# A Scottish Kovachii in Spike



## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)

Just took these photos today. I bought the plant 4 years ago, and this is the 3rd blooming. Usually the bloom emerges in late October or in November. The bud gets to be almost the size of a golf ball, and has these wonderful hairy spikes all over it, almost like a chestnut. 

I think the spike began about 6 to 8 weeks ago, maybe late May at the earliest. So 5 months is about right. The blooms have usually lasted about 18 days for me.

I water it heavily at least once a day, and the pot sits in 1 or 2 cm of water.


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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)




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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)




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## eggshells (Jul 24, 2015)

It's falling of the edge!! Its looking good. :clap:


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## Denver (Jul 24, 2015)

lovely pictures! The spike looks fat and that picture of the hairs on the bud is fascinating.


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## paphioland (Jul 24, 2015)

Can you cultural info if you wouldn't mind? Light, humidity and PH would be helpful. thanks


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## trdyl (Jul 24, 2015)

Looking great!


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## NYEric (Jul 24, 2015)

Nice; can you post a photo of the whole pot, etc.?


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## phraggy (Jul 24, 2015)

Always like to see the progress of plants from spike to bloom. Thanks for putting the pics on Achamore and hope everything goes well with the buds.

Ed


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## eggshells (Jul 24, 2015)

My kovachii doesn't have a red pigmentation at the base. Could it be that I got a mislabeled plant?


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## NYEric (Jul 24, 2015)

Show us.


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## trdyl (Jul 24, 2015)

eggshells said:


> My kovachii doesn't have a red pigmentation at the base. Could it be that I got a mislabeled plant?



Not all PKs have the red pigmentation visible on the plant. I have a non-pigmented seedling. I would not worry about it until it blooms as long as the rest of the plant's characteristics fit kovachii.


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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)




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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)

I grow this in my cool section, haven't kept too close a record of temperatures but I avoid it getting below 12C˚ and do my best to avoid it getting above 20C˚. I water it heavily once or twice a day. My water is spring water with lots of dissolved salts, and it is distinctly acidic, about 6.3 on the Ph scale.

I have chunks of soft limestone in the mix, and also sitting in the tray that the pot sits in. I don't like the clear pots, and this one now presents me with a challenge. The problem with the clear pots is that black algae growth which eventually sets in, and is toxic to the roots. This one is now so root-bound that the repotting is going to be tough, but I guess I had better get around to it this winter, once the bloom has past.

No artificial light for this section of the greenhouse, so its light levels are simply what the sun and clouds allow this far north. I'm roughly level with Glasgow and Edinburgh, but on a small island on the west coast, where sea breezes and the Gulf Stream keep temperatures here more moderate than anywhere else in Scotland.

My feeding regime has been nearly non-existent. Then recently Jerry Fischer mentioned the little Jobes fertiliser 'logs', and I ordered a bunch in and have started using them. Suits me well that approach.

Anything else you'd like to know?


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## NYEric (Jul 24, 2015)

Thanks. Is that a s/h pot, i.e. does it hold a reservoir of water? Media?


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## Justin (Jul 24, 2015)

lovely plant.


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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)

Just an ordinary pot, it doesn't hold water. 

To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what the media is, as I haven't repotted since I bought it. On the one hand it does rather look in need of repotting, but on the other hand the new growths have been good and vigorous, wanted to leave well enough alone. But as the middle has been left deserted, I guess I need to act.


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## Achamore (Jul 24, 2015)

I have two much smaller ones (not yet flowering size), and one rather larger. But this one is the more reliable bloomer.


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## NYEric (Jul 24, 2015)

Cool. EYOF sourced?


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## Ozpaph (Jul 24, 2015)

you are doing a great job.


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## 17andgrowing (Jul 24, 2015)

Looking good. Congrats!


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## SlipperFan (Jul 24, 2015)

I don't remember seeing so much red on the plant or the spike. Very interesting.


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## SlipperKing (Jul 24, 2015)

Its probable the minerals supplied in his spring water that gives the pink coloring. When I fed my phrags too high of a concentration of Epson's Salts I got strong colorization of the plants and flowers, esp the "green" Phrags


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## abax (Jul 24, 2015)

Great photos! I love the hairy bud peeping out. In the 
picture, they look like HUGE spikes. Biker Kov!


