First cyps flowers 2013

[Transvaal]

Hi all,
This is my first attempt at posting on the Slippertalk forum.
Here are [or should be] some pics of my cyps.
Here is a link to Flikr, there should be:
Venrticosum pastel
Segawai x fasciolatum
Kentucky blush
Sabine
This is my first full year growing cyps, so try not to be too harsh with your comments

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12201718@N04/sets/72157633863159790/with/8916695648/

 

[parvi_17]

Those are gorgeous! Welcome to the forum

 

[Transvaal]

Thanks Joe, I'm pleased not to have lost any in our incredibly wet and cold winter.
Phil

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Nice Sabine! The Kentucky Blush looks a heck of a lot like C. Philipp (kentuckiense x macranthos).

 

[SlipperFan]

Beautiful flowers!

Welcome to Slippertalk, Transvaal!

 

[NYEric]

Very nice and excellent photos. Welcome from NYC!

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice start Phil

 

[smartie2000]

Sabine is my fav. Nice range of tones in there

 

[Transvaal]

Thanks for all the positive comments.

KyushuCalanthe, the Kentucky Blush was my very first cyp, from one of the large Belgian growers via Jeff Hutchings. I was particularly pleased to see it flower this year as last year when I planted it in March all the flowers blasted. However this year the growths are twice as tall and it has doubled from five to ten growths with seven flowers - so I figure it must be an easy one!

 

[biothanasis]

Hello and welcome to the forum!!!!
Lovely cyp flowers!

 

[monocotman]

Phil,
nice plants -you seem to be doing well for a 'first time grower'!
Are they all in pots?
David

 

[Transvaal]

Thanks David
I used to grow tropical orchids many years ago, ironically I could never grow paphs apart from insigne and Transvaal!
Decided I would have a go with cyps - better to work with our lousy weather rather than fight it. All are in pots, the first three last year started in a "Woodsy" soil, but as I read more I introduced more and more perlite [didn't fancy cat litter and couldn't find Turface] .
I'm surprised they survived at all the times they were repotted in the first two months. Cyps are like nothing I've grown before, its a steep learning curve!
Phil

 

[monocotman]

Phil,

it took me at least 3 years before the cyps did more than just survive.
There is more information out there now than there was in 2005/6.
I've pretty much gone over to almost 100% super coarse perlite for all the pots.
Bought another 200 litres last night which will last a couple of years- cost me £42.
David

 

[Transvaal]

David,
Fortunately for me there seems to be a reasonable amount of info on the web, not least on this marvelous forum, my cyp folder in favourites is huge! Pure perlite seems to be the way to go from what I have seen, does 10% of organics actually do any good other than to make us gardeners feel comfortable that we are growing in something recognisable as soil? [ I originally felt uncomfortable with the idea of growing in mainly perlite, though I did have success in growing tropicals in rockwool] I have a few cyps in large plastic trays a la Doug Martin - have you any experience with this ?
Phil

 

[monocotman]

cyp culture

Phil,

the 10% organics is probably not needed- I have large plants in 100% perlite when the bark ran out and they are fine.
Never heard of Doug Martin but some of my plants will need some very big pots too so I'm interested to hear about this technique,

Regards,

David

 

[Transvaal]

David,
Heres the link for Doug Martin, I picked it up from the slippertalk forum last year. A lot of it makes sense, but like he says you are ultimately governed by weight. I have 2 reginae, one Ulla Silkens, a sabine alba,ventricosum pastel and the Sabine in such boxes. They have only been in since October so it is too early to say except they seem to be growing ok, will know better next year how they are establsihing.

Phil

http://culturesheet.org/_media/users:nanoj:nanoj_16_1:martin_4-11.pdf

 

[Linus_Cello]

David,
Heres the link for Doug Martin, I picked it up from the slippertalk forum last year. A lot of it makes sense, but like he says you are ultimately governed by weight. I have 2 reginae, one Ulla Silkens, a sabine alba,ventricosum pastel and the Sabine in such boxes. They have only been in since October so it is too early to say except they seem to be growing ok, will know better next year how they are establsihing.

Phil

http://culturesheet.org/_media/users:nanoj:nanoj_16_1:martin_4-11.pdf

Thanks for this link. I'll have to try these plastic trays (instead of pots)- it's Cyp S/H.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Welcome!

They're all so beautiful!

 

[monocotman]

Phil,
excellent article. I don't disagree with anything he says and pretty much do exactly the same, given the climate differences where we grow.
The only problem for me with the trays is space!
I love the idea of giving the cyps enough room for the roots to grow naturally and for a reservoir of water at the bottom of them.
But I have nearly 90 pots so that would take up a huge amount of room.
David

 

[Transvaal]

Thanks for the kind words Orchid Boy.
I wish you luck with the trays Linus Cello, my initial results seem encouraging [I mean to say none of the plants have died yet!].
David, I will keep you posted how the trays develop, it seems like an excellent compromise between pot and garden. However like you say 90 trays would take up an awful lot of space - however you are in a lucky position to find that this is a problem! Unfortunately I am not in this position
yet and am not likely to be for a long time.
Phil