# HP Norton's beautiful phrag kovachii x



## Gilda (Mar 26, 2007)

Here is the second bloom on HP Norton's beautiful kovachii X. HP was at the Western North Carolina Orchid Show, and I asked him if I could take a picture of his beautiful phrag. It is stunning and the picture color is pretty true on my moniter. He had it sitting behind him on a counter where the vendors were set up and it shouted out "Look at me" !! Enjoy !


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## Ron-NY (Mar 26, 2007)

very nice!! Do you happen to know the size?


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## Gilda (Mar 26, 2007)

Ron-NY said:


> very nice!! Do you happen to know the size?


No, I didn't get a size but it was large !


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## NYEric (Mar 26, 2007)

Yay besseae [Pk] hybrids! I wish I lived where it was warmer only so my plants would grow faster. Thanx for the photo.


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## Hien (Mar 26, 2007)

NYEric said:


> Yay besseae [Pk] hybrids! I wish I lived where it was warmer only so my plants would grow faster. Thanx for the photo.




Gilda, it is much more beautiful than the first one of the same cross, the petals take more from the kovachii, the pouch is still strange thought.
I guess the first one seems to take too much influence from the dalessandroii.

Eric, I am sure your plants are in good shape.
my pk x dalessandroii are still in the flask (it is one whole year passed already. (this is the second fastest growing flask I have from Peruflora, the fastest flask would be pk x walisii, even with that one, my plants is 1/4 the size of the same one that Chuck Acker raises, keep in mind that when I say fastest, it only means in comparison to the rest of the flasks, not vigourously by any chance. I am not even sure that any of them would survive).
All the other flasks suffered badly last summer, and only start to regrow in-flask to the same tiny size after one year.


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## gonewild (Mar 26, 2007)

Hien said:


> my pk x dalessandroii are still in the flask (it is one whole year passed already. (this is the second fastest growing flask I have from Peruflora, the fastest flask would be pk x walisii, even with that one, my plants is 1/4 the size of the same one that Chuck Acker raises, keep in mind that when I say fastest, it only means in comparison to the rest of the flasks, not vigourously by any chance. I am not even sure that any of them would survive).
> All the other flasks suffered badly last summer, and only start to regrow in-flask to the same tiny size after one year.



Hien, It sounds like your flasks do not have the correct media to promote growth. I think you might be better off to plant them out.


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## Hien (Mar 26, 2007)

gonewild said:


> Hien, It sounds like your flasks do not have the correct media to promote growth. I think you might be better off to plant them out.


 I believe you are 100% correct, I suspect for quite awhile that the flask media formula is not correct (it may have the chemical to induce proliferation, but not leafing out nicely, or grow roots) I think that the formula did not help too much with high temperature either.
Wish I know how to post the picture to show it.
1) the plantlets produce broccoli like leads, but stop at that stage and turn brown, then try to sprout other broccoli leads again.
2) I seen a tiny (3 millimiter plant that stick to the flask wall) althought it does not grow much, this one never get burn , or brown , or died like the ones that contact the medium.
3) I don't see any root growth either, this is a catch 22, because without roots, the plants can not be deflasked.


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## gonewild (Mar 26, 2007)

Hien said:


> I believe you are 100% correct, I suspect for quite awhile that the flask media formula is not correct (it may have the chemical to induce proliferation, but not leafing out nicely, or grow roots) I think that the formula did not help too much with high temperature either.
> Wish I know how to post the picture to show it.
> 1) the plantlets produce broccoli like leads, but stop at that stage and turn brown, than try to sprout other broccoli leads again.
> 2) I seen a tiny (3 millimiter plant that stick to the flask wall) althought it does not grow much, this one never get burn , or brown , or died like the ones that contact the medium.
> 3) I don't see any root growth either, this is a catch 22, because without roots, the plants can not be deflasked.



Yes, catch 22, but if they are not growing roots in the flask by now they probably will not. 
Can you find someone to re flask them for you?
If not maybe, you would have a better chance if you try to grow them on a fine moist sphag media out of flask. If they have any roots at all they would have a better chance than in the bad agar. I would remove them from their toxic chamber. But this is just my opinion.


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## smartie2000 (Mar 26, 2007)

Nice round petals and colour but the pouch is a little odd.... Thanks for posting


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## e-spice (Mar 26, 2007)

The roundness of the petals is amazing. I was hoping the color would be deeper though. It certainly is an exciting plant though!

e-spice


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## NYEric (Mar 26, 2007)

Hien said:


> Eric, I am sure your plants are in good shape.
> my pk x dalessandroii are still in the flask (it is one whole year passed already.


