Difficulties in growing Kovachii (Stagnant growth)

[Cach26]

Difficulties in growing Kovachii

Hello everyone, Happy Growing

In this Thread I specify my cultivation in detail. But to summarize a little, these are my weather conditions.

https://www.slippertalk.com/threads...rchids-in-temperate-climates-venezuela.57175/

Day: 27C-- 31CMax
Night: 18C--- 16C Max

"Ambient humidity, some days it's like a desert, others the fog is so thick that you can only see 5 meters in front of you"

I bought this kovachii plant, but it lost some leaves since it had a very poor root system, so, then I transplanted it, and it lost a shoot, so after noticing that it was dehydrating I placed it in a tall pot with water in the background (photo)

But has new growth stalled? It grows very little, and I see it very weak, not even new roots have sprouted.

Lately I have been spraying every 15 days with Superthrive, and my catleyas and dendrobiums have sprouted but my little kovachi is not progressing.

Then I place it in a slightly darker place, behind the other plants, and water it abundantly every other day.

(It has a medium-small substrate of pine bark and charcoal, very ventilated)

Any ideas?

 

[Justin]

It is not looking good.

Only thing I can recommend is to try raising pH with an oyster shell top dressing.

 

[Cach26]

It is not looking good.

Only thing I can recommend is to try raising pH with an oyster shell top dressing.

Yes, I also think it's wrong. But I don't have oyster shells, they aren't available here, I only have lime, I don't know if it works?

 

[gonewild]

Agricultural lime is good. But not dolomite lime. And definitely not Active lime.
Kovachii need a lot of calcium to the roots.
At temperatures above 31°c kovachii growth stalls like being dormant.
The foliage needs high humidity ideally above 65%, desert like is not good.
Your bark in the substrate is probably to acidic.

 

[Cach26]

Agricultural lime is good. But not dolomite lime. And definitely not Active lime.
Kovachii need a lot of calcium to the roots.
At temperatures above 31°c kovachii growth stalls like being dormant.
The foliage needs high humidity ideally above 65%, desert like is not good.
Your bark in the substrate is probably to acidic.

Some time ago I read an article about the cultivation of Lycastes in Japan, it mentions that when the pH of the substrate drops, black spots similar to fungus form on the bulbs, and that lime must be applied for this.

 

[Cach26]

Here it is, in the final part it mentions how to use lime, I don't know if it's useful to me.

http://orchid.la.coocan.jp/sub30.htm

飽和液の作り方：
ペットボトルに大さじ１杯の消石灰(園芸店で野菜等使用するために売っているもの)を入れ、水を入れてよく振りしばらく置くと底に石灰が沈殿して透明な上澄み液ができます。
散布方法：
この上澄み液をジョロに入れてそのまま株全体に掛けます。特に鉢中へも染み込むよう充分に散布します。
回数は：
石灰水は空気に触れると炭酸カルシウムに変わり効果はすぐ無くなるので、植物には無害ですがその分マメに散布する必要があります。
特に発生が多い晩秋から冬～春までの期間は週１回程度与え続ける必要があります。
石灰水を定期的に散布していると葉やバルブが硬くなり病気も侵入し難くなり
株の活性が良くなるため、花もたくさん咲いたり、新芽も出やすくなります。
【バルブの病気がひどい場合は石灰に少し水を加えて糊状にしたものを刷毛で患部に塗布しても良いです】

 

[Cach26]

Regarding humidity, I plan to cover with a large transparent plastic bag, but I risk a lot due to the lack of air circulation.

Regarding the substrate, all my bark is from the same batch, and since the other plants are fine, I don't suspect anything, is there any way to treat it? or do I repot it again?


Either of these two ideas sounds like a death sentence to me.

 

[gonewild]

Don't cover with a plastic bag, its likely to cause rot or overheating. What is the humidity % when it feels like a desert?
Can you get crushed limestone or gravel to mix with your bark?
Test the pH then you will know if the bark is a problem. A substrate of gravel and sphagnum moss could be a solution.

Can you purchase Brazil nuts in Venezuela? The nut shells are an excellent replacement for bark. Actually much better than bark for all orchids.

 

[Heather]

What about some kelp to help with root growth? (Lance or anyone please correct me if this isn’t a good idea….) I’ve had such good root growth with Kelpak this last year (thanks Ray!)

 

[Ray]

Agricultural lime is good. But not dolomite lime. And definitely not Active lime.

Why not dolomitic lime?

Ag lime is primarily CaCO3, dolomitic lime throws in some magnesium, another important element.

If you’re going to make such suggestions, how about explaining why or why not?

 

[Cach26]

Why not dolomitic lime?

Ag lime is primarily CaCO3, dolomitic lime throws in some magnesium, another important element.

If you’re going to make such suggestions, how about explaining why or why not?

How can I use lime to raise the pH?

 

[gonewild]

Why not dolomitic lime?

Ag lime is primarily CaCO3, dolomitic lime throws in some magnesium, another important element.

If you’re going to make such suggestions, how about explaining why or why not?

Recently I had a conversation with Alfredo Manrique about kovachii potting media. He advised against Dolomite. I'll share part of the conversation.....