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## Achamore (Jul 25, 2015)

This is the same plant's bloom in November 2013. So its kind of like an advance preview. Hope you don't mind..!


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## Achamore (Jul 25, 2015)

I bought this plant from a grower in Germany, who had brought the plants back from one of the two certified nurseries in Peru a few months before. He had 50 adult, blooming size plants, the first to legally enter Europe as far as I know. I drove over to get it from him. Have the CITES doc for it too.


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## Achamore (Jul 25, 2015)

I also took this photo at that time (Nov. 2013) with the kovachii alongside a d'allesandroi. Both came into bloom together, right next to each other in the cool section of the greenhouse, so it seemed appropriate to shoot them together too.


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## Justin (Jul 25, 2015)

lovely


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## Lmpgs (Jul 25, 2015)

Congrats. Both are amazing!!


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## Cheyenne (Jul 25, 2015)

Very nice plant. I wonder which vendor in Peru in actually came from? Alfredo or Peruflora. It has great form and color. On the comments about the water. I remember reading about Epsom salts before and I thought I read it was came from an area around England or Scottland from a spring too. Anyone else have any info on this. Maybe your spring does have some much needed minerals that help the plant.


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## Achamore (Jul 25, 2015)

I've just remembered that I shot a timelapse video of kovachii opening up over 12 days, in December 2012. I'm just uploading it to You Tube, and will post a link once that's done.

Here is one shot from over 16,000 shots that comprised the sequence.


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## Achamore (Jul 25, 2015)

Here's the timelapse video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy3I6L-Tb9E&feature=youtu.be


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## Denver (Jul 25, 2015)

That is AWESOME! Thanks for sharing it.


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## Achamore (Jul 25, 2015)

Glad you liked it!


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## Linus_Cello (Jul 25, 2015)

Achamore said:


> Here's the timelapse video:
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dy3I6L-Tb9E&feature=youtu.be



This link deserves a sticky
Or ST link of the year


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## eaborne (Jul 25, 2015)

Fabulous video you made!


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## SlipperFan (Jul 25, 2015)

Is it really that color? It's almost blue. It's fabulous!

Wonderful time-lapse.


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## Marco (Jul 25, 2015)

great time lapse video. and great bloom!

Thanks!


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## abax (Jul 25, 2015)

I agree with Linus. ST should keep that video on file forever. The color is gorgeous, but that dorsal always
bothers me a bit. It doesn't seem to belong to the rest of
the flower.


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## trdyl (Jul 25, 2015)

Love the time lapse. Thanks for posting!


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## My Green Pets (Jul 26, 2015)

Great video. Gorgeous flower! Just don't understand why those petals go from almost perfect circles to wavy wonky. Thank you for the time lapse, I wish I could do one for all my orchids


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## Achamore (Jul 26, 2015)

Glad you like it..! A note on the colour. To shoot timelapse I realised early on it needs a blacked out room and artificial light. The light bulbs I used are good professional bulbs meant for photography, but even so they will cast the colours differently than ambient daylight would do. But the colour is at its richest when it first opens.


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## Achamore (Jul 26, 2015)

I'm posting another version on You Tube just now. It is slower and shows only 7 days, so it gives a fuller slower view of the bud opening. I'll post the link here in a few minutes.

Technical note: I actually shot the entire sequence with two different cameras. I used a Nikon D3X for the 2nd camera, but those images were slightly overexposed. The sequence you have seen (as well as the upcoming shorter but longer sequence) was shot with my Nikon D800.


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## Achamore (Jul 26, 2015)

Here's the new video's link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNkIAlas6vk

The first 24 seconds you might think nothing is really happening. The entire video is about 90 seconds long, and if I had thought of it I might have chopped off the first 15 seconds... But its just too much like hard work to do that now..!


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## Ozpaph (Jul 26, 2015)

That is absolutely fabulous!!!!


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## phraggy (Jul 26, 2015)

Brilliant I could never do anything like this.

