cyps rest in winter

[dodidoki]

I open this thread because of my problem.Last winter was very good for my cyps, almost all of my cyps flowered and were very happy. Autumn was very wrong with many rains, december was very mild. Many of cyps begun to start, few got rot because excessive autumn waterings ( from nature...). I removed them from the garden few weeks ago and put them in GH, now survived ones are growing well under arteficial light. But is is not normal. So I wait for opinions, experiences and photoes about resting cyps under controlled envirionment, I mean in fridge. Many thanks for advices ( some of cyps are very rare, expensive and hard to find, so I think we have better keep them at well controlled place)

 

[Shiva]

Dodidoki's thread could also be helpful for me. I have a concrete balcony outside that's unheated inside. Temps hover around 0°C all winter. Wich species or hybrids cyps would be best to keep in there for winter?

 

[NYEric]

Why is dodidoki growing them out of season, instead of vernalizing them?

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Sorry to hear of your problems. There has been some wacky weather this winter and I know of rhodos blooming during Christmas, as well as daffodils, and so on.

If you are going to use a refrigerator, I recommend using a big one that is dedicated to the Cyps, not for general use. It should be inside where temperature fluctuations are not severe - a cool cellar is fine, or even in the house. The trick is to not over-pack it to allow good airflow and consistent cooling.

Shiva - sounds perfect for vernalizing Cyps, but watch out for extreme cold events.

Eric - his plants were outside and broke dormancy on their own. Once a Cyp starts to grow, you can't stop it and have to bring it inside or it will die.

 

[Shiva]

Shiva - sounds perfect for vernalizing Cyps, but watch out for extreme cold events.

Kyushu

This is my first full winter in this new house and even at -27°C below so far outside, it never freezes inside. There seems to be enough heat coming from the house to prevent freezing. So I should be good. Whats more, there should be enough place to put 50 plants at least in there.

 

[NYEric]

Eric - his plants were outside and broke dormancy on their own. Once a Cyp starts to grow, you can't stop it and have to bring it inside or it will die.

I understand.

 

[Ray]

As an aside to this thread - for clumps successfully maintained in the refrigerator over the winter (without anyone throwing them away, like my Cyp. reginae last year), when should I consider potting them up and letting them warm?

 

[Linus_Cello]

The ones I have in pots, I water once in the fall, then wrap the pots in garbage bags, then bury them in leaves. I presume they don't get any additional water because of the plastic bags. The leaves help keep them warm enough for next year.

This is what Ron Burch recommends: (http://www.gardensatposthill.com/website/Cypripedium overview.htm)
In raising Cypripedium seedlings, the only difference fro tropical orchids is that Cypripedium must have winter. The easiest way to provide winter for potted plants is to make sure the medium is moist but not wet, then to place the pot into a plastic bag and into the refrigerator for 4 months (5 months is better for most Asian species except for Cypripedium formosanum which comes from a warmer climate). Make sure the pot is placed where the seedlings will not freeze and thaw. Alternatively, pots may be placed in an unheated garage or other area where temperatures will not change rapidly.

If we continue to get really wet winters, I think I may need to add additional sand in one of my cyp beds for better drainage.

 

[dodidoki]

Unheated garage is not the best way for overwintering cyps. I do write again: main problem is not the cold, but the warm weather with many rains! Only solution could be fridge, I only would like to know precise technique ( this year had gone away, my cyps are already growing out, but I'm surely will try to place them in fridge next autumn, I will buy a fridge for this purpose till this time)

 

[Linus_Cello]

My impression is it's not the heat that's the problem, but the excessive rain, so keeping them dry (wrapping in plastic) could help.

 

[dodidoki]

My impression is it's not the heat that's the problem, but the excessive rain, so keeping them dry (wrapping in plastic) could help.

There was +18 C at Christmas. I don't know the right name, there is a bush living in my street, hungarian name is "golden-rain", it has many yellow flowers, it uses to bloom in March. This winter it bloomed in December.

 

[dodidoki]

Laburnum= golden rain. I found it.

 

[NYEric]

Very strange. don't know the answer but, if a plant is using up its stored minerals and energy it may burn out by blooming time. Or, hopefully you just get early blooms.

 

[dodidoki]

Very strange. don't know the answer but, if a plant is using up its stored minerals and energy it may burn out by blooming time. Or, hopefully you just get early blooms.

Eric, you have right, aim of my action was only saving my plants from death brought by freeze. I will be happy if my cyps will survive this abnormal "spring is winter" period if only there won't be flower at all. Eg. there will be -10 C this week.Imagine your starting cyps in -10 C.

 

[cnycharles]

If you had a covered cold frame you could close cover when it rains and if it's going to warm up put some leaves or something (plant in plastic bag) and dump some ice over top. This way can keep out rain and hold in cold

 

[Linus_Cello]

If you had a covered cold frame you could close cover when it rains and if it's going to warm up put some leaves or something (plant in plastic bag) and dump some ice over top. This way can keep out rain and hold in cold

Good idea, along with keeping out troublesome critters.