How does Krull Smith do it?

[ChrisFL]

Seriously, how do they win so many awards? Voodoo? Cahoots? Good culture is one thing, but to have good culture AND strike it with that many plants that have good genes. Boggles the mind.

 

[Faan]

Do everything right and proper selection with breeding over many years. This is basically what Frank said at our Paph symposium in July 2008. I just could not believe what I heard how they treated their plants prior to the WOC in Miami.

 

[ChrisFL]

I just could not believe what I heard how they treated their plants prior to the WOC in Miami.

Can you elaborate on this?

 

[Rick]

I think you also need to go through tons of plants and be close enough to the judging system to know what they are looking for.

There is an article on in June 2009 ORCHIDS by Ryan Kowalczyk (who is a partner in Ursa Orchids the group picking up Krull SMiths slipper breeding program).

Besides being an AOS judge, Ryan shares his tips on what to look for in purchasing future award winners, or superior breeding stock.

 

[slippertalker]

Excellent culture and innovative hybridizing seem to be the combination. He has worked closely with others including OZ to produce superior plants. Having top quality breeding material is the key to excellence.

 

[ChrisFL]

I think you also need to go through tons of plants and be close enough to the judging system to know what they are looking for.

There is an article on in June 2009 ORCHIDS by Ryan Kowalczyk (who is a partner in Ursa Orchids the group picking up Krull SMiths slipper breeding program).

Besides being an AOS judge, Ryan shares his tips on what to look for in purchasing future award winners, or superior breeding stock.

Bummer, I don't have access to the mag.

 

[Rick]

Do you spend any time clerking for the judges at your local shows? I think this is a mandatory first step. You can't pick an award able plant if you don't know what it's supposed to look like in the first place, and clerking is great training. You can also go to the judging centers and listen in on the judgings. You may even consider becoming an orchid judge. I hear they've been recruiting at some centers. Although its a demanding schedule, I think it would be rewarding.

If you want to save time and space you probably should focus on purchasing siblings from awarded stock, and should only pick your individual seedlings in person, or pickup whole flasks/compots. The breeders you are buying plants from are often competing against you for awardable plants themselves, and having first pick from a compot, you are essentially getting their culls.

Since you probably don't have unlimited time, space or money, then you should restrict your interest to a limited number of taxa or hybrids, and get as many individuals of that plant as you can afford. The number of awarded plants out of any particular breeding or collection is a very small percentage for even the best of growers. So it will be a rare event to just pickup a single plant of a popular species/clone and have it become an FCC (or even an AM).

The above conjectures apply primarily to popular species/hybrids with substantial award history. The other strategy is to pick up oddball new species, grow them up and get them to judging before anyone else does. But you'd probably be amazed at how many species of orchids have been brought to judging already. Also there are lots of very established collectors/importers who have much better access than us lowly hobbyists who get to see all the cool stuff first, and funnel it into their own collections for the same strategy to get awards.

This second strategy is how I've picked up the few awards my plants have received. (Actually you need to be the second in line, since the first in line gets the CHM to start the standard).

 

[Rick]

I would also try to maintain the perspective of what got you into orchids in the first place, which is usually because of our appreciation for the beauty or fascination of the flowers.

It can be disappointing to grow purely for awards when you consider the numbers of plants that don't make the cut.

 

[ChrisFL]

Do you spend any time clerking for the judges at your local shows?

No judging center here.

If you want to save time and space you probably should focus on purchasing siblings from awarded stock, and should only pick your individual seedlings in person, or pickup whole flasks/compots.

Check and check. I've learned a ton about plant and flower quality from some good, qualified friends who shall go nameless, K-S just seems to defy logic.

then you should restrict your interest to a limited number of taxa or hybrids, and get as many individuals of that plant as you can afford.

Yet another thing these friend have taught me. See my nobilior thread in the collection forum. I intend to eventually start a breeding program for just this species with the best I end up with.

 

[NYEric]

Large volume of plants, selective breeding, good area for orchid culture... those are basics, if you want you can invest any amount of time and energy toward winning awards.

 

[OrchidFrank]

Chris, I think you are on the right track with your comment on your nobilior. I have always watched to successful breeders that have been around a while. I met Terry Root back in the early 80's, so Terry and I have been friends for almost 30 years. We both had Frank Hughes, Bob Jones and many other people to watch and learn from. I have always loved to go to Orchid Shows and from the time I first saw an AOS Award sheet on a plant I wanted to see what made that plant special. I started in the Judging Program when I was 25 years old and learned what the judges were looking for. I then started breeding the thngs I like in all kinds of orchids. Some years I made over 600 crosses, many were failures until I started seeing what worked. I didn't start seeing great flowers overnight and still all the hybrids I make are not great ones but many are. If you are ever back in Florida let me know, you are welcome to stop at the greenhouses and ask all the questions you have and maybe see a few good nobiliors.

 

[ChrisFL]

Hi Frank! I'm stoked to get a response from you. I'm very certain you know the "friends" of which I speak very well. Nobilior is my favorite orchid species, and my understanding is that line breeding and improvement of the species here in the states lags behind that of other perennial favorites.

If you are ever back in Florida let me know, you are welcome to stop at the greenhouses and ask all the questions you have and maybe see a few good nobiliors.

Thank you for the invite. I will certainly take you up on it.