Ed


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## Achamore (Jul 26, 2015)

Well, you probably could. I wrote an article that described the entire process and equipment etc. Happy to send that to anybody who might be interested. 



phraggy said:


> Brilliant I could never do anything like this.
> 
> Ed


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## Rick (Jul 26, 2015)

Beautiful Achamore:clap:


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## karategirl73 (Jul 26, 2015)

Incredible that made my day!! WOW!!


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## Justin (Jul 26, 2015)

wow that's awesome!


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## JorgeM (Jul 26, 2015)

Achamore said:


> My feeding regime has been nearly non-existent. Then recently Jerry Fischer mentioned the little Jobes fertiliser 'logs', and I ordered a bunch in and have started using them. Suits me well that approach.
> 
> Anything else you'd like to know?



Could you please elaborate on what exactly Mr. Fischer said about these spikes or did he write anything on this that we could read. I for one am very interested in the general topic as well as why someone who sells his own proprietary fertilizer would endorse something else. Thank you.
Jorge


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## abax (Jul 26, 2015)

When illuminated in this way, every flower is a small
miracle and we just don't see the process. It's soooo
beautiful and it made my day too! Thank you so much
Don for so much work.


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## Achamore (Jul 27, 2015)

Jorge, I can't find any email from Jerry mentioning the matter, so it must have been a phone conversation 5 or 6 months ago. I expect every good grower on his scale tries out different approaches. He knew I couldn't easily add his fertiliser, as it meant adding to buckets and then hand feeding. Tough when you have about 100 phrags, let alone all the rest. So maybe that's why he mentioned the Jobes fertiliser sticks. All I can recall is that he said he had found them to be very good.


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## Achamore (Jul 27, 2015)

Angela, I find the results of all the effort in making the timelapse vdeos very rewarding in and of itself, that is to say, even if nobody else viewed them. Nevertheless it is very nice to hear that the video is appreciated by others! The blooms go through such an enchanting dance as they open up. 



abax said:


> When illuminated in this way, every flower is a small
> miracle and we just don't see the process. It's soooo
> beautiful and it made my day too! Thank you so much
> Don for so much work.


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## NYEric (Jul 27, 2015)

Thanks for the link.


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## Lmpgs (Jul 28, 2015)

Congrats!! A great display.


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## Migrant13 (Jul 28, 2015)

Amazing time lapses. Thanks for sharing them!


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## Happypaphy7 (Jul 28, 2015)

Wow~ so that's what the Scottish kovachii looks like. 

I would have thought it was in the wild if it wasn't for the pot in the picture, with weeds growing on the dirt and all. ha~ 

You are lucky to live in such a good climate there to be able to grow things well. Your temperature range is ideal for this thing!


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## Achamore (Jul 28, 2015)

Somewhat by chance I came upon this island 12 years ago, and only after moving here did I realise that its climate is about the best one could have in the whole of Europe for growing a wide range of tropical orchids. We avoid the extremes of heat and cold here, thanks to the Gulf Stream. Of course, it does get windy, especially in the winter, and it rains a fair amount, and at the moment it feels like we are in October rather than July, as the Jet Stream has moved south of the UK, bringing only low pressure systems over us from the Atlantic. Ah well... can't have everything, right? Frankly when the sun comes out there's nowhere I'd rather be on Earth. Its a stunning little jewel set in the sea, with circa 160 inhabitants.


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## cnycharles (Jul 28, 2015)

Very interesting! You mention in another post about your wife's ice cream business; I think you need an official quality control expert to raise the population to 161 


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## abax (Jul 28, 2015)

Make that 163 if I could get himself back to Scotland. His
place of origin is a ferry ride from Gigha in Kintyre. Charles, you want to share a boat ride???? I know I can
muck out stalls if nothing else comes up.


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

My wife was born and bred here on Gigha, 45 years ago. She's been running the farm lease from her father, and has basically been milking cows day and night pretty much her entire life. She learnt to ride sitting on a bull. But I digress.

