cyp hybrids in pots

[Jeff Hutchings]

Hi Maggie,

Are you saying winters are tougher for you!!!!

 I get your point. It is important that the cypripediums are kept as cool as possible at all times. That is why the show plants I have are in such large pots. They can tolerate the frost without having frosted roots through the sides of the pots. This seems to encourage the plant to bulk up quickly. It also means that if I move the plants to a warmer spot I have a limited control over flowering time.

One year we had 15 deg C in February for three days and by early March I had c macranthos in flower....

[Maggi Young]

Well Jeff, I don't want to moan too much about our weather, though some years I do think we'd be glad if we were sure of 15 degrees for three days for the whole of the summer!!  

[angie]

David
Thanks for your reply ,I hope mine will bulk up like yours has done. I do pamper some of my plants and I bet that's how I kill most of them. Lets hope after reading these forums I will get a better, healthier plant next year.

Jeff

Thanks Jeff for your knowledge in growing cypripediums, I will keep mine a little longer under cover, like Maggie says its a bit colder up here.
I hope you post pictures of your plants and good luck in showing your plants, I think it will be a long time before any of plants would be fit for the show benches.

Angie

[mark smyth]

I'm amazed at how many growing points there are on your plants. I have only two plants in my collection 'Aki' and reginae. The latter has been tortures for many years in a 1L pot, never been repotted yet flowers every year. 'Aki' is hit and miss.

Can you suggest some easy Cyps for beginners that multiply well?

[Stephen Vella]

David I grow all my Cyp seedlings and juviniles in plastic pots that are sunken in river sand. Its only the adult Cyps that I have in terracotta pots that have the insides painted with a sealant to keep the moisture in.

Mark most if not all Cyp hybrids will multiply better and faster if planted in the ground. These perform better in woodland gardens with morning sunlight. I would when I have extra divisions to plant out.

Angie there are so many methods for keeping your Cyps cool and not frost bitten. Slowing the growth right down some growers have them in a cool basement,garage, shed or place them in a trench and bury them in soil and cover them with leaf litter in a shady corner of the garden exposed to the elements is one of the best methods in areas of extreme cold like zones 4. Growers that live in warm climates that dont really get the 3 months of chill have placed them in fridges and some bare root them just to squeeze that much more but in the chiller not freezer. They only need a 3 month period of below 5c. 0c to -5c would be even better.

cheers

[angie]

Hi Stephen

That's amazing to hear that in warmer places they would put there Cyps in fridges:o ( ever day I learn something else on this forum ) I thought they were more delicate, I suppose they look delicate so I have been pampering them. I will try some in plastic and see if this makes a difference. Liked the idea of painting the inside of the terracotta pots with a sealant. I will maybe someday try some planted outside if l ever get them to bulk up ( bit to precious at the moment ) thanks for your help.
You really pick up some good ideas from all you experts out there.
Thanks Angie

[monocotman]

Morning,

in the UK, with our fairly equable climate,  I wouldn't bother growing cyps in anything but large plastic pots. Seedlings are potted several together into 8 inch pots to be grown on and most mature plants have one to themselves.
You can really overpot them when grown in perlite. The compost doesn't sour and you can leave them there for years, until the worms move in. It is also impossible to overwater them in the summer as perlite is so free draining. When the plants are in growth - if in doubt- water them!

Mark - I would have thought your wetter climate would be better than mine in East Anglia for cyps. In the hybrids, Gisela is supposed to be really vigorous but mine is slower than most others to increase. Beyond that, I don't think there is much between to choose them for vigour and ease of growth. Choose your favourite. Michael Wienert has just brought out a beautiful almost 'alba' macranthos hybrid called Renate pastel which is my pick this autumn. Edrom have it and so do Rareplants.

David

[ichristie]

Hi all, firstly a great discussion with lots of good tips. i have been growing Cypripediums for about 20 years and sure I easily killed them to start with these small test tube seedlings you see around, then I just planted them in the garden ordinary soil with some composted bark and a bit of extra grit for drainage. Every time i want to split them up I lift after flowering when it is wet, you can always be sure of a shower in Scotland then I split the plants up and put them back in a row just in the garden. I do grow a few in pots with the mix as follows John Innes no3, Perlite, Composted bark and grit one part each. I feed half strength when growing with tomatoe fertiliser, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[Jeff Hutchings]

Hi Mark,

You might like to look at the following hybrids x columbianum (natural hybrid) with superb small flowers with ivory pouches; Sunny, a massive calcelous x fasciolatum hybrid, Sabine with its pink blush bowl; Emil (the calceolus look a like) and Ulla Silkens the reginae hybrid with variable pink and white flowers. All are good fast growing. If you want to see photographs have a look on my web site www.lanesidehardyorchids.com.

[monocotman]

Evening,
Just to show that a good range of species and hybrids will grow in pots in perlite and you don't need to worry about different compost mixes.
No. 1 - x andrewsii and two forms of 'Emil'.
No.2 - rear - (L to R) x ventricosum, Michael, Gisela.
          Front - tibeticum and Sabine
No.3 - 2 forms of Ulla Silkens plus a reginae.
Plus some two flowered stems
No.4 - bought as Gabriela but not. May be Philipp or Lucy Pinkepank.
No.5 - Pixi - second flowering  -several double flowered stems.
Finally - hybrid vigour from crosses:-
No. 6 - rear - 'Inge'. Front - the parents - parviflorum plus two fasciolatums,

Regards,

David

[angie]

Hi David

Thanks for sharing your cypripediums, nice to see close up pictures of the plants in there pots ,
Angie

[annew]

This has been extremely useful - I've not had much success either in pots or in the ground, so thanks to all for giving us your secrets.

[monocotman]

Anne,

I'm glad to share experiences - I've learnt so much from the members of this forum.
If we all throw our threepenn'orth into the ring then we all move forward together!
A photo of a couple of hybrid seedlings grown in perlite showing root development.
Neither have yet been big enough to flower, though may next year.  They have both grown in the same 8 inch pot for three years and are now ready for their own.
Left is 'Pluto' and right is 'Philipp', both originally from Crustacare.
Two tiny kentuckiense seedlings in the same pot died in the first season, so it isn't a foolproof system,

Regards,

David

[daveyp1970]

Can i ask would now be the best time to change over substrate,also why the 10% bark why not 100% perlite and could you use peat instead of bark?

[Jeff Hutchings]

Hi Davey,

Now is the ideal time to repot as the rhizome will be totally dormant. The organic matter provides some nutrients. If you used all perlite you would need to feed more often. Using peat would make the mix too acid and it tends to hold too much water thus reducing aeration. You could use bark, pine duff or leafmold depending on the species. The latter two need an alkaline buffer. I would not recommend 90% perlite. I prefer a mix of pumice, perlite, grit and organic matter. The mix is open enough but the perlite/pumice holds sufficient water to avoid drying out.