Question
Howdy Wayne,
just a quick question in regards to my Nelly Isler - when I bought it, the petals of the flowers were deep red and now, much of the blooms are faded red even though they are quite freshly bloomed.  Am I in the wrong lighting (window facing south with mod/bright light)?  I have tried adding bloom fertilizer but ended up with some burnt tips in which I flushed the plant immediately.

very nice fragrance though!
thanks.
Gina

Answer
Hi Gina, the flowers on this plant actually grow larger as they age and the colors tend to become diffuse as the pigment as spread over a larger area.  It has nothing to do with your growing conditions.  Most growers of this plant recommend an east window but they do well under most lighting conditions.  Ideal temperatures are 55-68 degrees F at night and 68-85 degrees in the day.  The typical color of a mature flower is a bright orange red with a peach lip and sufused red spots in the lip but these colors can vary somewhat.  Feeding with a bloom booster when buds just start forming could enhance coloration in the flowers. Sounds like you need to cut back on your fertilizer concentration-- to 1/4 tsp per gallon of water.