cyps in pots

[biothanasis]

Gorgeous!!!

 

[parvi_17]

Looking at your photos is always a real joy - your plants are clearly the result of expert growing. I think reginae alba might be the most stunning flower there is, unfortunately my seedling doesn't look like it will flower until next year. But your photo can tide me over until then .

 

[Dido]

Great pics as usual,
love the new cross.

 

[newbud]

I ditto Dido.
Seriously David you've done a marvelous job raising all those Cyp's. I'm impressed and would really like to learn how to do it. Are you interested in showing a greenhorn how you do it so well. I'm thinking about getting a pack of acuale and parviflorum var. pubescens seeds off ebay and trying it.

 

[Dido]

Dont start with Acaule seed, this are the most frustrated ones,
start with reginae and try it with that species.
if you grow up succesfull this one from seed then you can get to other kinds.

Acaule is tricky in flask and after. Pubescens is not easy to germinate too.

So for starting I recommend Acaule, she works well from dry seed too. The others are not easy from dry seed.

heard that Acaule is possible from dry seed, but only heard from one person till now.

If you want I can cross a reginae alba fro you, tell me what you want as pollen on it, or I can make a pure one for you, and send you the dry seed.

 

[monocotman]

cyps from seed

Newbud,

Thanks for the comments but I only buy seedlings, I've no interest or time in trying to grow them from seed.
It is not easy. If you want to growe them then it is best to buy the biggest seedlings you can afford. Small ones are also pretty tricky unless you have optimal conditions. Larger ones are easier,

Regards,

David

 

[NYEric]

You can get groups of plants off ebay, start there for the Cyp acaule, Cyp reginae I'd get from a reputable dealer.

 

[monocotman]

autumn review

Hi,

'tis the season of mellow fruitfulness and time to check on how the cyps fared this summer.
We had a non summer this year in the UK - a spring drought was followed by a hosepipe ban and the day this came into force the heavens opened and the wettest summer for a very long time followed.
However not is all doom and gloom - the cyps loved this cool wet weather with no heat stress and several have increased impressively.
I saw some rot on the leaves for the first time ever due to the humid conditions.
Growing in mainly super coarse perlite allows you to easily check on the state of the plants by gently knocking off the top layer to expose surface roots and buds.
First up is x ventricosum pale from Frosch.
This had 2 FS and 2 non FS growths in the spring. There are now 11 new buds for next year. Pretty much a tripling in size.
Next up is the bright red hybrid 'Bill' ( pubescens x tibeticum). This had 2 FS growths plus one small growth in the spring. There are now 8 large growths.
Also close to tripling in size.
The last two photos show stages in repotting a large tibeticum.
This plant is a large flowered form from a breeder so I'm pleased it's grown well.
This plants has lived in the same compost and pot for 5 seasons.
In 2008 it was a single FS growth. Today there are 20 new buds for next spring and I thought that it merited a larger pot.
The first photo shows a problem with pot growing - the discoloured parts of the compost at the front are worm burrows. They are an occupational hazard of pot growing for me but take 2-3 years before the build up of humus in the pot from their activities starts to impact on the plants.
I could put fine wire mesh over the holes in the bottom of the pot but that my also affect drainage over time so I don't bother.
The point is that cyps take time to build up size, especially species and a compost of perlite allows them to do this with no danger of compost breakdown.
When I repotted this plant I managed to find just a single rotten root in the entire pot - the rest were all hard and active - another benefit of an inorganic free draining compost.
The plant has doubled in size this year after several years of much gentler increase - maybe due to the cool weather.
It must also have been frozen several cm deep during the winter of 2010/11 so the roots must be very hardy.
Regards,
David

 

[NYEric]

Ok, OK, I'll get some more Cyps for NYC!

 

[naoki]

Hi David, they all look amazing! I'm pretty new to Cyp. growing, do you have any good tips about overwintering? I'm pretty nervous about the soil moisture level during the winter time.

 

[monocotman]

overwintering

Hi,
not sure about overwintering in Alaska - there may be others with more experience.
You could cover the cyps with a rainproof cover to keep the worst of the rain off - maybe it'll depend on snow cover?
Dvaid

 

[Dido]

Great plant as usual

Are you offering devison of yours from time to time......

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

David, great job growing your Cyps, as usual. Those root and eyes look more like a hosta than a Cyp though - they are too happy.