Phragmipedium kovachii

[Ray]

Yes, I try not to let mine get above 65 to 70, cooler if possible!

OK then.... Cross that one off the list.

 

[Linus_Cello]

OK then.... Cross that one off the list.

Grow in basement?

 

[Birgit]

I’m having the most difficult time trying to get a few of mine through the blooming process. Two are in spike, but seem to be ‘stalled’ in growth and the spike is hanging out at the base of the leaf axis, refusing to emerge.

Do you have a specific / different fertilizer that you use throughout the blooming cycle? I feed lightly @25-40ppm (a balanced bloom booster this time of year that has lower nitrogen) and water heavily every evening with a hose of RO. Maybe they are still immature plants… or maybe the spikes take a long time to mature and I am impatient. Possible they are intolerant of my overall conditions.

I appreciate and I am inspired by your posts on kovachii. Thanks for continuing to share your success.

Thank you for your kind words

I dont really use any bloom boosters. I use "Rain Mix"- 11,8N + 2,7P +13,7K +11 cal +3,5 mg +
Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo and Co.
Every once i a while I switch to a bit of calcium nitrate, as it is a calcium loving plant.
I understand your impatience, but please know that for me it takes the kovachii 4 months to form a flower.
Keep on trying, I'm sure you'll succeed.

 

[Duck Slipper]

Excellent…I have a flask of youngsters and 2 other plants…we are trying. See what happens!

 

[Birgit]

Excellent…I have a flask of youngsters and 2 other plants…we are trying. See what happens!

Happy growing !

 

[monocotman]

Amazing plant! So healthy.

 

[Ray]

Grow in basement?

Nope. House has a crawl space only.

I dont really use any bloom boosters. I use "Rain Mix"- 11,8N + 2,7P +13,7K +11 cal +3,5 mg +
Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, B, Mo and Co.
Every once i a while I switch to a bit of calcium nitrate, as it is a calcium loving plant.

Why bother? Rain Mix has plenty of calcium.

 

[Birgit]

Nope. House has a crawl space only.
Why bother? Rain Mix has plenty of calcium.

Maybe so, but I see a distinct difference if I leave it out for a few months.

 

[Ray]

Maybe so, but I see a distinct difference if I leave it out for a few months.

Which begs the question of exactly how much Rain Mix and CaNO3 do you mix per-liter when you do apply them?

 

[cnycharles]

OK then.... Cross that one off the list.

if you had a really (really) deep windowsill, I’m sure that with warm weather and your normal air conditioning in the Carolinas, it would be okay. It seems to be being over 80 gives it problems. And if you use a outer clay pot and some air movement indoors it would be fine

I’m not sure I have room for an adult plant but I can try seedlings

 

[Ray]

Part of my issue here is that, due to the barrier island’s east-west orientation, and my home being on the water on the north side, that’s where all the windows are, and in order to get a proper amount of light, they really have to go outdoors. There are weeks that go by the the overnight low is 80.

 

[BrucherT]

Could you rig one light just fir this plant, just for the hot months?

 

[Ray]

Could you rig one light just fir this plant, just for the hot months?

Possibly, but being an equal opportunity abuser of plants, I’m not inclined to focus much on a single plant.

 

[NYEric]

There are weeks that go by the the overnight low is 80.

Man, my GF would kill me to move there!

 

[cnycharles]

Part of my issue here is that, due to the barrier island’s east-west orientation, and my home being on the water on the north side, that’s where all the windows are, and in order to get a proper amount of light, they really have to go outdoors. There are weeks that go by the the overnight low is 80.

Yes that is really warm and it would be a hassle

 

[Tom-DE]

A fantastic species for sure! Congrats for the bloooming!

 

[Duck Slipper]

Which begs the question of exactly how much Rain Mix and CaNO3 do you mix per-liter when you do apply them?

Or, begs the question, how much Calcium does a Kovachi need?
Excellent looking plant and flower

 

[Birgit]

Which begs the question of exactly how much Rain Mix and CaNO3 do you mix per-liter when you do apply them?

Good question, Ray.....the tank contains 50 l/rainwater with a very low tds.
I mix Rain Mix, some tap water for ph and calcium and cal/mag. (More calcium)
The water/feed in the tank is changed every week, and every 2-3 months I switch to CaNO3. I might feed it some seaweed extract as well.
So how much N in the tank...no more than 3-5. Trying to mimic nature. I grow it in a cool basement 60-75 F.