# Paphs on a rock wall (India)



## paphioboy (Oct 26, 2013)

As requested by Trithor in the thread on growing paphs outdoors in So-Cal, here are some pics of specimen plants grown on a rock wall by Mohan Pradhan in India. This is the grower (all photo credits to him):

https://www.facebook.com/mohan.pradhan.944


According to him, he uses wire mesh to make small pockets in which the paphs are planted with gravel and sphag. His fertiliser is calcium nitrate and micronutrients. The media is topped up every second year. If I remember correctly, he mentioned the shadehouse is open at the sides so the plants are exposed to cold air. Ok, hang on to your seats!

Venustum:
















Villosum:





Druryi:





Spicerianum:





Insigne:





Fairrieanum hybrid:





Fairrieanum:


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## Paph_LdyMacBeth (Oct 26, 2013)

Amazing!
Need I say more?

Sent from my BlackBerry Bold 9900 using Tapatalk


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## Carkin (Oct 26, 2013)

Jaw dropping...speechless...now I am looking at my poor pathetic Paphs in plastic pots...I want a rock wall too!!!


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## SlipperFan (Oct 26, 2013)

Not fair. He can grow them outdoors!

What a beautiful way to use a rock wall!


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## abax (Oct 26, 2013)

You should have said hold your jaw instead of seat! OMG! The plants are
beautiful and very healthy. I wonder if the grower uses insecticide to keep
the leaves looking so pristine. Usually, orchids grown outside look very
chewed up.


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## paphioboy (Oct 27, 2013)

Lol..


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## JeanLux (Oct 27, 2013)

Most impressive!!!! Thanks Li !!!! Jean


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## Trithor (Oct 27, 2013)

Opening this thread was like Christmas had come early! That is awe inspiring, absolutely fantastic! How beautiful is that druryi? Thanks for arranging these pictures.


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## Ozpaph (Oct 27, 2013)

wow!


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## Secundino (Oct 27, 2013)

Thanks for sharing! So beautiful - now I do like _druryi_...


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## Brabantia (Oct 27, 2013)

Stunning and once again there are cultivated on an almost inert substrate!


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## Erythrone (Oct 27, 2013)

Stunning!!!!!!!!!!


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## orcoholic (Oct 27, 2013)

Beautiful. Amazing. Incredible.


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## keithrs (Oct 27, 2013)

Very cool!!

One day...One day!


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## eOrchids (Oct 27, 2013)

Holy crap! :drool:

That's nuts!!!


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## ehanes7612 (Oct 27, 2013)

i didnt know orchids could grow outdoors!!


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## Stone (Oct 27, 2013)

Thanks for the photos PB. I love seeing these. Thats the quality to aspire to!
Do you have the climate details for this area?


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## paphioboy (Oct 28, 2013)

ehanes7612 said:


> i didnt know orchids could grow outdoors!!



Hello! Do you think the forests where they come from are equipped with polycarbonate roofing? :crazy:  I grow outdoors..



> Do you have the climate details for this area?



I don't have any details but it appears that he lives in Sikkim.


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## 2Toned (Oct 28, 2013)

Gob smacking!


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## NYEric (Oct 28, 2013)

Very nice. You mention they are grown in a shade house so not totally exposed to insect damage and the elements. Thanks for sharing.


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## goldenrose (Oct 28, 2013)

Just AWESOME! It certainly would/could be a challenge to grow this indoors, I can envision it at the back of the GH! :drool::drool:


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## goldenrose (Oct 28, 2013)

ehanes7612 said:


> i didnt know orchids could grow outdoors!!





paphioboy said:


> Hello! Do you think the forests where they come from are equipped with polycarbonate roofing? :crazy:  I grow outdoors..
> I don't have any details but it appears that he lives in Sikkim.



 You grow outdoors & probably have all your life but you have to cut us continental U.S. folks some slack, with our climate, this would have to be attempted indoors. Some parts of Florida might be able to get away with it.


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## ALToronto (Oct 28, 2013)

I would love to see the details of how these wire baskets are actually attached. I could make a wall like this inside a house, nvm a greenhouse.


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## Linus_Cello (Oct 28, 2013)

Must be a pain to bring these plants to judging


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## Brabantia (Oct 28, 2013)

Stunning culture and marvelous flowering. For more informations see _*Here*_ and _*Here*_.


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## Justin (Oct 28, 2013)

excellent!!!


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## keithrs (Oct 28, 2013)

ALToronto said:


> I would love to see the details of how these wire baskets are actually attached. I could make a wall like this inside a house, nvm a greenhouse.



