# Phragmipedium Polar Shift 'Ghostwriter' AM/AOS



## PeteM (Sep 13, 2021)

(Phrag. pearcei x Phrag. Silver Eagle)

There is a bit of a write up.: ‘Mem Ann Stuckey and Polar Shift are synonyms’


11pm October 2020, I was up watching the news for updates on our new locked down world.. Woodstream sent out an eblast with a new availability list. This plant finally came down to a more affordable price and I responded within 5 minutes. Lucky to have acquired this from Bill. It was divided in 2019, and had one strong new growth before I repotted.

I potted it in a large net basket with styrofoam peanuts at the bottom in a mix of grodan cubes, coarse perlite and a little charcoal. It really has taken off over the year, just one big moss bucket really. Happy to see it throw a spike so quickly.

I’ve included some pictures from under the lights in the grow room as well as natural sunlight.


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## monocotman (Sep 13, 2021)

Love it. Great to see your set up.
I had a feeling that 100% grodan minicubes is a bit wet and low on air in the bottom half of the pot. Not much root growth down there.
Your net pot idea may be worth following up. I use it for catts but not thought to use it for phrags,
David


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## PeteM (Sep 13, 2021)

monocotman said:


> Love it. Great to see your set up.
> I had a feeling that 100% grodan minicubes is a bit wet and low on air in the bottom half of the pot. Not much root growth down there.
> Your net pot idea may be worth following up. I use it for catts but not thought to use it for phrags,
> David


I also use net pots for Cattleyas over the past few years as an experiment.. and found I am having a difficult time keeping the roots inside the net. It makes for a very difficult grow table. So I am moving away from this method and back to clay with more styrofoam. 

However, all of my phrags potted in the net pots absolutely never throw roots out of the net.. they get a taste of open air and duck right back inside. So it’s a very clean and tidy look and a dream to move pots around on the table. I will continue to convert all my phrags over to net pots.


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## abax (Sep 13, 2021)

I missed buying this plant by about 30 minutes or so. "gnashing teeth!" The flower is
glorious and I wish I had it in my greenhouse. Uh...if you ever divide this beauty,
remember me and my almost had it.


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## Silverwhisp (Sep 14, 2021)

PeteM said:


> I also use net pots for Cattleyas over the past few years as an experiment.. and found I am having a difficult time keeping the roots inside the net. It makes for a very difficult grow table. So I am moving away from this method and back to clay with more styrofoam.
> 
> However, all of my phrags potted in the net pots absolutely never throw roots out of the net.. they get a taste of open air and duck right back inside. So it’s a very clean and tidy look and a dream to move pots around on the table. I will continue to convert all my phrags over to net pots.


Pete, where did you get that particular net pot shown in your first post?


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## Greenpaph (Sep 14, 2021)

Very nice !


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## PeteM (Sep 14, 2021)

Silverwhisp said:


> Pete, where did you get that particular net pot shown in your first post?





https://shop.greenbarnorchid.com/main.sc



I believe it’s a 7 inch net pot.


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## jht.orchids (Sep 15, 2021)

Love it


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## DrLeslieEe (Sep 24, 2021)

Ghostly… I likey…


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## PeteM (Sep 24, 2021)

DrLeslieEe said:


> Ghostly… I likey…



Second flower opened, third on the way.. it’s seasonal. Trick or Treat Dr. L


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## NYEric (Sep 27, 2021)

Nice. Thanks for sharing. I think I have one somewhere here.


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## cpmaniac (Sep 29, 2021)

Very nice...well done!


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## sergeharvey (Dec 12, 2021)

PeteM said:


> (Phrag. pearcei x Phrag. Silver Eagle)
> 
> There is a bit of a write up.: ‘Mem Ann Stuckey and Polar Shift are synonyms’
> 
> ...


How often do you repot when using grodan minicubes?


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## PeteM (Dec 12, 2021)

sergeharvey said:


> How often do you repot when using grodan minicubes?



The thought is that one never needs to repot because the media will not break down. You just up pot, or slip pot.. pull the roots and all the media undisturbed into a slightly larger pot. For this media to work well one needs to have clean water with low tds as this media does collect salts over time and a good flush of the pot has been recommended by others.


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