Terrestrial orchids 2011 to 2014

[krisderaeymaeker]

Peter
the lutea is only about a month early but that morio flowered in mid march last year. The papilonacea flowered in April last year. They are not at their best because of lack of light but I cannot hold them back.

That's certainly my kind of thing Tony , very nice. I never get them in flower that early even with the warmer winter we have at the moment ...
I see some tiny flowering stems but I think I have to wait for another couple of months ...

[Tony Willis]

Another one flowering very early.

Ophrys fusca ssp atlantica

[angie]

Tony are they kept indoors.

Angie 

[Tony Willis]

Angie

they are grown in a small plunge bed in the greenhouse with a heating cable that keeps them just frost free. I have built a box covered with bubble wrap that sits over them. The lid opens and I close it if we have frost. A bit basic but effective.

[angie]

Angie

they are grown in a small plunge bed in the greenhouse with a heating cable that keeps them just frost free. I have built a box covered with bubble wrap that sits over them. The lid opens and I close it if we have frost. A bit basic but effective.

I thought they would have been more tender than this. Now can I find space 

Angie 

[Neil]

Very nice Tony, do you have the heating cable running all the time or only when a frost is forecast?

Angie depends on the species on how much frost they can withstand, it mainly being to wet with a frost that will kill them.  The art is to keep the soil just damp through out the winter.

[Tony Willis]

Neil

clearly I am an artist!

The cable is on a thermostat set at 4c at 2inches down in the sand. Last year ice formed on the inside of the lid and the big problem is condensation. If they get too dry then they start to go dormant but too moist and they rot.Keeping the foliage dry and the roots moist is the answer .I trickle water down the side of the pot when I think they need watering.

[Neil]

Oh yes condensation the big killer, it drips down into the middle of the rosette and the spells the death for the orchid.  I've lost a few because of this.

[Tony Willis]

A couple of pictures of Pterostylis curta in flower now.

This was a gift and the first time of flowering. I do not know if it is very late but it has grown long and very leggy

Also an Ophrys lutea out at the moment

[Maggi Young]

Ophrys lutea ...... that lower flower is very shy... the others seem happier to be photographed

[daveyp1970]

Tony i am sure that is very early for curta it normally flowered for me in the spring.

[Darren]

Tony i am sure that is very early for curta it normally flowered for me in the spring.

I agree - when I had it before it always flowered in March.

By the way - if you want to be sure of the identity look at the flower face on; if the lip has a pronounced twist to one side it is curta. I think I can detect this in your first picture. It does pass this on to the hybrids but the twist is not quite as pronounced. Subjective I know...

[Tony Willis]

Tony i am sure that is very early for curta it normally flowered for me in the spring.

David it is the one you gave to me and the second one is in bud. It has been very mild so perhaps that has influenced it.

[daveyp1970]

Tony i am sure that is very early for curta it normally flowered for me in the spring.

David it is the one you gave to me and the second one is in bud. It has been very mild so perhaps that has influenced it.

Tony,I agree from what i have seen in flower early so far that is very early,i think as long as you keep them green and not allowed to go into dormancy they should be fine and grow as per normal next season(as long as we have a normal winter next year).Having got into growth early might even have benefits,they might produce more and better tubers.

[Neil]

I have nothing that its even showing a bud and my winter has been even milder.  The lowest its got in the greenhouse its 5°C  and we have only just had our first frost on Friday morning, and that was very light but according to the thermometers I've got it was 2°C