Lately the price she gets paid by the bulk milk buyer of the region has dropped to abysmal levels, and though we had been discussing the idea of adding value by way of making ice cream for some time, frankly in the past 9 months push has come to shove and we simply had to crack on and do this. So I've become an ice cream chef, and I found along the way that there's a lot more to the making of good ice cream that meets the eye. But locals are now raving about our Bramble & Whisky flavour, and that group from Taiwan that so admired the 99 Day China Dragon all seemed to love the Lemon & Lime. Worked hard, at least 25 different recipes and batches, to figure out how to make good Chocolate ice cream, but finally cracked it about 2 months ago. I love our Vanilla the most, personally, but I'm that kind of boring guy. But the new Mocha flavour is fabulous, and several people reckon it will become a best-seller. We're currently investing in converting one of the under-utilised sheds up at the farm into a Production Facility, complete with new panelling, floor, walk-in freezer etc. etc. Hope to be producing on a modest but commercial scale in the autumn, probably by October. In the meantime we are allowed by regulation to only sell to folk who come to our door, but so far we have sold about a thousand small tubs to passersby. If any of you fancy trying some, come on over, we're easy to find once you get to Gigha, which is only 3 hours from Glasgow. Any Forum members that make it this far will be entitled to a free wee tub of ice cream!


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

The view to the west from my wife's farm here on the Isle of Gigha.


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

And the farm itself.


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## Denver (Jul 29, 2015)

Wow, that is absolutely gorgeous! I have a number of distant cousins who are/were in the dairy farm industry. One had to sell out entirely about 5 years ago when milk prices in the US went too low. Another has done a similar thing to you and expanded into production but is making yoghurt instead of ice cream. They have found it to be a rather good move and are beginning to build up a bit of a following. An expansion into yoghurt might be worth considering especially since it only has to be refrigerated instead of frozen which might make it easier to distribute.


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

In fact yoghurt is another thing we plan to make. Ice cream is trickier, but looks to be a better bet around here. But we'll be making both to make sure we are hedging our bets.


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## cnycharles (Jul 29, 2015)

abax said:


> Charles, you want to share a boat ride???? I know I can
> muck out stalls if nothing else comes up.




Sure! Cows always get outside of the fence and head for the nearest golf course/green and need corralling back in bounds. 

I would love to try some of your recipes! I like making ice cream for family and other social events. Here in the 'tell me about it' sub forum we have a 'favorite recipes mega thread, people post their favorites. I posted two ice cream recipes strawberry rhubarb and chocolate strawberry. Neither are commercial level quality though. If you want to keep your recipes proprietary then tips and tricks on how to improve quality etc would be great. 


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## NYEric (Jul 29, 2015)

Lovely landscape, thanks for sharing.


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## Achamore (Jul 29, 2015)

cnycharles said:


> I would love to try some of your recipes! I like making ice cream for family and other social events. Here in the 'tell me about it' sub forum we have a 'favorite recipes mega thread, people post their favorites. I posted two ice cream recipes strawberry rhubarb and chocolate strawberry. Neither are commercial level quality though. If you want to keep your recipes proprietary then tips and tricks on how to improve quality etc would be great.



No idea how to find that thread..!


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## cnycharles (Jul 29, 2015)

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7203&highlight=Favorite+recipe+megathread

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7203&highlight=Favorite+recipe+megathread&page=5 
Strawberry rhubarb ice cream


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## trdyl (Jul 29, 2015)

Don, Thanks for sharing all the photos. The island you live on seems like a magical place.



cnycharles said:


> http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7203&highlight=Favorite+recipe+megathread
> 
> http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7203&highlight=Favorite+recipe+megathread&page=5
> Strawberry rhubarb ice cream



Thanks for mentioning this thread. This forum seems better and better all the time.


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## cnycharles (Jul 29, 2015)

Yw. That thread has sort of stilled now that eric m is no longer here to regale us with his amazing suppers!  


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## Achamore (Jul 30, 2015)

I have posted a photo of the Slipper Orchid Stew that my wife made last night. Not sure where to put it so I posted it in the Orchid Events section. 

Happy to share what I have learnt about making ice cream. But where to put that..?


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## cnycharles (Jul 30, 2015)

Could post in 'favorite recipe megathread, or in the 'tell me about it' hobbies sub forum 


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## Achamore (Aug 5, 2015)

I noticed yesterday that in fact the spike has 2 buds, the first time the plant has done a double for me..! I'll try to take a pic in the next few days.


