Cypripedium-2015

[goofy]

hey, nice information.........
.....good luck with the plants from Holger.

he is a good friend for about 25 years or so,
when he still lived in germany.

so say hello, when your write him back

cheers

[hud357]

Hud,
most of mine are either not showing buds or just visible.
It is just that formosanum is by far the earliest cyp.
Most of my plants are growing in 90% super coarse perlite plus 10% orchid bark.
There may be a few growing in 100% inorganics when I had run out of bark.
I do not think that the 10% really matters.
The pots are all topped with hydroleca as perlite is not pleasant to look at and can
slop out of the pots easily during watering.
What are you currently growing calceolus in?
Regards,
David

It is in mostly Perlite but with a lot more than 10% organics. I'm fairly pleased in that it has survived one summer and one winter even though it now has fewer growths than when I got it.

Where do you get super coarse Perlite? Only ever seen the 4.5 grade.

[Alex]

David,

They look like great plants - you should be fine!

I'm awaiting some too from the same shipment out of Germany. Apparently they were sent on 19th, but nothing yet. Do you know when yours were sent out? Surely not also on 19th?

Alex

[monocotman]

Hud,
A reduction from 5 to 2 buds from year 1 to 2 would be a concern.
I'd be inclined to repot your calceolus into almost pure perlite now and not wait another season.
There isn't any advantage in growth when using high levels of organics in pots.
It is just about getting your head round using an unusual compost.
You are just increasing the chances of various forms of rot with organics.
I buy my perlite in 100 litre bags from the local agricultural supply store.
You can buy it online. There are threads about it if you use the search function.

Alex -I am fairly sure that I received an e mail on the 19th saying that they were posted then,

Regards,

David

[Alex]

Thanks, David - mine have arrived now too. They are great quality plants.

Alex

[monocotman]

Alex - good news.
Just remember that these are stressed plants, they need pampering.
If you can bring yourself to do the deed, flower buds are better cut off from these plants!
Keep the plants in a cool and wind free area for most of the season and stake the new growths.
David

[hud357]

Hud,
A reduction from 5 to 2 buds from year 1 to 2 would be a concern.
I'd be inclined to repot your calceolus into almost pure perlite now and not wait another season.
There isn't any advantage in growth when using high levels of organics in pots.
It is just about getting your head round using an unusual compost.
You are just increasing the chances of various forms of rot with organics.
I buy my perlite in 100 litre bags from the local agricultural supply store.
You can buy it online. There are threads about it if you use the search function.

Alex -I am fairly sure that I received an e mail on the 19th saying that they were posted then,

Regards,

David

I take it that it is still early enough in the season to do much damage by re-potting?

I will get some Perlite this weekend (found a local 'hydroponics' supplier in town) and put it in a nice large pot. I have some cat-litter and aquarium gravel. Is there any downside to including some of this too? (say 70/20/10?)

Having killed Cyps in the past I'm probably making the ultimate beginners mistake of over care++ (not enough care last time obviously means even more care is required now!) This is why I was pleased that the thing survived a season with only a 5-->2 growth loss 

You are right that it is difficult to move to an entirely (alien) 'artificial' media. I'm starting to move 'problem' (house orchids) plants into bark and cat litter and they seem to be improving. I'm using transparent pots so that I can keep an eye on their progress without knocking them out of the pot. I don't have any massive transparent pots so I will just have to trust that it will do well.


So ... inorganic media (for various reasons), plenty of food over the growing season, a large pot for stability (mainly moisture/temperature) and a suitable spot in the garden where the pot won't get hot over summer or waterlogged over winter?

[hud357]

Well I've been through the 'back issues'. Very interesting. Will probably still be reading them next week.

Thanks to everyone that has contributed to the subject over the last five years or so. I feel a lot more confident about growing Cyps having read the threads.

[monocotman]

Hud,
it is a bit of a culture shock to start to grow cyps in this media.
Not what most people are used to at all. It requires a different mentality.
I started off in this mix as it was recommended by the grower that started me off in cyps.
I'd never tried them in organics and never will.
I don't know about cat litter and gravel in the mix. Why go for a mixture?
100% perlite works fine.
Repotting now before the season starts will be OK.
I find the best growth is when you manage to keep the foliage as pristine as possible for as long as possible.
Anything that damages the leaves, especially early in the season, reduces their growth rate.
I'd be more inclined to go for a larger dark pot than a smaller transparent one.
They are not growing in 'soil' so you do not have to worry about 'souring' or any of the conventional issues with over potting.
I have very little in anything smaller than a 6 inch pot, even seedlings.
The buffering you get from the large pot is something that cyps with their restricted root system enjoy.
It also allows them to grow on for several seasons without disturbance which is something from which they benefit greatly.
Repotting is something I only do when necessary and that is just dropping on into a larger pot.
I keep my plants out of direct sun for most of the summer. It keeps the foliage in good condition.
This becomes very important if we have high temperatures.
I also water about twice a week on average but every day if it turns hot.
Depending on what you grow, I would give some rain protection to pots over winter.
I keep mine in an unheated garage and basically forget them from November to the beginning of March.
David

[Corrado & Rina]

Two quick questions from East Yorkshire ....

1) have you taken your cypripedium out of rain cover yet?
2) have you started watering yet?
3) have you fertilised yet?

I have fertilised yesterday with slow release fertiliser (thanks to Michae Weinart for sending the usual spring reminder), but mine are still under cover and have not been watered yet.

Regards

Corrado
 

[monocotman]

I check my pots every couple of days at this time of year and take them out of the garage as soon as I see any growth showing.
If the temperature is up they can push up shoots very quickly and etiolate badly.
They are then watered and fed the same day.
I will probably feed them every week during the time that the shoots and flowers are developing.
Full rate for hybrids and half rate for species.
They have a huge nitrogen requirement at this time of year as the growth is so rapid
and the rhizomes do not have the food reserves of a fat bulb.
I never use slow release fertilizers as I want as much control of this area as possible,
David

[hud357]

Took the plunge today and re-potted it ... In cat litter. Couldn't get any Perlite locally on short notice.

There were only two growing points but the roots looked white and healthy.

I will get hold of some Perlite just in case it deteriorates.

[monocotman]

Hi,

about half fully out and now with eighteen flowers
out of 26 growths,

David

[hud357]

You're in trouble now Mr David. It's getting dangerously close to Wednesday and I'm still reading 'back issues'. Currently on 'cyps in pots 2013' 

[angie]

Hi,

about half fully out and now with eighteen flowers
out of 26 growths,

David

Wow David I don't know how you manage this mine are taking their time to pop up but then again its been so cold here I really don't want to pop my head out either. Looking forward to see some more of your wonderful Cypripediums.

Angie