Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Pleione and Orchidaceae => Topic started by: glynnffc on February 14, 2014, 08:05:42 PM
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Has anyone any experience of growing these in something larger than a bucket, but not in the garden?
I am struggling to find the right place in the garden, but worry that all my good intentions about watering through the summer will evaporate if I keep my new treasures in large pots.
I have just bought the book Hardy Cypripedium, and so can'wait to try them all!!!
Glynn
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Hi Glynn,
I don't have any adult plants in trough - none of the plants are big enough to have outgrown pots - but I do have a trough with Cyp seedlings growing on. Actually calling it a trough is perhaps a little ambitious, it is a polystyrene box used for broccoli supplies to greengrocers which has not been treated with a surface application of paint/sand.
The seedlings are growing in an inorganic medium of perlite and Seramis with the addition of a (very) little leafmould. During the summer when in growth, the box is placed where they receive the same watering regime as my potted adult plants. The watering is automatic and they receive a light misting for ten minutes in the morning and another ten in the evening; feeding is ideally about every second week, but realistically when I remember!
If I relied on hand watering I would probably lose plants this way as it's not always possible to do this whilst working (nearly) full time. The seedlings (a farreri x reginae cross) are currently in their third year, possibly another two years to go before flowering.
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Glynn,
I remember hearing from someone that Peter Corkhill used to grow his biggest cyp plants in polystyrene fish boxes.
Nice and light but with plenty of room.
My biggest plants are now in 12 inch pots so maybe I'll be in this position in the next couple of years.
Regards,
David
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Thanks guys,
I suppose the advantage of something portable is that if the plants don't seem happy they are easily moved.
Not so easy with a sandstone trough.
I worry that such an inorganic mix is not going to do well when you pump up the volume.
I suppose the only real answer is to give it a try.
The next question is which cyp.Logically I should go with some vigorous, that wouldbe ininverted commas if this wasfnt being typed badly onmy tablet, hybrid, but formosanum just looks so great, as does tibeticum.
Paul Christian is callingf from another page.Oh dear.Choices choices.
Glynn