# Advice for planting C. reginae and C. kentuckiense



## EcoNative (Jun 9, 2014)

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to prepare soil/area for both C. reginae (pink coloured and albino coloured) and C. kentuckiense. I've had reginae before but they died, and I want to make sure before I plant the ones I just bought that I give them the best conditions possible. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## parvi_17 (Jun 9, 2014)

My first word of advice is, don't over-think your soil. You don't need to come up with complex soil mixes that contain 10 different ingredients and several you can't find anywhere. You want your soil to be loose, airy, and free-draining, but still capable of retaining some moisture. You can achieve this with a multitude of different substrates, and no soil mix is the 'correct' one. A couple of my favorite products to use as additives are coir (coconut peat or 'Beats Peat' as it is marketed where I live) and Turface or aquatic plant soil, which are both sort of a fired clay granule.

Planting is best done in the fall. I have planted Cyps in the summer, even when they were in bloom, and never had any major problems that I can recall, but I still prefer to plant in fall and these days when I buy plants in spring or summer I like to sink the pot in the ground to keep the roots cool over summer and plant in fall. Spread the roots out horizontally in the top 4 inches of the soil, and make sure the dormant eyes are about 1/2" below the soil surface. Plant too deep and they rot or at the very least fail to bloom, too shallow and they can freeze or rot over winter. Make sure you don't compact the soil when you cover the rhizomes, I like to sprinkle it lightly over top. Then I cover with a 2" layer of mulch, which I pull away in the spring. That's about it.

In my experience kentuckiense is somewhat prone to rot. Many recommend using sand in the soil mix for this species. I have grown it both with sand and without and have had success and failure in a variety of different mixes.

Good luck!


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## John M (Jun 10, 2014)

A good start for getting helpful advice would be to update your profile so that your approximate location on the planet is showing in the upper right hand corner of your posts.


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## Linus_Cello (Jun 10, 2014)

For KY, I would agree with a well draining media, like sand. 
Another option would be to get "cyp" mix:
http://www.gardensatposthill.com/website/StoreSupplies.htm#02

Some people make their own with turface. 

For more info on growing cyps:
http://www.gardensatposthill.com/website/Cypripedium overview.htm

My recommendation would be to start with pubescens and/or gisela (a hybrid of parviflorum x macrathos). These are much easier (especially gisela).


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## Erythrone (Oct 26, 2014)

Cyp. reginae is the easiest species to grow in our garden. They are in a flower bed, with hostas, primulas, helleborus, etc. High organic matter content, pH over 6,3, damp, but not wet. Light shade. 

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30791&highlight=reginae


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## NYEric (Oct 26, 2014)

I have had "not good luck" w/ Cyps in NYC gardens. I am trying reginae again in pots and will use the inorganic mix from Post Hill. That, get the biggest plants you can afford,and use pure water are my recommendations.


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