Phragmipedium besseae 'Big Bob' x 'Colossal'

[Erythrone]

Phragmipedium besseae 'Big Bob' x 'Colossal', from OZ breeding.
Having decent blooms on this plant was challenging for a while. I just hope the next flowers will be as fine as this one

 

[Erythrone]

BTW, is it 'Big Bob' or 'Big Boy'?

 

[Migrant13]

That is certainly a fine flower.

 

[MorandiWine]

Great showing! Looks like you have unlocked this plants potential.

My hat is off to OZ for doing so much with this species.

Tyler


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ozpaph]

impressive

 

[NYEric]

Yay besseae!

 

[SlipperFan]

Gorgeous.

 

[eaborne]

Fine indeed!

 

[abax]

Gorgeous, eye-grabbing color and shape.

 

[John M]

Excellent!

 

[phrag guy]

great one

 

[Rick]

Very nice!!

Did the plant just grow into better bloomings, or did you change what you were doing?

 

[Erythrone]

Very nice!!

Did the plant just grow into better bloomings, or did you change what you were doing?

Very good question... I changed so many things for all the plants in the growing room (I grow under lights) since I grow orchids the basement. Actually I am always trying to improve something.

I now grow cooler in summer (air conditioner. Max 27 or 28 instead of 30 to 32. Nights under 19 C) and in winter too (min 8 to 10 C). I use more "pure water" (melted snow, dehumidifier), and less well water (but I still water with. I reduced fertiliser concentation (now under 400 ppm total, EC). I sometimes use K-lite. But I also use "regular MSU" too (for rain or well water). I usually aternate "chemichal stuff" with an organic product like Daniel's (soja), Fish emulsion and Agrogreen. I sometimes used seeweed too... I must forget some products... I now try to water with a fertilizer solution at pH between 6 to 7. I sometimes water with well water only (pH 7.3). There is more air movement too... I now add Subculture with almost every watering...

And this plant is now more mature. So why the bloom is better? I can't say. Let's see the next blooms on the same stem... I cross my fingers!

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

Absolutely beautiful. Its amazing how far besseae has come!
Thanks for sharing your culture with us.

 

[NYEric]

I thought you had a GH. Why don't you use RO water?

 

[Erythrone]

I thought you had a GH. Why don't you use RO water?

As long as I had enough water from dehumidifier and as long as I needed to bring indoors only a few buckets of snow every week, I did not really thought about RO water. I also think our well water is not too bad.

 

[MaryPientka]

Absolutely beautiful. And thank you for sharing your growing tips.

 

[NYEric]

As long as I had enough water from dehumidifier and as long as I needed to bring indoors only a few buckets of snow every week, I did not really thought about RO water. I also think our well water is not too bad.

No snow in Summer. Do you have TDS readings on your well water?

 

[Erythrone]

No snow in summer but much more water from dehumidifier!

TDS of our well water is 110 ppm.

 

[NYEric]

110 ppm!?! Maybe that's adding minerals to your plants.
BTW, Legionaire's disease comes from water similar to that in humidifier tanks.