# Paph. helenae 'Charlie' 2017



## John M (Nov 8, 2017)

A great blooming this year. The last flower finished about a week ago.


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## kiwi (Nov 8, 2017)

Really nice


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## paphioboy (Nov 9, 2017)

Wow! It just keeps getting better!


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## chrismende (Nov 9, 2017)

Adorable!


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## Ozpaph (Nov 9, 2017)

those petals are great and so well grown and flowered


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## emydura (Nov 9, 2017)

What a great display. It is still the best helenae I have ever seen. The colour is wonderful and the form is perfect. It is forming a lovely clump now. 

My two helenae's have really picked up since I put them in a small basket.


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## ksriramkumar (Nov 9, 2017)

Wow. Looks awesome .


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## Brabantia (Nov 9, 2017)

Where are the photos?

Envoyé de mon Nexus 9 en utilisant Tapatalk


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## Wendy (Nov 9, 2017)

Photobucket has removed the photos John.

I've seen it in person so know it was spectacular!


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## eggshells (Nov 9, 2017)

Dang. I wasn't able to see photos. Perhaps use Postimage.org or Flickr?


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## John M (Nov 9, 2017)

Sorry guys. Yeah, Photobucket messed with my photos. I've deleted everything off PB now. I am not paying US$400.00 a year for a basic service they used to provide for free. I joined Flickr and uploaded the photos; but, I can't get them to appear in my post. I'm not very technically-minded AND I'm using my new computer (I HATE all the changes!!!) and I'm using a new broadband Internet connection. So, at this point, I'm presuming that the issue is something I'm doing wrong. 'Will work on it later today. Thanks.


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## eggshells (Nov 9, 2017)

John M said:


> Sorry guys. Yeah, Photobucket messed with my photos. I've deleted everything off PB now. I am not paying US$400.00 a year for a basic service they used to provide for free. I joined Flickr and uploaded the photos; but, I can't get them to appear in my post. I'm not very technically-minded AND I'm using my new computer (I HATE all the changes!!!) and I'm using a new broadband Internet connection. So, at this point, I'm presuming that the issue is something I'm doing wrong. 'Will work on it later today. Thanks.



Use the bbcode link when you click on the share button and copy and paste here. Like here




DSC06212-2 Paph. helenae 'Charlie' by John Marcotte, on Flickr


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## John M (Nov 9, 2017)

Thanks Ibn. However, Flickr doesn't seem to like my new computer, or my browser, or my server. I finally tried uploading the photos to my website and copying and pastingthe URLs from there. It worked!


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## John M (Nov 9, 2017)

So, as you can see, I finally got a photo on Flickr to appear in my post. However, it's quite small and I can't figure out why, or how to make it 100%. *sigh!*


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## eggshells (Nov 9, 2017)

John M said:


> Thanks Ibn. However, Flickr doesn't seem to like my new computer, or my browser, or my server. I finally tried uploading the photos to my website and copying and pastingthe URLs from there. It worked!



I'll send you an email later on how to do it via flickr.

Well done on blooming that little guy.


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## John M (Nov 9, 2017)

Thank you...and thank you!


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## abax (Nov 9, 2017)

Beautiful as always and getting sooo big! Mine is still
puttering along.......slooooowly.


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## Stone (Nov 10, 2017)

John M said:


> A great blooming this year. The last flower finished about a week ago.



What a magnificent specimen. Congrats John, great growing. Quick question.
How wet do you keep it during summer and how dry in the winter?


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## John M (Nov 10, 2017)

Thank you all. 

Mike, I allow it to become nearly completely dry in between each watering, all year 'round. In the summer that means it might need watering every 3 or 4 days. It's in a 6" net pot filled with 1/2 perlite and 1/2 CHC. In the winter, it might not need watering more than once a week; or even less often! I have not had supplemental lighting in my greenhouse. However, I hope to get the electrical work done soon and give the plants some HPS supplemental light for 4 hours each late afternoon through to the mid part of February. In that case, my watering frequency may have to increase. I often tell when it needs watering by picking it up briefly to feel the weight. When that potting mix is saturated, the pot is HEAVY. When the mix is dry, the pot feels like a feather.


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## Stone (Nov 10, 2017)

John M said:


> Thank you all.
> 
> Mike, I allow it to become nearly completely dry in between each watering, all year 'round. In the summer that means it might need watering every 3 or 4 days. It's in a 6" net pot filled with 1/2 perlite and 1/2 CHC. In the winter, it might not need watering more than once a week, even more! I have not had supplemental lighting in my greenhouse. However, I hope to get the electrical work done soon and give the plants some HPS supplemental light for 4 hours each late afternoon through to the mid part of February. In that case, my watering frequency may have to increase. I often tell when it needs watering by picking it up briefly to feel the weight. When that potting mix is saturated, the pot is HEAVY. When the mix is dry, the pot feels like a feather.



Thanks John. That's pretty much how I treat mine. After seeing yours last year I put one in a net pot as well but I used fine bark/charcoal which seems to dry out very quickly. In hindsight I probably should have included some more moisture hold material but I'm hesitant to disturb it!


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## John M (Nov 10, 2017)

Stone said:


> Thanks John. That's pretty much how I treat mine. After seeing yours last year I put one in a net pot as well but I used fine bark/charcoal which seems to dry out very quickly. In hindsight I probably should have included some more moisture hold material but I'm hesitant to disturb it!



"If it ain't broke......." I started using net pots for everything about 15 to 18 months ago. However, in some cases, even the net pots stayed too wet in my greenhouse and a few plants were moved down to 3 1/2" net pots from 6" net pots. However, helenae 'Charlie' is one plant I lift VERY often and feel the weight. Not all my plants get that kind of personalized attention. So, by taking care to NOT over-water, it's grown well. I'm very pleased that it's increasing in size and looking so happy. So, I'm not going to move it down to a smaller pot. I'll just keep giving this one the special attention it deserves.


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## KyushuCalanthe (Nov 10, 2017)

"Wow" doesn't cover it. Wow...


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## fibre (Nov 10, 2017)

Wonderful grown specimen and my most favorite helenae clone! Two more years and you will have more than ten flowers!


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## Spaph (Nov 10, 2017)

This is just stunning John! Get that to AOS judging! Culture and flower quality awards :clap:


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## Erythrone (Nov 10, 2017)

Gorgeous, John!!!!!! Maybe I should try to grow my helenae in net pot since it grows very slower


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## cnycharles (Nov 10, 2017)

Very nice! I think it just likes having ferns for company 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tom-DE (Nov 10, 2017)

Nice compact clone!


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## NYEric (Nov 10, 2017)

Very nice.


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## John M (Nov 11, 2017)

Thanks everyone!


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## JeanLux (Nov 12, 2017)

Bravo :clap: !!!! Jean


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## SlipperFan (Nov 12, 2017)

That is awesome, John!


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## GuRu (Nov 15, 2017)

Really gorgeous in both - flowers and culture - congrats.


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## blondie (Nov 15, 2017)

Lovely blooms and plant congrats


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## Guldal (Nov 17, 2017)

Gorgeous....impressive culture! :clap:

One bows in awe!!!!


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## John M (Nov 18, 2017)

Thanks again, everyone!


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## DIN (Nov 18, 2017)

Amazing species.


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