There's several ways to attach the mess to cement. Tapcon screws, concrete anchor screws, liquid adhesive(like liquid nails), or imbedding the wire when the cement is poured.


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## emydura (Oct 28, 2013)

Just amazing. The plants look superb. Grown tp perfection. I'd love to see that fairrienaum when it is open.


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## Ryan Young (Oct 29, 2013)

This is fantastic makes me want to live in a tropical-esque location 

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk


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## paphioboy (Nov 9, 2013)

Update from Mohan, this insigne wall is in flower now:


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## monocotman (Nov 9, 2013)

Just amazing and look how healthy those leaves are!
David


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## Missgreen (Nov 12, 2013)

Lost for words... Wauv!


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## cnycharles (Nov 12, 2013)

That deserves a long-distance cce award!


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## Trithor (Nov 13, 2013)

Any idea how that wall is constructed and planted?


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## AdamD (Nov 13, 2013)

Wow. Time to reassess what I've been doing this past decade... Because apparently I've been doing it all wrong!


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## Paphluvr (Nov 14, 2013)

paphioboy said:


> Update from Mohan, this insigne wall is in flower now:


This is one awesome display!


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## Dido (Nov 14, 2013)

I need such a wall


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## Rick (Nov 14, 2013)

paphioboy said:


> According to him, he uses wire mesh to make small pockets in which the paphs are planted with gravel and sphag. His fertiliser is calcium nitrate and micronutrients. The media is topped up every second year



Dang 

No supplemental K or P.

And like a vertical basket culture!!

Awesome:drool::drool:


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## Stone (Nov 14, 2013)

Rick said:


> Dang
> 
> No supplemental K or P.
> 
> ...



They would get lots of nutrients leaching down from above.


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## Rick (Nov 14, 2013)

Stone said:


> They would get lots of nutrients leaching down from above.



From above what Mike? Efficiency can't be greater than 100%

K and P are elements, and they can't be created from other elements (except maybe in a nuclear reactor). And since moss and lichens are not nuclear reactors, they can't leach more than what they need for themselves, or can pull out of the dust and water vapor in the air (which ain't much either).

Unless he lures hoards of birds to poop on the top of the wall.:evil:


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## Stone (Nov 14, 2013)

Rick said:


> From above what Mike? Efficiency can't be greater than 100%
> 
> K and P are elements, and they can't be created from other elements (except maybe in a nuclear reactor). And since moss and lichens are not nuclear reactors, they can't leach more than what they need for themselves, or can pull out of the dust and water vapor in the air (which ain't much either).
> 
> Unless he lures hoards of birds to poop on the top of the wall.:evil:



I was under the impression it was an embankment with trees and soil behind the wall.


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## Trithor (Nov 14, 2013)

Rock wall and mesh wall seem two very different concepts. I got the bit about the mesh pockets, but am not too sure how that ties in with the rock wall concept, which is why I asked the question. I have a blank wall in my greenhouse which I was considering playing with.


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## paphioboy (Nov 21, 2013)

More insignes in bloom from Mohan's fantastic collection:


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## Trithor (Nov 21, 2013)

That is just depressing!


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## Brabantia (Nov 21, 2013)

It is extraordinary! 
@paphioboy: thank you for sharing these marvels.


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## sweaver24 (Nov 21, 2013)

Outstanding photos and a great collection. But I agree with Trithor, this is all quite depressing. Maybe next spring I'll upload a few pictures of the stunning dandelion display in my back yard, which should at least earn some sympathy points for me.

Steve


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## SlipperFan (Nov 21, 2013)

sweaver24 said:


> Outstanding photos and a great collection. But I agree with Trithor, this is all quite depressing. Maybe next spring I'll upload a few pictures of the stunning dandelion display in my back yard, which should at least earn some sympathy points for me.
> 
> Steve


:rollhappy:


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Nov 21, 2013)

I like dandelions!


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## GuRu (Nov 22, 2013)

I realized this thread not until now and....what shall I say...my lower jaw dropped almost down to the floor and I have to wipe up lots of drool from my keybord !! Dang, what an outstandig cultur shown by these photos, almost incredible !


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## paphioboy (Nov 22, 2013)

*More!*

Fairrieanum in bloom...
















Var. bohlmannianum (alba)





Roots clinging onto the rock:


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## JeanLux (Nov 23, 2013)

Plants must really like his environment; this last pic is amazing (from my poor paph grower view )!!!! Jean


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## reivilos (Nov 23, 2013)

paphioboy said:


> Fairrieanum in bloom...


I saw his facebook wall today.
It'd be nice to know what he feeds them.


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