[2/9, 12:38 PM] Alfredo Manrique: You are right.
Calcium levels and high pH of the media are key factors.
Do not like dolomite.
[2/9, 2:57 PM] Lance Peck: What is ideal pH for the media?
[2/9, 2:57 PM] Lance Peck: What happens with dolomite?
[2/9, 3:26 PM] Alfredo Manrique: pH around 7.
Dolomite releases calcium too quick..
[2/9, 3:31 PM] Lance Peck: Does the excess release cause toxicity?
[2/9, 3:56 PM] Alfredo Manrique: It harms the roots.

 

[gonewild]

What about some kelp to help with root growth? (Lance or anyone please correct me if this isn’t a good idea….) I’ve had such good root growth with Kelpak this last year (thanks Ray!)

I think it's a good idea to use kelp sparingly. Alfredo Manrique recommend adding powdered kelp to the fertilizer solution. He uses a Peruvian product., (no Kelpak available in Peru.)
I'm trying Kelpak now, but not long enough to say if it benefits or not.

 

[Justin]

I Have been growing my kovachii in straight Orchiata sitting in trays of water. They grow well, but I have not had luck getting them to bloom.

I just repotted these two days ago.

The one in front is from Orchid Inn. Have been growing it from seedling for a few years and hoping it will flower on the current growth.

The clump in the back is from Peru--it is a little beat up but was overdue for a repot so should be looking better soon. I've grown it for about 10 years.

 

[richgarrison]

in our locale, feed stores sell both 'chicken grit' and the stuff pictured below. the chicken grit is a coarser media but also provides a source of calcium...

i use the stuff pictured liberally as 'oyster shell' multiple growers/breeders i know do the same and call it 'oyster shell'...

 

[gonewild]

How can I use lime to raise the pH?

For a 4" size pot sprinkle one teaspoon of powdered lime on the substrate surface near the rim of the pot. Repeat monthly. Additionally use a fertilizer high in calcium.
Powdered or pulverized seashells can be used in place of agricultural lime.
This is ground oyster shell flour.

 

[katzenhai2]

The plant doesn't look bad. It has a new shoot and it looks fine (so far). The roots are old and a bit muddy but they are still doing - albeit with greatly reduced efficiency. The new shoot look as if it will soon be able to form own roots.

Try the following:
Take a glass vase or similar container into which the plant including the pot fits completely. Line the bottom with living sphagnum moss and make it wet (really WET). This ensures a germ-free environment and regulates the necessary humidity. Dead sphagnum is useless. Reduce the opening of the container at the top with a lid or plastic film. This should leave about 1/4 to 1/3 of the opening open which helps with air circulation (through convection). This has been sufficient in my setups for years for at least for Paphiopedilum. Do not install a fan as this could collect (fungal) spores in the container and on the substrate and could cause more problems.

The temperature in the container should not be higher than 25°C. Humidity varies gradually with >90% at the bottom and less at the top because the opening is partially open. You can use a variety of substrates: rock wool, coconut husk chips or even bark, as you are currently using. The plant will then be permanently wet. But that's no problem in this setup, I've been doing it this way for years.

Then we come to the water and fertilizer: Osmosis or rainwater should be available. The fertilizer should contain a lot of Urea. Fertilize twice a week with at least 50 ppm N per watering. Less conductivity is better, 250µS would be okay, then the roots will grow better. For example I use Peters 20-20-20 with 0.25g/L and add then 0.1g/L UREA for watering.

At last the light is important: at least 3,000 lux but no more than 8,000. It is better to use less because the shoots are still relatively young and there is not yet much leaf mass available.

I understand that you have very high temperatures. That is of course difficult. My setup is indoors and the temperatures are always between 22°C and 24°C, max. 25°C. So I don't know what effect my setup will have when the night temperatures drop to 18°C. This could be too cool if the plants are always so wet in this setup. I haven't tested that.

I use Calcinit (Calcium nitrate) for the calcium. However this is not absolutely necessary at the moment, rather in long-term cultivation. At the moment I see you are in the “rooting of the shoots” phase. Once this has been successfully completed you can think about liming with dolomite lime (increasing the pH value) and administering calcium nitrate. The more leaf mass the shoot have the more strength it have to form new roots.

In such a situation I also spray fertilizer (e.g. Peters 20-20-20 + UREA) on and under the leaves and let it there for 1-2 hours. I then wipe the leaves completely dry! I can't say whether this has any effect at all - if it does then it is rather subtle. But it is my protocol, just as I treat plants with bad roots when I buy them new.

See example photos below for the setup.

 

[Cach26]

Don't cover with a plastic bag, its likely to cause rot or overheating. What is the humidity % when it feels like a desert?
Can you get crushed limestone or gravel to mix with your bark?
Test the pH then you will know if the bark is a problem. A substrate of gravel and sphagnum moss could be a solution.

Can you purchase Brazil nuts in Venezuela? The nut shells are an excellent replacement for bark. Actually much better than bark for all orchids.

1) I don't know my humidity percentage, I don't have a hygrometer. The ambient humidity is usually average, the weather here lately has been very muggy

2) I'm going to do a ph test tonight.

3)I can get the nuts, but only the nuts, not the shells D:

 

[Cach26]

What about some kelp to help with root growth? (Lance or anyone please correct me if this isn’t a good idea….) I’ve had such good root growth with Kelpak this last year (thanks Ray!)

It is not available either, only Superthrive. Expensive cultivation products (that is, everything about orchids XD) are not available.

People only sell the cheapest things to work in the fields.

 

[Cach26]

View attachment 48737

Beautiful plant, I hope mine survives, so that it grows like this