General Questions (Parvisepalum)

[Corallus21]

Hey everyone! New guy to the forum! I have a couple of parvisepalum straight species and hybrids. The following questions are referring to Paphiopedilum in general but parvisepalum in particular.

Do you recommend ceasing fertilizing completely when a plant is in spike? Do you cut back? Or do you continue as usual?

At what temps do you usually shift your parvis to outside culture (if you do this at all?)

If you have a plant that blooms through fall, have any of you had any luck with doing an abbreviated cooling/rest period in the Spring?

Love the site and threads! Thanks everyone

 

[Ozpaph]

where do you live? What are your growing conditions?

 

[littlefrog]

I don't bloom most of the parvisepalum as well as some, but I never stop fertilizing. Constant feed, at a low rate (less than 100ppm N). Maybe pure rainwater once every month or two to flush things out. Here in Michigan (northern hemisphere) I put them outside when lows will be consistently above about 45F (works out to the end of May, usually). They are the last things to come in. I will bring them in if there is going to be a hard frost (and usually take them out the next day - stopping only when it becomes obvious that winter is coming).

Hybrids are another beast - I only do that with straight micranthum and armeniacum. I don't trust hybrids to take the cold, those come in earlier. Come to think of it, most of the paphs stay inside in the summer too, that is the one group I don't put outside. Partly because of space, partly because of squirrels...

 

[Djthomp28]

What parvis are you growing? Also are you growing/interested in species or hybrids? There is quiet a bit of variation in the parvis...

I will start with the same caveat as Rob. I grow these well but want to bloom them better. So take that into consideration with my comments. I am in the Cleveland area and grow inside under lights in the colder months and outside in the warmer months. Like Rob I bring my micranthum and armeniacum out first and take them in last. I used 45F night time lows as a guide for these two species. I only do this when I can control their exposure to water. I don't want any of my paphs wet and cold. These species need less water when they are exposed to the cold temperature, but not completely dry for extended periods of time. When I water, it is early in the day, preferably when it is going to be sunny. <insert comment about the lack of winter sun in Northeast Ohio > After hearing Sam Tsui and talking to other growers, I don't think micranthum needs the same level of cool down as armeniacum. But it certainly can take it.
Most of my other parvis comes in something between 50-55F night temperatures. Delenatii and its hybrids come in first.

I used the same strength fertilizer year round. My frequency varies with the weather/season.

 

[Corallus21]

That is very helpful information! Thank you! I am currently keeping micranthum eburneum (my favorite species) and malipoense. Armeniacum is on my radar but I don't have one yet. My hybrids are fanaticum (favorite hybrid) and Norito Hasegawa. My Hasegawa currently has a nice spike so I am not planning on cycling it outside. It will stay inside with my leucochilumxthaianum that has just started a spike (pumped and surprised with that one). That is why I asked about spring cycling. I am considering doing that for those that are finished blooming but were not cycled.

My culture details are as follows. I apologize for not including on post as that probably would have been helpful.
Location: Upstate South Carolina (I have a bit more winter sun than you two and count my blessings for it.)
Inside Temps: Summer 73*-78*, Winter- 68*-72*
Water- Distilled, every four to five days in summer, once a week in winter
Fertilizer- MSU RO Formula (at half strength)- once weekly and a flush monthly
Medium- Repotme Paph Mix (small pine bark, small red lava rock, medium sponge rock, hydroton)

I keep my paphs on a large humidity tray with a ceiling fan moving daily.
I mist them three times daily.
They are on a corner with two windows (Southeast and Southwest exposures). They receive diffuse son most of day with it most intense in morning and evening (a little direct sun in the evening broken up by blinds).

Any additional advice on watering while cooling is much appreciated as well.

 

[Ozpaph]

If those winter temps are minimum that might be too warm. Otherwise, try and see what happens. Good luck.

 

[Djthomp28]

While cool, I let mine approach dryness and sometime dry (generally on accident). But they are never completely dry for more than a day or two.

To Ozpaph's point, if I were you I would take advantage of the cooler fall/winter temperature and spring temperatures outside as long as you can control exposure to rain. At 68F nights, I would water normally. 68F nights are warm. If your could drop the temperature by 5 degrees that may help with the indoor lows. Maybe crack a window? or, if your windows are old and leaky like mine, move closer to the windows at least at night. You may be surprise the drop at the windows.

I am not completely clear on what you mean by spring cycling. If the night time lows allow it, my cooler growing parvis are out spring through fall. I adjust watering along with the temperatures. Cooler = less water. Warmer = more water.

I hope this helps. I am definitely still working on more consistent blooming*. However, they are not dying. So I am confident on being able to grow them

*On a side note, I asked Sam Tsui about my malipoense blasting on me each year. I wanted to know how to get more consistent blooming. His reply was get more malipoense. He explained that all of his don't bloom every year.

 

[tnyr5]

I recommend Shun-Fa Golden, which grows very fast & blooms just fine for me with winters that never go below 60 and rarely below 65. It's a great one to learn with.