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## Achamore (Aug 6, 2015)




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## SlipperFan (Aug 6, 2015)

cool photos!


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## Achamore (Aug 24, 2015)

The bloom has been opening over the last 48 hours with Bud #1. I'll try to photograph it tomorrow to share.


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## abax (Aug 24, 2015)

Not to deviate too much from the thread, but Scotland IS
a very magical place...faeries, water horses, dark lochs
of imagination and freezing water, changelings and beautiful mountains in the Highlands.


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## Achamore (Aug 25, 2015)

14 cm across today August 25th. First day fully open.


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## Erythrone (Aug 25, 2015)

Nice one!


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## trdyl (Aug 25, 2015)

Gorgeous!

Can't wait for my little seedling to grow up.


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## monocotman (Aug 25, 2015)

just fantastic!
David


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## Achamore (Aug 25, 2015)

trdyl said:


> Gorgeous!
> 
> Can't wait for my little seedling to grow up.



The seedlings seem to take forever, in my experience. Jerry Fischer tells me they need low light levels. The blooming size plants are steadily dropping in price, and are much easier...


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## trdyl (Aug 25, 2015)

Achamore said:


> The seedlings seem to take forever, in my experience. Jerry Fischer tells me they need low light levels. The blooming size plants are steadily dropping in price, and are much easier...



True, they are dropping in price. I picked up my seedling last October. At the time I had been growing Phrags for 4 months and I thought I had best start with cheaper plant for a test instead of dropping a few hundred for one that was blooming size. So far it seems be growing well.


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## Achamore (Aug 25, 2015)

Well done Ted! My kovachii seedling has grown very slowly over the past 5 years, and appears to be about 5 years from blooming. But sounds like you're seedling is pretty happy with you!


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## NYEric (Aug 25, 2015)

Great color.


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## Achamore (Aug 25, 2015)

Yes, the colour is a knock-out in the first several days after opening. Everyone that sees it in the flesh is deeply impressed.


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## eaborne (Aug 25, 2015)

Mighty fine!


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## SlipperFan (Aug 25, 2015)

Finally! And a beauty!


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## abax (Aug 25, 2015)

LOVE that pouch! I didn't realize there was so much
color inside the pouch...I mean, not to mention the over
all spectacular color and velvet appearance.


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## Achamore (Aug 26, 2015)

abax said:


> LOVE that pouch! I didn't realize there was so much
> color inside the pouch...I mean, not to mention the over
> all spectacular color and velvet appearance.



I had to bring the camera right up on pretty tall tripod legs, to be able to look down into the pouch with the lens. This is an aspect that often isn't shown in photos with kovachii, as the shape of the pouch conceals that beautiful yellow when the shot is taken looking straight on. 

Did you notice the spotty wallpaper inside the pouch itself? That goes right the way around all over the inner surface of the pouch. Must serve some purpose in relation to the pollinator..??


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## Hamlet (Aug 26, 2015)

That's a wonderful flower. I love the colour and texture. Great photos, too.

I've been debating whether to get a kovachii for a while, but I keep reading that the flowers only last for about two weeks and only hold their best shape for a few days. Is this true? I really like this species but it's just too big and takes up too much space for a plant that only blooms two weeks in a year. If only I had a greenhouse...


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## JeanLux (Aug 26, 2015)

Good example of that great species!!!! Jean


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## Erythrone (Aug 26, 2015)

Hamlet said:


> That's a wonderful flower. I love the colour and texture. Great photos, too.
> 
> I've been debating whether to get a kovachii for a while, but I keep reading that the flowers only last for about two weeks and only hold their best shape for a few days. Is this true? I really like this species but it's just too big and takes up too much space for a plant that only blooms two weeks in a year. If only I had a greenhouse...



I think the single bloom of mine lasted more than 3 weeks. It's true the shape was better for the first days, but the bloom was stunning anyway for a while.


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## Brabantia (Aug 26, 2015)

Very nice flowering!


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## get (Aug 26, 2015)

Congrats, really impressive!


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## Lmpgs (Aug 26, 2015)

Worth waiting!!!


