Sam, that's exactly what catt buds look like when they are developing out of the sheath. We'll call that 1)

After a period (I can't tell you exactly how long, but it's not excessively long)

2) After a period of fattening up some, the buds 3)move from pointing straight up to an "L" shape, get fatter, get some color. Then 4) drop the point even further, so it makes about a 45 degree angle.

Once they are pointing down in stage 4, they puff up even more, get more color, and are within a week or less of opening.

I believe Campobello is one of those big BLC flowers, so the buds have to grow quite a bit more in stage 2 before moving on to stage 3. I'm sorry I can't tell you exactly how long in each stage. But watching it all unfold is really a fascinating experience.

Remember patience and hope are the gardener's virtues. :)

Just hang in there, they're doing fine.

stage 4: Sam takes pictures and sends them in....;0)

Samuel,

You're paranoid. R-e-l-a-x!

Enjoy the show.

--Stitz--

HIGH FIVE Samuel - you are almost there. Isn't it exciting? I can't wait for your pictures.

Brooke

ohhh i know i am just dying!!!!!!!!!!!! every morning i wake up expecting to see them open! friday's are my watering days so i always get so worried that the buds are gonna snap off when i move them to the big tub and water them. i am ao affraid that i will snap them if i stake them. i yell at my bro when he throws stuff cuz im like don kill them or ill kill you!(lol) i would be devastated if they broke! soon so soon its gonna happen. its crazy how big the buds are getting. they said the flowers should be 5 inches across!!!!! ive been keeping a diary on this plant so that when the others bloom ill know what to expect! i have photos dating back to when the sheath was first peaking out to the first time any bud development was visible in the sheat to the day they first erupted. this is the most fun thing to watch!!!!!!!!!!!! You can rest assured there will be pics. i plan to do a kind of photo book post. It will have photos from when i first saw to the day they bloom. that is if i have the patience to sort thru the photos and then post them all. hahahahah this is so COOL!!!!!!!!! TTYL guys.

Samuel

On a first bloom plant, the flowers may not flower to the expected size. They maybe smaller. So don't be disappointed if they don't open fully at 5 or 6" or whatever they say it's suppose to be. As the buds mature, they will become heavier. They will slowly swing down to their normal position with the lip hanging at the bottom. However, sometimes a bloom can open twisted, or even upside down or even upright. It's not the end of the world. Just do be careful right now. Buds are fragile. And can easily blast too from exposure to cold drafts, excessive heat, or carbon monoxide gas and pollution.

yeah im doing all that i can to keep them from blasting. I make sure that there is no fruit in my room or near my room and when my mom cooks i keep a towel above and under my door and open the windows that are furthest away from my plants. so far things are good, this morning i saw that the bud moved back to pointing up and then this afternoon it leaned to the left and its still there now. i think i was just freaking out. the buds look like they are getting larger each time i see them. Its like they are dancing around (LOL). Im being very very careful aroung them and making sure not to jar them around. ive been running my room like a prison to make sure that nothing happens to those buds! if someone screws up my system there will be heck to pay. If i screw it up myself i will hate myself. my other Campobello is producing a new growth and im hopeing it will produce a sheath. so Happy growing to all of you!

Samuel

Just keep the buds oriented to the light the way they are now, otherwise the buds will twist to face the light and be crooked. Once the buds open, you can put the plant any way you want so that you can admire the bloom.