# Bitchin' and fussin' about wardii



## abax (Nov 7, 2013)

I know everyone is probably sick of hearing me gripe about the slow progress of my wardii bud. I've been very patient...sort of...but now I'm
really angry. It's taken the bud so long to open that what appears to be
the left petal has developed a small brown spot. I assume the bud has
been splashed with water accidentally and didn't dry off quickly enough to
prevent damage. The spot doesn't appear to be a hole and I haven't seen
any chewing critters in my gh for years. Anyone ever experience this hazard on slow-opening buds? :sob:


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## SlipperKing (Nov 7, 2013)

Yes and the bud usually goes ahead and rots off


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## SlipperFan (Nov 7, 2013)

abax said:


> I know everyone is probably sick of hearing me gripe about the slow progress of my wardii bud. I've been very patient...sort of...but now I'm
> really angry. It's taken the bud so long to open that what appears to be
> the left petal has developed a small brown spot. I assume the bud has
> been splashed with water accidentally and didn't dry off quickly enough to
> ...



I feel your pain. Mine finally opened, but the dorsal sepal refuses to stand up.


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## abax (Nov 8, 2013)

SK, nooooooo don't SAY that! I drenched the medium with Cleary's today
which will either make it better or worse...who knows! If it rots, it's going
to someone else next auction.

Dot, give that sepal a talking to. You have my permission to use rude
language. How long has it been in full bloom? Did you get Thahn's new
list?????


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## Bjorn (Nov 8, 2013)

My impression is that if the bud is out of season, the chance for blasting gets enormous! When that is said, good cool nights seem to help. And, some species are indeed slow, like malipoense and tigrinum (not too sure about the latter though mine always gets buds at the wrong time of year).
Btw. I have a wardii coming now as well, slow but not too slow. I am very patient though, as malipoense does not stress me:rollhappy:


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## SlipperKing (Nov 8, 2013)

I'm sorry but some times the cold hard facts have to be stated. Its part of the "welcome to slipper blooming" encouragement I give to newbies.:evil:


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## Wendy (Nov 8, 2013)

SlipperKing said:


> I'm sorry but some times the cold hard facts have to be stated. Its part of the "welcome to slipper blooming" encouragement I give to newbies.:evil:



Agreed. There will be another blooming. A blasted bud is disappointing but nothing to get really upset about. Just put it on the back of the bench, forget about it and it will be budding again before you know it.


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## NYEric (Nov 8, 2013)

Wendy said:


> Agreed. There will be another blooming. A blasted bud is disappointing but nothing to get really upset about. Just put it on the back of the bench, forget about it and it will be budding again before you know it.



Says the lady with almost no plants!! :evil:


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Nov 8, 2013)

I had the most vigorous wardii plant that grew and produced 3 buds in 3 years...all blasted. Wardii is a jerk. ha ha ha 
It is known for being temperamental. Hopefully you have better luck than I.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 8, 2013)

abax said:


> ...Dot, give that sepal a talking to. You have my permission to use rude language. How long has it been in full bloom? Did you get Thahn's new list?????


It's been fully open for almost a week. The dorsal hasn't budged.

Yes, I did get Thanh's list. He's getting out of my price range -- at least for the things I'd really like to have. I'm passing this time.


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Nov 8, 2013)

I don't have wardii now, but when I did it was always frustrating. It would spike easily...then blast even more easily.


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## abax (Nov 9, 2013)

I shoulda known a gift plant would be a jerk! Now I know WHY it was a
gift/rescue. The Cleary's seems to have stopped the brown spot for now
and it's just about ready to open.

Thanks, SK, I needed that slap in the face. *whew*


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## NYEric (Nov 9, 2013)

SlipperFan said:


> Yes, I did get Thanh's list. He's getting out of my price range -- at least for the things I'd really like to have. I'm passing this time.


I'm getting one, instead of the four I'd like to get.


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## goldenrose (Nov 9, 2013)

OK now you guys are really making me feel bad! I must have had a most unusual wardii. I NEVER had any of the issues any of you have described. It bloomed faithly ever year & I don't recall it taking forever. I abused the poor plant, dried out too much in between waterings but put up that new growth each year, which I think led to it weakening & it's demise.


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## littlefrog (Nov 9, 2013)

You all be nice to wardii. it is my favorite species. Mine all bloom and grow pretty well. Well enough that I got an 87 point AM/AOS a couple weeks ago on one... Someday when I have my camera and my computer in the same place I'll post a picture.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 9, 2013)

littlefrog said:


> You all be nice to wardii. it is my favorite species. Mine all bloom and grow pretty well. Well enough that I got an 87 point AM/AOS a couple weeks ago on one... Someday when I have my camera and my computer in the same place I'll post a picture.


It indeed was (is?) a beauty. Nice clear colors and a great shape. Congrats, Rob!


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## abax (Nov 10, 2013)

I'm being very nice to wardii...trust me on this. If I wasn't, it'd be in the
compost pile by now. I haven't even used rude language...yet.

Don't feel bad, rose. You enjoyed the blooms for awhile. Seems like the plants that grow and bloom profusely meet an early end...maybe exhaustion. Angs. exhibit this trait well in my possession.

I hear that loud and clear, Eric and Dot!!! :>(


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## Rick (Nov 10, 2013)

Don't know

I've raised over a dozen now from seed. I think they are much easier than sukhakulii.

If anything has made them easier to grow and bloom has been starvation/low K diet.

I switched the bulk of the keepers from the last compot to basket, and they do good in that too. But running out of bench space and using pots does fine too.

Try no food whatsoever. Or maybe just a 1/4 tsp of kelp/gal once a month. They'll probably do fine.


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## abax (Nov 10, 2013)

Veeerrrry interesting, Rick. I have two small suks and they are easy for
me and one is in bud. I find it intriguing that you and I are basically feeding/not feeding with the same fertilizer and kelp with different results
with different plants. Our weather is generally in sync too. An exception
is basket culture for Paphs. I've tried basket culture twice and have had to move the plants back into clay orchid pots in order to save them. Perhaps it's your addition of native moss that makes a big difference. I do a lot of horizontal mounting and basket culture with Phals. and it works well.

Hey Rob, I'd love to see a photo or two when you have the time.


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## Paphluvr (Nov 11, 2013)

SlipperFan said:


> I feel your pain. Mine finally opened, but the dorsal sepal refuses to stand up.


And probably won't. Typical of wardii.


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