kovachii 'Galactus'

[Silvan]

From the sib cross of 'Laura' x 'Ana'

I've been growing this kovachii for the past 5years. It started a spike last year but aborted. I was growing it roughly 2 feet (top of the pot) under a fixture of 4tubes of 4' T5HO in a bark mix.
After having my kovachii 'Halloween' flowering under LED in a mix composed of diatomite and rockwool cubes (1:1), I decided to do the same with this one.
Maybe it's just a coincidence, but it worked! It had two buds, but they were growing face to face, so I decided to sacrifice the second bud. Maybe I've waited too long to cut it off and that is why the pouch got deformed.
Anyway, not as big as I would have hoped (NS of 14cm) but the colour is great
and the petals are wider than my other two. I think that it has potential to become exceptional.

notice the "open" staminoide shield

the two extremes of micropetalums

 

[dodidoki]

I'm envious.....no more to say, beautiful! Schlimii, too.

 

[Erythrone]

Wow!! Great color!

 

[trdyl]

It is a beauty!

 

[Paphman910]

Nice flowers! The clonal name sounds like a Fantastic Four villain that devours planets.

 

[Ozpaph]

well done

 

[Happypaphy7]

Yeah, the color is intense.
That alone makes it quite special, I think.

I'm curious about your mix.
I have read about people growing their plants in straight rockwool.
I don't remember all the details, but I do remember that because of the nature or chemistry of rockwool, you have to use certain way of fertilizing in order to keep the pH stable and other stuff I don't remember much of.

What fertilizer do you use? and how do you maintain it?

 

[Markhamite]

Magnifique!!!

 

[JasonG]

Very nice congrats


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SlipperFan]

Interesting comparison shot!

 

[theorchidzone]

The color is amazing! The color on the left hand one is quite typical I believe.
Should improve on future blooming.

 

[My Green Pets]

Is that much white in the pouch something unusual?

 

[NYEric]

Very good. Thanks for sharing.

 

[JeanLux]

:clap: :clap: :clap: !!!! Jean

 

[eteson]

The pouch transition from white to deep pink is gorgeous.

 

[eOrchids]

Absolutely stunning!!!

 

[Carkin]

Count me in with the jealous ones! Beautiful, good growing!!!

 

[phraggy]

kovachii grows very quickly once it gets started. I have two and they've been growing like cabbages!!!!

Ed

 

[Migrant13]

Very nice. I like the David and Goliath shot!

 

[Silvan]

Nice flowers! The clonal name sounds like a Fantastic Four villain that devours planets.

Galactus is not really a villain. He's just a really misunderstood character from the Marvel universe who happen to eat inhabited planets..lol
well, the name just poped-up in my head when I looked at it and I thought it was fitting. Isn't the flower colour the same as Galactus armour?

Yeah, the color is intense.
That alone makes it quite special, I think.

I'm curious about your mix.
I have read about people growing their plants in straight rockwool.
I don't remember all the details, but I do remember that because of the nature or chemistry of rockwool, you have to use certain way of fertilizing in order to keep the pH stable and other stuff I don't remember much of.

What fertilizer do you use? and how do you maintain it?

I know growers that uses straight rockwool, but I'm too affraid to use just that as poting media. So I cut it with diatomite. Both have a very high PH so you have to prepare the rockwool to lower the PH. Just fill a bucket with water adjust the PH with either Phosphoric acid, nitric acid or citric acid (if you feel like extracting lemon juice..I think that vinegar would also do) to a PH of between 6 to 7. I let the rockwool sit for about 12 to 24 hours. Pour it out and use it directly. Don't try to wash all the impurities, 'cause you'll never see the end of it... and wear gloves!
I also adjust the PH of my water to around 6.5 when
I fertilize. But from time to time I flush with tap water that has a ph of around 8.5

I don't use a particular fertilizer. I just use anything I feel like using. Since September I've been using 20-20-20 at 30ppm N (since I use tap water the total salts is over 330ppm). I fertilize every other watering. But sometimes I can't resist the urge to push the fert to 100ppm..
I water three times per week and twice per week in winter using tap water.
That said, I would prefer to use rain water and reverse osmosis and water my kovachii everyday...But I can't for now.

Is that much white in the pouch something unusual?

Both plants has that white discolouration under the pouch and on the back of their petals. I think that is an usual trait for this species. We don't often see the back of the flowers in pictures. So here's one!