Hien, yes they're in good shape. It's just that when I went to H.P. Norton's house, at least 35% or more of his bs [that's blooming sized:evil: ] stock seemed to be in bloom. I'm sure it was because it's so much warmer year-round in SC than in NY.


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## gonewild (Mar 26, 2007)

NYEric said:


> Hien, yes they're in good shape. It's just that when I went to H.P. Norton's house, at least 35% or more of his bs [that's blooming sized:evil: ] stock seemed to be in bloom. I'm sure it was because it's so much warmer year-round in SC than in NY.



Or he fertilizes heavier? oke:


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## Ron-NY (Mar 26, 2007)

I really like the shape and the color is much better in this one...definitely the nicest one so far of this cross.:clap:


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## gonewild (Mar 26, 2007)

Is the photo of the second bloom on the first plant to flower or is this a new plant flowering?


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## Gilda (Mar 26, 2007)

The pouch didn't look odd in person ...the photo angle etc makes it look worse than it is...I think it's unique looking. The color is vibrant and not anything I have seen before....not pink but a coral color.
I spoke with HP about the culture for this X and it was a drying period ..more light and *much* heavier feeding.


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## Gilda (Mar 26, 2007)

gonewild said:


> Is the photo of the second bloom on the first plant to flower or is this a new plant flowering?


This plant had bloomed and I am assuming it was the plant he had in Raleigh a few weeks ago ??


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## gonewild (Mar 26, 2007)

Gilda said:


> and *much* heavier feeding.



oke: 
oke: 
oke:


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## Ron-NY (Mar 26, 2007)

Gilda said:


> This plant had bloomed and I am assuming it was the plant he had in Raleigh a few weeks ago ??


Then you either take a much nicer picture or the second bud made a nicer flower


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## Scooby5757 (Mar 26, 2007)

Gilda said:


> ....not pink but a coral color.



Coral! I was at a loss for words, thank you! I want one...cross that on to wallisii or caudatum, mmm, please.


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## Gideon (Mar 27, 2007)

Stunning, thanks for sharing


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## NYEric (Mar 27, 2007)

gonewild said:


> Or he fertilizes heavier? oke:


If I could figure out the stupid TDS meter I would up the fertilizer w/out fear!  I havent had the time to measure out the salt in a known volume container to calibrate it yet. the level are climbing steadily anyway so we'll see.


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## gonewild (Mar 27, 2007)

NYEric said:


> If I could figure out the stupid TDS meter I would up the fertilizer w/out fear!  I havent had the time to measure out the salt in a known volume container to calibrate it yet. the level are climbing steadily anyway so we'll see.



Just make sure as the "salt" level steadily rises it is rising with a complete balance of nutrients, not just from leftovers and evaporation. The plants are constantly consuming some of the nutrients and as they do the nutrient balance will change in your trays. Nitrogen may become depleted while other salts become excessive.

Ideally your tray water should maintain at only slightly higher in TDS than the fertilizer solution you add. If you keep the balance of your tray water at the desired nutrient level/ratio you will have achieved a hydroponic growing balance in your system.


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## NYEric (Mar 27, 2007)

gonewild said:


> Ideally your tray water should maintain at only slightly higher in TDS than the fertilizer solution you add. If you keep the balance of your tray water at the desired nutrient level/ratio you will have achieved a hydroponic growing balance in your system.


Ideally, the balance I'd like to maintain is that I wouldn't have to worry about adding supplements at all... :wink:


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## gonewild (Mar 27, 2007)

NYEric said:


> Ideally, the balance I'd like to maintain is that I wouldn't have to worry about adding supplements at all... :wink:



Right! Always add the correct amount of balanced fertilizer then you don't need to worry, it all becomes a simple routine. :clap: 

Perfect fertilizer strength is when you put in a certain concentration at the top and that same concentration comes out the bottom. Ideally your tray water would only loose the nutrients the plants consume. But evaporation screws that up and increases the salt concentration in your tray water. You could offset this somewhat by only adding RO water directly to your trays to replace evaporation and only fertilizer water directly to your plants. But if you replace evaporated water with fertilizer water your TDS will climb. Once you put your roots into a water bath you are into a hydroponic situation and need to monitor the TDS. Once you establish the correct routine it becomes repetitive and you won't even need to worry about testing the TDS.


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## NYEric (Mar 28, 2007)

Well, I am growing hydroponically but the levels on the TDS meter are steadily rising. I might dump the water and use R.O. and start again.


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## NYEric (Mar 28, 2007)

gonewild said:


> Right! Always add the correct amount of balanced fertilizer then you don't need to worry, it all becomes a simple routine. :clap:


No, I meant not having to add anything.


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