What are your wintergreens doing?

[SteveC2]

At the weekend I decided that I'd best get on with repotting my wintergreens, a job which I like to do before growth starts for fear of damaging emerging shoots.  Too late!  As I peered into the cold frame there were green shoots everywhere, Ophrys, Barlia, Anacamptis, Pterostylis all poking through.  When I checked my notes from last year I realised that they had started to emerge at the same time, but I'd put that down to the lousy summer, especially the cool nights, which is definitely not the case this year.
So here's the question, what are your tubers doing?

[goofy]

hello Steve,
nothing to see here in Berlin.

but when I "digged" to check, I find the growth just starting,

new growth now is from "nothing" to max. 5 mm,
thats for all Anacamptis/Orchis and Spiranthes spiralis,
potgrown and still dry.
but will begin to water next days.................

cheers

[Tony Willis]

All still dormant except for pterostylis which are through and calypso which are just into growth

[mark smyth]

When I repotted some of mine last week they had noses maybe 1cm long but no roots

[goofy]

........ only I think your suggestion to watering Orchis species in august is .... strange?

I found in the last 50 years, that the plants  begin to grow on slightly watering,
AND  when watering  earlier, they can make good roots
and stronger growth befor the dark winter times.
THATS for my potted plants,

but in the garden we had heavy rains last week,
about 10 - 20 liters /square meter per day,

so, WHAT SHALL I DO now with the plants in the garden............... 

[SteveC2]

I asked the question because given the high temperatures we have had for the past weeks I was surprised by just how much development I was finding when I repotted, and I was curious to know what other growers were experiencing, especially as the forum has contributors from such a wide area.  Anyway I completed my repotting last night.  The pots have spent the summer in cold frames in deep shade so spotting an emerging shoot is not that easy, but  those that already have the first green leaves up include several Anacamptis, two Barlias (Himantoglossum), Pterostylis coccinea (not a surprise) and a couple of Ophrys.  Others, including Gennaria, Neotinea and Orchis have shoots up to 2 cm long with roots developing and will surely benefit from a LITTLE water.

I noticed that some of the new plants, purchased from reputable traders in Germany, Greece and Bulgaria respectively, are ahead of plants that I've had for years so if growth is temperature dependent rather than time controlled perhaps it's the shock of coming to the U.K. that has spurred them on.  I guess a U.K. heatwave, especially with an onshore wind off the north sea and plenty of east coast clag, that's what we call the cloud that comes in from the wash, is pretty much like autumn in Greece.

[K Andrzejewski]

I dont know what is POSSIBLE in UK   

- after 50 years? I don't belive... or You follow Berthold Gross opinion, that climate have no impact on growing conditions of european orchids in the Garden/Greenhouse and only "Mykorrhizapilze" counts? 
I think that it all depends on how often the owner of a greenhouse watering your pots (or sand, in which they are plunged). So the term "HERE" mean "in my greenhouse" and absolutely do not refers to the climatic conditions in your area. In my opinion - this is my business to improve so natural cycle of growth how is only possible in artifical condition and I don't want to have flowers in February or March.
I checked now few of my Ophrys, which start as the first in autumn - no sing of growth, but this is because in summer I'm keeping my pots in very, very dry condition.
About  Anacamptis - Orchis: my answer was not about "what's going one now in greenhouse", but about watering in August:

AND  when watering  earlier, they can make good roots and stronger growth befor the dark winter times.

For example for Orchis from militaris-group, that's not really matter.
In my opinion -  wet summer time is the most dangerous moment for this plants, the main cause of european disaster in season 2011/2012.
Regards -
Kristof

[K Andrzejewski]

already have the first green leaves up include several Anacamptis, two Barlias (Himantoglossum), Pterostylis coccinea (not a surprise) and a couple of Ophrys.  Others, including Gennaria, Neotinea and Orchis have shoots up to 2 cm long with roots developing and will surely benefit from a LITTLE water.

- Steve, do you have "Orchids of Britain and Ireland" from 2005 or the newest one?

