Albino maudiae type -- From deflasked seedling to first bloom

[Leo Schordje]

Hardy,
Excellent growing, your techniques are beautifully tailored to your climate, very well done. Your plants are proof of your skill and they look great. Thank you for describing your techniques, I am going to try a few of your methods on my plants. Thanks

 

[paphioboy]

Simply beautiful.... I'm amazed at how well your plants cope despite your absence... Whenever I buy seedlings, there is only a 50-50 chance they'll make it to the next year, which is why I'm refraining from buying seedlings anymore and only go for mature plants...

 

[hardy]

Thank you all for your kind comments (^_^)

Hi Paphioboy, yes I have someone take care of my plants when I'm away. I
give easy-to-follow instructions. By some trial and error you could try to find
the easiest regimen that works for your plants Copious daily watering is a
no-brainer and so I'm really lucky that it works wonders for my paphs. Trial and
error is impotant I think, and I arrive at the current regimen the same way.
I'm still not so lucky with other plant groups, for example my gesneriads
collection, which requires individual observation of the wetness of the medium.
I tell the person helping me to watch the medium closely during watering, but
as you might guess, I still lost considerable portion of my collection

IMHO, the health of the young plants in flask is very important for their
subsequent performance. So choose carefully. Avoid flasks past their prime
unless the potential of the cross is really worth the risk. I think slightly too
young is better than slightly too old. And buying from the flask producer first
hand better than buying from vendors. Just my humble opinion...

 

[paphioboy]

Yes, that's very true... I have not actually grown any paphs from flask. The seedlings I grow usually are about 3-inch leafspan, about half a year after deflasking. Some have grown well, especially multiflora and cochlo hybrids, but some brachy seedlings just withered to nothingness.... Well, its handy having someone to keep a close watch on them...

 

[nikv]

Wow! My hat is off to you, Hardy. You've accomplished something that I have yet to do in all my years of growing orchids.

 

[hardy]

Wow! My hat is off to you, Hardy. You've accomplished something that I have yet to do in all my years of growing orchids.

Thank you I'm yet to learn lots of things. I think it's the same for all of us.
Growing orchids is a never-ending process of learning and discovering new
things

 

[hardy]

Here's a forgotten photo I just stumbled across in my old folder (Please bear
with me.... ) Paph Hilo Citron freshly repotted from compot into birdnest
fern. I buried the lowest one or two nodes in the osmunda-like stuff, and
the plants don't seem to mind at all.

 

[biothanasis]

Hardy, thank you very very much for your detailed info!!!!

 

[hardy]

You're welcome, my pleasure to share

 

[chrismende]

Great documentary on your flask experiences! I'm still in the first few months of my first group of four flasks - and soon to get some more. It's really a challenge and very easy to see how differently different species and crosses behave with the same culture. Mine are now all in sphagnum but next time they won't be - it'll be fine bark with a little perlite instead.
Your posts are always very nicely done and informative!

 

[John M]

Your plants look so healthy and vigorous. Congratulations on your success! Well done!