Paph. hainanense

[eggshells]

Hi John, 25-10-10 but if its not available to me. I use the 20-20-20 version.

I use tap water. Calcium and Magnesium ratio is 44:24 ppm.

 

[SlipperKing]

Fantastic all around results. Please up date us when the flower is fully open.

 

[Markhamite]

Love the colour and the pattern on the foliage.

 

[Stone]

Thanks for the kind compliments.

As for culture. I treat everything the same. I grow them at intermediate temperatures. 17c-22c in winter and no higher than 30c in the summer. I keep it moist with fine bark, perlite and clay balls. Feed with low dose of fertilizer. I use .5 tsp per 5 gallon of water. Humidity is kinda low for my liking (only 30%-50% RH).

For fertilzer, I use plant prod.

The N breakdown is as following:
Nitrate Nitrogen 3.0%
Ammoniacal Nitrogen 7.6%
Urea Nitrogen 14.4%

The ca/mg source is my tap water which has plenty of it.

Thanks eggshells. That says a lot. Do you water between feeds?

 

[myxodex]

Beautiful plant and flower.

Also thanks for the cultural info,... I've been way too nervous about introducing some alkalinity in my water !

 

[eggshells]

Thanks, I have forgotten to mention that I adjust the pH to 6. I use phosporic acid to do that. But citric acid might do the job as well.

 

[Trithor]

I think I need to start paying attention to my water pH

 

[eaborne]

Beautiful flower and outstanding photos. The leaves just "pop" right off the screen!

 

[eggshells]

Thanks eggshells. That says a lot. Do you water between feeds?

Mike, I feed every time I water.

 

[Bjorn]

Should be approx 130ppm additional to what is in your water. Somewhat higher than I would have added- but in the ballpark. And totally agree, "feed weakly - weekly" should be rephased to "feed very weakly - always".

 

[eggshells]

Hi Bjorn do you mean fertilizer ppm or just water ppm?

 

[John M]

Hi John, 25-10-10 but if its not available to me. I use the 20-20-20 version.

I use tap water. Calcium and Magnesium ratio is 44:24 ppm.

Thanks very much.

p.s. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. But, keep in mind that using Phosphoric acid can lead to Phosphorous excess/toxicity because when the acid degrades into Phosphorous, it sticks to particles of potting medium and is not easily washed out; so, it can build up to toxic levels. This is especially a concern in winter when plants are growing more slowly and not able to use all the phosphorous being made. Using Nitric acid fixes that because the resulting Nitrite that is produced isn't "sticky" and it is easily washed out of the pot with each watering. Excess Phosphorous shows up as light coloured, or yellow leaf margins....and eventually the death of leaf margins. If you're not seeing that symptom, then, I wouldn't worry about it. I did have this problem years ago and I did have to switch to Nitric acid from Phosphoric acid to solve this toxicity issue that showed up in my plants each year, in the late winter.

If you ever try Nitric acid, BE CAREFUL! That stuff is NASTY! When you open the container, the fumes are so strong that an acid "smoke" will waft out of the opening. One tiny whif and you'll be coughing for an hour. It will dissolve many types of plastics as well. So, it must be stored in the original container that it came in.....no dividing it up into other containers, or you risk a breach and choking to death on a Nitric acid cloud.

 

[Bjorn]

Hi Bjorn do you mean fertilizer ppm or just water ppm?

100ppm fertiliser

 

[Bjorn]

John, you are mostly right in what you say, just a couple additions; phosphoric acid reacts and gives phosphates, particularly calcium phosphate (from the water) this is absolutely insoluble and will remove some calcium and phosphorous from the water. This may or may not be beneficial in this case I don't know.
Concentrated nitric acid is quite nasty as you say, but no-one should have to handle that in orchid growing. Here in Europe, its planned to get withdrawn from the public due to the posibility of someone using it as bomb component. I do not know what they have in mind, but it is entirely possible to make a bomb with it. Most explosives are using concentrated nitric acid in the manufacturing process.
BUT, there is no resason to use either phosphoric or nitric acid, as long as we have citric acid, available from the nearest grocery store. Citric acis is more or less harmless and quite tolerant when it comes to dosage. Further it complexes ions and may assist the plant in the uptake of the fertiliser. Its reasonably priced as well as long as we are hobby'ists. For Commercial operations it may get a biut expensive so there I would probably use suphuric acid (the cheapest stuff available but nasty as well)

 

[Stone]

John, you are mostly right in what you say, just a couple additions; phosphoric acid reacts and gives phosphates, particularly calcium phosphate (from the water) this is absolutely insoluble and will remove some calcium and phosphorous from the water. This may or may not be beneficial in this case I don't know.
Concentrated nitric acid is quite nasty as you say, but no-one should have to handle that in orchid growing. Here in Europe, its planned to get withdrawn from the public due to the posibility of someone using it as bomb component. I do not know what they have in mind, but it is entirely possible to make a bomb with it. Most explosives are using concentrated nitric acid in the manufacturing process.
BUT, there is no resason to use either phosphoric or nitric acid, as long as we have citric acid, available from the nearest grocery store. Citric acis is more or less harmless and quite tolerant when it comes to dosage. Further it complexes ions and may assist the plant in the uptake of the fertiliser. Its reasonably priced as well as long as we are hobby'ists. For Commercial operations it may get a biut expensive so there I would probably use suphuric acid (the cheapest stuff available but nasty as well)

Bjorn, I used sulphuric acid now and then but I have now run out and find it hard to get more. (The nanny state in action yet again! They seem to think they need to protect us from ourselves. *******s!). What is your opinion of acetic acid? Citric I should be able to get ok too. Not that I need to acidify much anymore as I still have a good supply of rain water but it probably won't rain now for the next 2 months at least and it goes fast! The next 7 days will be around 30C or more with low humidity so water is really getting splashed around!

 

[Bjorn]

Either its bombs or nanny mentality
Acetic acid should be ok as well, but it smells. On the other hand, perhaps you could dose it by the smell? Once you can smell it then its overdosed
No, frankly, no problem with it. Amongst other acids are tartaric and....? Think citric is the easiest to use though. Concentrated acetic acid can be very agressive so use rubber gloves and protection if you have really concentrated acetic acid. No issues with citric....
Good Luck!

 

[Trithor]

Surely battery acid is available? All our Home Depot/hardware stores and automotive spare shops carry stock of battery acid (sulphuric acid)

 

[troy]

I am now looking for a hainense flask seriously lol... this flower is great on a great foliage plant, congrats on your accomplishment

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

I am now looking for a hainense flask seriously lol... this flower is great on a great foliage plant, congrats on your accomplishment

I've got a couple of leads for you and can send you copy of price lists if you want. Stacey Sorokowsky has flasks of Paph henissianum (type x album) that he will be picking up in a week or two. Also correct me if I'm wrong but aren't we talking about Paph appletonianum , which Windy Hill has mini compots of .ML-2526A Paph appletonianum (‘Windy Hill’ AM/AOS x ‘Harford’s Hainanense II’ HCC/AOS, $40. Also Chuck Aker has flasks of these as well. So lots of choices for you to chose from.

Hope this helps.

 

[geogeo21]

Love the tall stems