn't happen in my area. barely reaching 70 June & the first 3 weeks in July. If someone is growing indoors and has the a/c on, it's the same issue; lack of heat and temp flux, although I am not convinced that is the only issue here. Even with proper light and heat I still have spikes holding.

I agree that 2 23w cfls are not enough for an oncid SB, especially at 8" from the plant (much closer Larissa) however, I have my oncids including SB outside in all day sun and they are holding. Started in the Spring. Twinkle has been holding Since about May. Outdoors, acclimated to full sun. Been in the 80's since August with a few cooler days. Still no "pop".

There was a recent thread about Twinkle's holding spikes. It was not a zone confined problem; z-9 to z-4 (outdoors) had the same issue. So I contacted OHG. This what I got as a response:

"Be patient. Many varieties send out spikes (or sheaths) prematurely, well before blooming season. The Twinkles bloom usually between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so it is way too early to expect buds at this time. Keep the plants on the cool side at night to provide some temperature fluctuation, and give good light. And don't stress out about it - "

Larissa, I have not been able to find a housing that "properly" fits a 42w or 85 w cfl. The bulbs stick out. You don't want a skinny fixture. It traps heat and fries the bulbs.

What I did was I got the 10" silver disk work lights, and made them look cool by hanging them in a row. That was as deep as I could find. They still stick out but have some "directionality". I don't use the clamps, but rather got a plumber's bracket from HD, strung the cord through the U shaped clamp that I screwed into the celiling and let the fixture hang, kind of like the modern kitchen/dining room lights. When they are in a row, they look nice. I've also hung 1 in a small window. A Nieghbour thought it was "cool" and didn't realise it was a cheapie HD shop light

I suppose you could krylon/rustoleum the outside if you wanted to add colour to the fixture. (wouldn't paint the inside) I haven't been able to find anything that has been able to accomodate the monsterous 42's or 85's. I am not really sure what the intended use is for an 85w cfl is. :-) and what people are screwing them into.

Clara