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## Achamore (Aug 27, 2015)

Just touching 17cm across today, so its put on roughly 3 cm of growth in 48 hours. Will post new photos a bit later, busy making ice cream now.


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## Achamore (Aug 27, 2015)




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## Hamlet (Aug 27, 2015)

Erythrone said:


> I think the single bloom of mine lasted more than 3 weeks. It's true the shape was better for the first days, but the bloom was stunning anyway for a while.



That's good to hear. And as I read in phraggy's thread, they can produce two flowers sometimes. I want to get rid of a few plants, so when I have more space (and don't buy too many orchids in the meantime  ), maybe I'll make some room for a kovachii. I really loved my Fritz Schomburg when it bloomed and I'd like to have the parents as well.


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## trdyl (Aug 27, 2015)

What a wonderful bloom!

Which breeder did you get it from?


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## Achamore (Aug 27, 2015)

I bought it from a grower in Germany, who had brought a number of adult plants from one of the two nurseries in Peru, just under 6 years ago. They were the first CITES-legal adult kovachii's brought into Europe. So I presume this plant is a (seed) offspring of two of those original 10 plants. I'm afraid I can't recall now which of the two nurseries in Peru this one came from. If I do recollect I'll post it here.


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## Paphman910 (Aug 27, 2015)

Wow the last flower is gorgeous! Great Photo as well!


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## phraggy (Aug 27, 2015)

Another lovely kovachii Don beautifully photographed. My second bud has just started to open. Will post a pic when fully open probably Friday.

Ed


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## Ozpaph (Aug 28, 2015)

great colour


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## Achamore (Aug 28, 2015)

One of the things I marvel at with kovachii is the way it grows once open. Just measured it again, about 32 hours after last doing so. It is now pretty much exactly 7" or just under 18cm wide, so it put on just under one cm in that time. 

Am pleased there is no reflexive curving in the petals so far.


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## trdyl (Aug 28, 2015)

Achamore said:


> It is now pretty much exactly 7" or just under 18cm wide, so it put on just under one cm in that time.
> 
> Am pleased there is no reflexive curving in the petals so far.



IMO it seems that you have a very good one.


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## Achamore (Aug 30, 2015)

Shot yesterday. Couldn't resist putting the two together, though it makes the light balance trickier to achieve.


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## get (Aug 30, 2015)

Amazing!

Really impressive plants!


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## Erythrone (Aug 30, 2015)

Nice "family" picture!


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## JeanLux (Aug 31, 2015)

Wow, that's such a COOL pic!!!! Thanks!!!! Jean


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## Justin (Aug 31, 2015)

hot dang!


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## Achamore (Aug 31, 2015)

Just up to 19cm wide now, but the growth rate of the bloom is slowing, is my impression. Wonder if it will reach 21cm width like it was before, or whether the 2nd bloom / bud will take too much out of it?


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## Kostas (Sep 1, 2015)

Very beautiful, thanks for all the photos and videos!!


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## Achamore (Sep 4, 2015)

Seems to have maxed out at 19cm. But at least no reflex curve to the petals, and the 2nd bud coming along well.


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## Achamore (Sep 14, 2015)

First time I've had two blooms on one kovachii spike, and am glad to see they are overlapping in their existence!


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## Kostas (Sep 14, 2015)

Very beautiful!! Love the colors of the blooms and the plant!
How wet do you keep it?


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## SlipperFan (Sep 14, 2015)

Such beautiful color!


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## Achamore (Sep 14, 2015)

Kostas said:


> Very beautiful!! Love the colors of the blooms and the plant!
> How wet do you keep it?



Very wet. It sits in about 2 cm of water, and I water it heavily a minimum of once and usually twice daily. It is in my cool section.


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## Migrant13 (Sep 14, 2015)

Outstanding. Thanks for the updated photos!


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## JeanLux (Sep 15, 2015)

I esp. like that last pic, that nicely shows the modification of shape!!! Pers I like the lovely shape of the 'just open(ing)' flower best!! Jean


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## Kostas (Sep 15, 2015)

Thank you very much, helps a lot!