[goofy]

- after 50 years?  or You follow Berthold Gross opinion, that climate have no impact on growing conditions of european orchids in the Garden/Greenhouse and only "Mykorrhizapilze" counts? 
I think that it all depends on how often the owner of a greenhouse watering your pots (or sand, in which they are plunged). So the term "HERE" mean "in my greenhouse" and absolutely do not refers to the climatic conditions in your area. In my opinion - this is my business to improve so natural cycle of growth how is only possible in artifical condition and I don't want to have flowers in February or March.
I checked now few of my Ophrys, which start as the first in autumn - no sing of growth, but this is because in summer I'm keeping my pots in very, very dry condition.
About  Anacamptis - Orchis: my answer was not about "what's going one now in greenhouse", but about watering in August:For example for Orchis from militaris-group, that's not really matter.
In my opinion -  wet summer time is the most dangerous moment for this plants, the main cause of european disaster in season 2011/2012.
Regards -
Kristof

I was just talking, what happens in my garden, these are my conditions,
and when I grow about 20 different species,
I cannot produce a very special condition for each of them.
no matter, whether they are growing open in the garden
and have to stand the normal weather conditions,
or growing in pots, sunken in a sheltered frame, and I have to care for.

so, MINE are still DORMANT HERE.

have fun

[SteveC2]

- Steve, do you have "Orchids of Britain and Ireland" from 2005 or the newest one?

How spooky is this?  Can you see into my house?  My 2009 version is sitting right by my computer.
But why do you ask?

[K Andrzejewski]

Sorry, I have (and still adore!) the "old one" from 2005 and I don't know if the number of pages is still the same. Anyway - page 200
"Annual cycle of growth and replacement of tubers in the genus Orchis (after Wells, 1981)" - just apply that cycle and this will be the most safe way to succesful growth of Orchis. As attachment - last two Orchis militaris finishing the season, picture from now.
Kristof
P.S. My tubers from Christopher Greenwell or Konstantina have the same problem and this season I did everything what only possible to adopt back the normal cycle. 

[glynnffc]

Nothing showing in any of my pans at the minute, and the usual dilemma: Do I water or not?
Please tell me where you are buying your orchids  from,I don't know who this Konstantina is or the other person mentioned.

[Maggi Young]

Christopher Greenwell and Simon Silcock, both SRGC members and registered forumists (though they are not active here lately) founded the Balkan Rare Plant Nursery
in the heart of Bulgaria in the Stara Planina in 2004.
Originally from England, they were previously neighbours of ours in Aberdeen - it's a small world! 

You can see their various posts  in this forum under the names Hristo and Sinchets
Chris has made a large and valuable contribution to our Seed  photos.


Their website is www.bulbgaria.com 
You can contact them via brpn@live.com

 

[glynnffc]

Thanks Maggi,another one for my favourites list.
Glynn

[SteveC2]

Sorry, I have (and still adore!) the "old one" from 2005 and I don't know if the number of pages is still the same. Anyway - page 200
"Annual cycle of growth and replacement of tubers in the genus Orchis (after Wells, 1981)" - just apply that cycle and this will be the most safe way to succesful growth of Orchis. As attachment - last two Orchis militaris finishing the season, picture from now.
Kristof
P.S. My tubers from Christopher Greenwell or Konstantina have the same problem and this season I did everything what only possible to adopt back the normal cycle.

I have looked at this diagram many times before but unfortunately my plants clearly have not.  With no provocation from me, such as watering, they are growing and several are at the October stage already, little rebels!  I just think that as they are now growing, with green leaves visible, a little water is required.
And, although it may be off topic, neither have many of the wild orchids in my local venues studied this book.  I have long believed that at my local venues early purples are not wintergreen but rather behave more like the bluebells with which they grow.  There is no overwintering ground vegetation in one of our EPO woods to hide them and with hundreds of plants to carpet the ground in spring, you would think something be visible, but before February you will struggle to find any sign of an EPO.  Our famous man orchids, still the most northerly in the England unless someone can prove different, are also very late to break the surface.  These may well be exceptional as they are clearly at the northern extreme of their range, but I can only comment on what I see before me.