# Fritz and Dick bud watch



## monocotman (Dec 7, 2015)

Hi,
a couple of phrags about to open. 
At the front the single growth is a seedling Fritz Schomburg from the EYOF.
The large plant at the back is the interesting one.
This is Mem Dick Clements and about the first phrag that I bought.
There are four stems about to open and three have branches. Nobody told me that they get this tall. The tallest is approaching 3 feet in height.
Anyway this plant grew slowly for me for years and flowered occasionally on small growths. 
It did slowly increase the number of growths but it had yellowish leaves and never amounted to much. 
About 18 months ago I was thinking of getting rid of it.
Since then it has rebounded in an amazing fashion. It has received the same treatment for years - rain water plus rain mix. The only difference I can think of is that I added a phrag growing in mainly growstones to the tray where it sat. Maybe this substrate added something or altered the pH of the water that they sat in.
There is now no chance of this plant moving on!
David


----------



## Achamore (Dec 7, 2015)

Isn't it wonderful and irritating how they can do poorly, and then suddenly do well... That certainly is a great looking plant now! Look forward to seeing the blooms!


----------



## NYEric (Dec 7, 2015)

Yay besseae hybrids!


----------



## troy (Dec 7, 2015)

Excellent!!! Post the bloom pics!!


----------



## orchidman77 (Dec 7, 2015)

Excited for updates!!

David


----------



## Happypaphy7 (Dec 7, 2015)

Wow~ I'm impressed that you have kept those leaves free of unsightly marks and such.
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap:

Nearly every singly phrags I have seen had ugly leaves, even single growth plants.


----------



## monocotman (Dec 8, 2015)

*Leaves*

Come to think of it they are fairly pristine.
My other phrags look the same. Very few marks.
Maybe due to growing indoors in a very well buffered environment with few stresses or due to the low levels of feed used. Rain water is 30 units on the salt pen and after adding rain mix feed it rises to 120. My local hard tap water reads 300.
The water that the phrags sit in year round has slightly higher readings but even so it never rises above 200.
The growstones added something else so I add these now to the water the phrags sit in.
David


----------



## monocotman (Dec 24, 2015)

*MDC update*

Hi,

MDC is starting to put out the flowers,

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/GGBK32

David


----------



## monocotman (Dec 24, 2015)

*Another*

Now I can finally upload links here is an individual bloom.
Just over 4 inches across.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/C4Zr7t

David


----------



## SlipperFan (Dec 24, 2015)

Wow.


----------



## Ozpaph (Dec 26, 2015)

Sorry, the link is 'dead'.


----------



## monocotman (Dec 26, 2015)

*Link restored*

Hopefully the link to the photo of the individual flower now works,
David


----------



## trdyl (Dec 26, 2015)

The links are working. Your MDC is beautiful!


----------



## My Green Pets (Dec 26, 2015)

Very purdy


----------



## Migrant13 (Dec 26, 2015)

That is a nice one. Your Phrags look like shrubs!!


----------



## abax (Dec 26, 2015)

What an outstanding bloom count! Beautiful plant as well.
I like that deep red.


----------



## troy (Dec 26, 2015)

The plant looks very healthy, nice blooming!!!!


----------



## JasonG (Dec 27, 2015)

Great looking plant very nice! How do you grow it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## monocotman (Dec 27, 2015)

*Culture*

Indoors in a west facing window.
It gets pretty sunny during the summer but the phrags seem to enjoy it.
It shares a water filled tray together with several other phrags.
Feed is akerne's rain mix plus rain water year round at every watering but at a low rate.
My rain water measures 30 units, the feed takes it up to about 120 units. The local hard tap water reads 300 units.
The water in the tray rises to about 200 units but no more.
It is kept at around 1cm deep in the tray year round.
David


----------



## JasonG (Dec 27, 2015)

Thanks. Great job, that is great looking plant!


----------



## monocotman (Dec 30, 2015)

*Update 2*

Hi,
7 flowers now out and Fritz is starting to open. Looks like Fritz will be the usual dusky pink I have in other phrags.
Sorry for the darkish photo.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/42F8n7

Nice to see this MDC can hold two flowers per stem. Should be good when all the side branches open. Could be up to 14 out at once then,

David


----------



## monocotman (Jan 1, 2016)

*Fritz is open*

Hi,

Fritz S has finally opened. A first flowering seedling and nice little thing but the lateral petals are starting to reflex as many of them do.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/78Th33

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/1y56xV

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/29C82K

Regards,

David


----------



## orchidman77 (Jan 1, 2016)

Love those Fritz's, even with all their twisting around! I have a flavum Fritz in bloom now....not quite as full as yours. Thanks for posting!

Dacid


----------



## trdyl (Jan 1, 2016)

Lovely!


----------



## troy (Jan 1, 2016)

Excellent blooming!!!!


----------



## SlipperFan (Jan 1, 2016)

Great display on the MDC, and the Fritz is a beauty, too.


----------



## monocotman (Jan 9, 2016)

*More open and a question*

Eleven flowers on MDC plus three buds.

https://flic.kr/p/C26Wb5

Fritz is now fully open and the petals are quite ruffled. 
The colour in more pink than the photos show.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/AU56z5

https://www.flickr.com/gp/[email protected]/K725D1

Is this common in the cross?
Can the situation improve when the plant gets older?

Thanks,

David


----------



## trdyl (Jan 9, 2016)

That MDC is gorgeous!

Fritz is nice too.


----------



## eaborne (Jan 11, 2016)

Incredible blooming!


----------



## eteson (Jan 11, 2016)

that Dick is a dream!


----------