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## Achamore (Sep 15, 2015)

JeanLux said:


> I esp. like that last pic, that nicely shows the modification of shape!!! Pers I like the lovely shape of the 'just open(ing)' flower best!! Jean



Yes, me too, the last photo seems the best, though I also like the ones from behind.


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## Achamore (Sep 15, 2015)

This morning the one opening looks even better.


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## Kostas (Sep 15, 2015)

Very nice! Do the colorbreaks seen mean anything? Variegation or ?


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## Achamore (Sep 15, 2015)

Kostas said:


> Very nice! Do the colorbreaks seen mean anything? Variegation or ?



Simple answer: I have no idea at all..! Ideas anyone?


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## Phrag-Plus (Sep 15, 2015)

Very nice! Great colouration!


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## 17andgrowing (Sep 15, 2015)

Phrag-Plus said:


> Very nice! Great colouration!



I agree.


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## Achamore (Sep 17, 2015)

Day 24 for the older of the two blooms.


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## Hamlet (Sep 17, 2015)

Very impressive! The stem is so thick you could almost call it a trunk.


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## Achamore (Sep 17, 2015)

Hamlet said:


> Very impressive! The stem is so thick you could almost call it a trunk.



:rollhappy:


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## Achamore (Sep 17, 2015)

Previously I didn't use fertiliser, and the blooms would drop after 18 or 19 days. About 8 months ago I started using Jobes small fertiliser sticks. Sure made a difference..!!


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## trdyl (Sep 17, 2015)

Achamore said:


> Previously I didn't use fertiliser, and the blooms would drop after 18 or 19 days. About 8 months ago I started using Jobes small fertiliser sticks. Sure made a difference..!!



Interesting. I would have thought that the sticks would lead to a chemical burn.


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## Achamore (Sep 17, 2015)

No, they seem formulated to let a little of themselves off very slowly. All these months later you still see about one third of the sticks I put on top of the pot. It was Jerry Fischer at Orchids Ltd. that first recommended them to me.


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## Justin (Sep 18, 2015)

i love that the dorsal isn't brown--a great quality.


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## trdyl (Sep 18, 2015)

Achamore said:


> No, they seem formulated to let a little of themselves off very slowly. All these months later you still see about one third of the sticks I put on top of the pot. It was Jerry Fischer at Orchids Ltd. that first recommended them to me.



Which fertiliser sticks do you use?


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## Achamore (Sep 18, 2015)

trdyl said:


> Which fertiliser sticks do you use?



The ones that are called Jobes Fertiliser Spikes for Beautiful House Plants.

Got a good deal on them from Amazon. Probably now have a 3 year supply..!


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## Erythrone (Sep 19, 2015)

Achamore said:


> The ones that are called Jobes Fertiliser Spikes for Beautiful House Plants.
> 
> Got a good deal on them from Amazon. Probably now have a 3 year supply..!



I tried to find how you water your kovachii in this very interesting thread but is so long ( and I am so lazy!! 13 pages)... Can you tell me if your plant sits in water ? I ask you because it is usually not recommended to use slow release fertiliser when the media is wet almost all the time because the pellets release nutrients to quickly. But it may be different with those fertliser spikes and I wonder if I could use it under my growing conditions.


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## Achamore (Sep 19, 2015)

Erythrone said:


> I tried to find how you water your kovachii in this very interesting thread but is so long ( and I am so lazy!! 13 pages)... Can you tell me if your plant sits in water ? I ask you because it is usually not recommended to use slow release fertiliser when the media is wet almost all the time because the pellets release nutrients to quickly. But it may be different with those fertliser spikes and I wonder if I could use it under my growing conditions.



The sticks sit on the top of the pots, not in the tray or anywhere inside the pot. I water heavily once (minimum) or twice daily. But as I said the sticks simply rest on the top of the potting medium.

The pot sits in roughly 2cm of water.


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## Kostas (Sep 22, 2015)

Very beautiful, it progresses nicely! So you should have almost 2 months of blooms from it


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## Achamore (Sep 22, 2015)

Yes, and that first bloom is still hanging on, fading but not dropping off like before. I guess the fertiliser sticks have really helped.


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## Kostas (Sep 22, 2015)

That is very good. I bet on next blooming, it may do even better!


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