Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Pleione and Orchidaceae => Topic started by: Houseslippers on April 17, 2011, 11:57:47 PM
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I bought a gorgeous plant of Cypripedium formosanum with 2 nice large shoots (leaves just unfurling, say 12cm out of the compost) from Edrom at Harrogate Spring Show during the weekend (Edrom got a well-deserved Premier Award and a cup for their display of various Cyps and other choice woodland plants but were beaten to Best in Show by Fernatix - Edrom wuz robbed imho). It's in a 2 litre long tom.
Can I repot now into the usual inorganic mix, or should I wait now until later?
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I bought a gorgeous plant of Cypripedium formosanum with 2 nice large shoots (leaves just unfurling, say 12cm out of the compost) from Edrom at Harrogate Spring Show during the weekend (Edrom got a well-deserved Premier Award and a cup for their display of various Cyps and other choice woodland plants but were beaten to Best in Show by Fernatix - Edrom wuz robbed imho). It's in a 2 litre long tom.
Can I repot now into the usual inorganic mix, or should I wait now until later?
I wouldn't repot it now. I think you will find that Edrom have potted it in suitable compost for growing this season.
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Tom,
I'd wait now as well. Edrom's compost has a fairly high proportion of inorganics present so you'll be fine for this season.It is probably best to wait until it has died down this autumn before repotting, although I have heard of people dividing and repotting in late June, early July, after the plants stems and shoots have become hard and 'set'. New root growth is just starting then and the plant has time to settle down before winter. However this isn't something I've tried. The plants will be stressed by this and if it happens during a hot spell....
Regards,
David
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...on the other hand, cypripediums are shallow rooting, and although they are often sold in long toms (I do it myself for the convenience of getting more plants into a tray), they will bulk up faster if their roots are spread out horizontally in a pot that's as wide as it is deep, with at least a couple of inches to spare around the perimeter.
Using an inorganic mix, the roots are covered so that they are about 10cm below the soil surface, the pot is tapped on the floor to settle the substrate and then well watered and stood in the shade. If growth is advanced, careful staking helps.
I have found over the years that a cypripedium can be re-potted pretty much at any time of year, although I wouldn't do it when in flower, but in bud is OK. I also wouldn't re-pot when there is any chance of breaking dormancy, but that's another story. :) :)
Decisions, decisions... ;) ;) ;)
PS. Remember that the flowers of Cypripedium formosanum are not frost hardy, so if there is a late frost, please protect your plant. A cold frame is quite adequate. :) :)
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Thank you all for your responses. I was rather hoping that someone would give me a green light to repot now, and lo! it has come to pass. I sense an element of risk but then that's always there with these plants (as I have become increasingly aware). If one key to success is avoiding fluctuations in conditions inconsistent with what the species is adapted to, I just thought a bigger pot would lead to a more equable rooting zone so to speak. I don't want my plant to cook, even though I have constructed a special outdoors bench in shade with retractable sunscreen (winter rain and full-on frost protection still to be provided).
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I would be inclined to repot the formosanum after flowering (make sure you do it when the weather is cool for a day or two.) Unlike many cyps it has a long rhizome with the buds coming at intervals of 15 cm plus. It needs the space to develop during the summer. D'ont forget to feed it well.