Stone
Well-Known Member
It's not the best form but it's still armeniacum. It's has taught me how to grow the species and the better clones are on the way.
image upload site
image upload site
armeniacum
- Thread starter Stone
- Start date
Help Support Slippertalk Orchid Forum:
Awesome test run! Any tips to get them to bloom and maintain spikes?
I would be pleased just to get mine to bloom.
tell us how, please
Nice that you learned to grow them. Had an armeniacum bud in the summer but in my heart knew it wasn't going to bloom. Have another one in bud, so we shall see. Yes, please share anything you learnt with us.
Paphluvr
Well-Known Member
Looks like you're growing it in a bonsai pot? Is that part of the secret?
Stone
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the comments all.
Here is what I did...
Once the seedling is doing well and ready for a repot, you need to find a pot with drainage holes ONLY IN THE CENTER NOT THE SIDES.
The reason for this is that -as you know - it puts out long underground suckers. Sometimes they come out sideways but sometimes they go straight down. There does not seem to be a limit to how long they grow (within reason). They keep extending until they find light then they start to open into leaves. If you have holes in the sides at the bottom of the pot, that's the first place they will come out. We don't want this, we want all the growth at the surface. Besides a pot with a center drainage hole, you also need to get one with a rounded inner edge at the bottom so when the runners reach it, they don't spiral around and around but just go straight back up to the surface without stopping. So what you are looking for is a wide shallow bowl with a hole in the center.
I used a mix without stones so the runners did not find it too difficult finding their way through. Bark, charcoal, polystyrene, perlite for a nice spongy long lasting mix. I don't use sphag or any other type of moss in the mix any more. Nothing but trouble. Then top off with some finer bark or something. I kept in in the shade house all year. This winter was cold! regularly got down to 3C, sometimes 0C but average about 5-7. I don't think it's that important. 10C would be fine.
After reading Tanaka's advice I never let them dry out. Perhaps a little less in winter but never dry. A bright spot where they get good winter light and plenty of fresh air movement. In summer, plenty of water every day. I sprinkle lime (crushed shells or whatever) every few months. It's seems hard to overdo it. Feeding is standard but they don't need very much. Flower buds developed in late summer/autumn and just sat there doing nothing until late winter when they slowly started to extend. I think the cool ''rest'' stimulated this cycle. I suspect that moving them when they are spiking is asking for trouble.
Paphluvr. Yes it's a bonsai pot but it's hanging up where there is more light and air. (and no mice or rats)
Here is what I did...
Once the seedling is doing well and ready for a repot, you need to find a pot with drainage holes ONLY IN THE CENTER NOT THE SIDES.
The reason for this is that -as you know - it puts out long underground suckers. Sometimes they come out sideways but sometimes they go straight down. There does not seem to be a limit to how long they grow (within reason). They keep extending until they find light then they start to open into leaves. If you have holes in the sides at the bottom of the pot, that's the first place they will come out. We don't want this, we want all the growth at the surface. Besides a pot with a center drainage hole, you also need to get one with a rounded inner edge at the bottom so when the runners reach it, they don't spiral around and around but just go straight back up to the surface without stopping. So what you are looking for is a wide shallow bowl with a hole in the center.
I used a mix without stones so the runners did not find it too difficult finding their way through. Bark, charcoal, polystyrene, perlite for a nice spongy long lasting mix. I don't use sphag or any other type of moss in the mix any more. Nothing but trouble. Then top off with some finer bark or something. I kept in in the shade house all year. This winter was cold! regularly got down to 3C, sometimes 0C but average about 5-7. I don't think it's that important. 10C would be fine.
After reading Tanaka's advice I never let them dry out. Perhaps a little less in winter but never dry. A bright spot where they get good winter light and plenty of fresh air movement. In summer, plenty of water every day. I sprinkle lime (crushed shells or whatever) every few months. It's seems hard to overdo it. Feeding is standard but they don't need very much. Flower buds developed in late summer/autumn and just sat there doing nothing until late winter when they slowly started to extend. I think the cool ''rest'' stimulated this cycle. I suspect that moving them when they are spiking is asking for trouble.
Paphluvr. Yes it's a bonsai pot but it's hanging up where there is more light and air. (and no mice or rats)
Last edited:
werner.freitag
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2011
- Messages
- 417
- Reaction score
- 579
very helpful , thanks for your sharing
Thanks for the tips. The cool temperatures are what I think I’m missing on. Hopefully the cool area mine are in is enough to set the buds.
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Mike.
As to your armeniacum flowers the deep full yellow of these flowers is very pretty and the shape of the upper one is good. So theres room for improvement with next flowering.
As to your armeniacum flowers the deep full yellow of these flowers is very pretty and the shape of the upper one is good. So theres room for improvement with next flowering.
tnyr5
Well-Known Member
I mean, to me, the answer seems obvious: throw it in the fridge at night.
Thanks, Mike.
blondie
Well-Known Member
Very nice ive never gotten this plant to flower for me
