My 2010 cypripediums

[angie]

Anthony was that your lovely potfull of Cypripedium Sabine grex in the May RHS book.
I have lost two of my cypripediums, but the other two are growing. I think I maybe kept them too dry throughout the winter
Angie

[Peter Maguire]

Angie,
I don't think it is likely they are too dry. When I used to use an organic based compost which used to pack down and need replacing each spring, the Cyps used to stand under the alpine house bench all winter, and only had a quick sprinkling of water two or three times over the winter months, enough to keep then barely damp, but no more.
It's far easier to keep then too wet in winter, especially if the temperature is a low as we've had this year.

[Anthony Darby]

Yes Angie, it was. The pic was taken some time ago (not last year anyway). Cypripedium 'Sabine' was kept on my slabbed patio open to the elements all this winter. It is about a week off flowering and I'm hoping it will have eleven flowering noses this year. It was watered for the first time a couple of weekends ago, when it was given a feed of full strength 'Miraclegro'.

[TheOnionMan]

Coming soon, C. parviflorum var. pubescens. With our recent long run of mild to warm sunny days, they're putting on strong growth.  Hard to tell from this photo, is that there are 32 pips, some of the smaller growth points now concealed by expanding foliage.  I was wondering about their tolerance for root competition from plants growing around them, as they make a mass of roots of a good size diameter larger than the plant, these roots tend to pop up above the surface of the soil.  Each of my clumps are planted on mounded up soil berms that afford some dryness.

Also coming up is C. reginae, which increased from 3 pips last year, to 9 this year.  It is much later to sprout and flower.

[angie]

Peter thanks for the help I wonder where I went wrong. I just put it under my bench and left them, maybe I should have gave them a little water like you have done. I thought because there was a lot of moisture in the greenhouse this would be enough.

Ok Anthony I liked your picture but there is no need no make me more jealous, eleven flowering noses cant wait to see the picture.
I think this is where I go wrong I mother cuddle my plants to much, or maybe I just starve them to death. Maybe by the time I am ninety I will get it right and be able to have a plant worth showing in a top magazine... well I can dream.

Angie

[Anthony Darby]

Think I'm just in a part of the country where natural rainfall helps me to grow these plants. I would forget them if they were under the greenhouse bench. Most of mine sit on a sand bed in a shady part of the garden in a variety of pots. I use very little organic material (10% orchid bark and 10% loam). www.cypripedium.de/forum (in English) is an excellent resource.

[angie]

Thanks Anthony for the link some good reading there.

Angie

[Anthony Darby]

I post pictures on that forum and was only too delighted that Michael Weinert thought my 'Sabine' was worthy of use. He has helped me enormously over the years with tips on growing cypripediums.

[Graham Catlow]

Hi Anthony,
Do you use 'Miraclegro' at full strength for all your cypripediums, and how often do you use it?

Graham

[Slug Killer]

Graham, I used miraclegro last year on all the Cyps once a week at full strength and they seemed to be fine with it.

My first flowering Cyp this year.

Cyp tibeticum (var Froschii)

[Anthony Darby]

Hi Anthony,
Do you use 'Miraclegro' at full strength for all your cypripediums, and how often do you use it?

Graham

No Graham. As Michael Weinert suggests, I only use full strength on vigorous hybrids once a fortnight. For species I use quarter strength, also every two weeks.

[Graham Catlow]

Thanks Dave and Anthony,
It seems as with a lot of things we do things in different ways and sometimes what works for one doesn't always work for another.
I will have to think about what to do here.

Dave do you use miraclegrow for your Pleione also?

Graham

[Slug Killer]

Hi, last year I used full strength miraclegro on the Pleione once a week but only when in full leaf at the same time I did all my Cyps (both species and hybrids of both).

I'm now using a lance, water butt and pump and I'm using Chempak diluted down with every feed.

David 

[Graham Catlow]

Thanks David
An addition to all the other regimes!!!

Graham

[Anthony Darby]

Graham, I was impressed with your Pleione forrestii. Do you grow cyps?