well today i finally recieved 2 of the 4 dracs, that i ordered. it only took 5 days in the mail to get here from Ct. man, was i starting to get worried about them arriving dead looking. there is only foliage so i can't post a picture of the flower but, as soon as one does decide to put out a spike. i will post one. the weird thing about the spikes that they don't come out of the top of the plant like all the other orchids i have grown. they came out of the side of the hanging basket. there is one spike but the flowers doesn't look that good due to sitting in the mail for 5 days. it closed up and hide its face. so time will tell how they do. i still have 2 more coming from Cali. and they are coming by fed-ex see how they look by diff. delivery.
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George are you sure the spike has previously opened? They look kind of like waxy spear at first then they split open and expand over the course of day or so. when mine are done flowering they simply wither and get a darker color for a day or so then drop off at the node immediately under the bloom they don't close up.
But then, I've never seen one that came in the mail, yet! I'm so tempted to order some from that link you gave me!
Were they sent bare root or were they in 2" pots?
But then, I've never seen one that came in the mail, yet! I'm so tempted to order some from that link you gave me!
Were they sent bare root or were they in 2" pots?
josh, they where both potted in 2" round pots (the lilly basket kind like we where talking about at one time) the are both in lmf. i got these to from he link u gave me. really good packing.
the flower is from the Drac. polyphemus that that u say that i don't think it has opened yet. there is no sigh of drying up or anything. in a couple of day i will know
the drac. vamp. didn't come with a spike. both plants foliage is about 6+" tall. looks very healthy
s&l ships the plants regular mail in there own boxs marked live orchids.
the other web page that i sent u sends the plants fed-ex. they are supposed to be here tomorrow ometime from talking to the guy last night on the phone.
my mom bought me a new camera butthe cd to download was cracked as soon as i get it all downloaded i'll take a picture of the one spik and post it. hopfully it opens up and it just started to bloom.
the flower is from the Drac. polyphemus that that u say that i don't think it has opened yet. there is no sigh of drying up or anything. in a couple of day i will know
the drac. vamp. didn't come with a spike. both plants foliage is about 6+" tall. looks very healthy
s&l ships the plants regular mail in there own boxs marked live orchids.
the other web page that i sent u sends the plants fed-ex. they are supposed to be here tomorrow ometime from talking to the guy last night on the phone.
my mom bought me a new camera butthe cd to download was cracked as soon as i get it all downloaded i'll take a picture of the one spik and post it. hopfully it opens up and it just started to bloom.
If the flower hasn't opened it will be tightly sealed if it has opened and is simply sagging closed then it's expired and going to drop off soon. Their flowers do not last a long time in comparison to things like Phals and Paphs who may hold their flower for months. These only last for weeks but they bloom as long as conditions are good (cool at night not warmer than 85*F during the day just like highland neps) and you fertilize them. I have to force myself to fertilize the orchids more than the neps but blooming takes a lot of nutrients but you have to be sure not to burn them too. I fertilize every other time I water now (1/4 strength) and the blooms just keep coming but they did take a while to settle in.
I haven't been able to polinate them by hand, I guess I don't know what I'm supposed to do exactly. One book states pollination techniques for some popular varieties but nothing on Drac or Masd (who were considered one in the same til the 1970s or so) or other Pleurothallid alliance orchids. I assume these must be a bit harder given their small to minute size. Anyone out there know?
Man, that's too bad about the driver CD Rom hopefully its from a local store (not by mail) so you can get a replacement immediately!
I haven't been able to polinate them by hand, I guess I don't know what I'm supposed to do exactly. One book states pollination techniques for some popular varieties but nothing on Drac or Masd (who were considered one in the same til the 1970s or so) or other Pleurothallid alliance orchids. I assume these must be a bit harder given their small to minute size. Anyone out there know?
Man, that's too bad about the driver CD Rom hopefully its from a local store (not by mail) so you can get a replacement immediately!
thats for the info Josh, i will fertilize them a littl ebit more ya i'm like you with that spot i have to force myself to fertilize also.
well, i think the flower might be exspired but time will tell and i will see if it opens or falls off.
with pollenating i saw a video at one time that you take a q-tip and get the pollen from one flower then bring the q-tip to a diff flower and lighly press it into it and the pollenation is done. i have tried this on phal. but w/ no luck. w/ the paph i kept on looking for a trase of pollen but i could not see any on the flower what so ever anyway i only have the one paph. so it ealy didn't matter.
well at least when it does flower when they do it will be a sight to see even if it is short lived a picture last alot long than the real thing.
no the camera was ordered from AOL so i have to wait until the cd gets here. it has already been shipped so it shouldn't be a long wait. not that bad of a camera has alot of options w/ picture taken and also has macro. wasn't really that exspensive eather. will find out in a couple of days what kind of pictures it takes hopfully they are alot clear like the ones u take.
well, i think the flower might be exspired but time will tell and i will see if it opens or falls off.
with pollenating i saw a video at one time that you take a q-tip and get the pollen from one flower then bring the q-tip to a diff flower and lighly press it into it and the pollenation is done. i have tried this on phal. but w/ no luck. w/ the paph i kept on looking for a trase of pollen but i could not see any on the flower what so ever anyway i only have the one paph. so it ealy didn't matter.
well at least when it does flower when they do it will be a sight to see even if it is short lived a picture last alot long than the real thing.
no the camera was ordered from AOL so i have to wait until the cd gets here. it has already been shipped so it shouldn't be a long wait. not that bad of a camera has alot of options w/ picture taken and also has macro. wasn't really that exspensive eather. will find out in a couple of days what kind of pictures it takes hopfully they are alot clear like the ones u take.
If you guys like I will do a tutorial on Orchid pollenation.
Ive just got to install PaintShop Pro.
Just a few quick tips though.
Generally a toothpick is desired over a Qtip, ie. finer tip.
The sexual organs of orchids are fused into what is termed the column. Orchids form pollenia this is a hardened form of pollen. The pollenia resides underneath the anther cap which is usually located at the front of the column. The stigma is located beneath or behind the anther.
In the case of slipper Orchids the pouch usually needs to be removed. This will reveal the bright orange or yellow pollenia, which should then be transfered below and behind the anther to the stigma which in most cases is not very sticky at all and will look like a small pedestal with some form of a slit through it. You may find that the pollenia wont stick, for this i like to use Cattleya sap as most of you know this is extremly sticky.
Just dab a lill on the pollenia and your set.
You should also make sure to pollenate as soon as possible as pollenia does go "bad". You should notice this when the pollenia have turned brown or grey or are moldy. If this is the case just wait for the next flower to mature.
By the way GEORGE selfings are usually quite viable.
Peace
Ive just got to install PaintShop Pro.
Just a few quick tips though.
Generally a toothpick is desired over a Qtip, ie. finer tip.
The sexual organs of orchids are fused into what is termed the column. Orchids form pollenia this is a hardened form of pollen. The pollenia resides underneath the anther cap which is usually located at the front of the column. The stigma is located beneath or behind the anther.
In the case of slipper Orchids the pouch usually needs to be removed. This will reveal the bright orange or yellow pollenia, which should then be transfered below and behind the anther to the stigma which in most cases is not very sticky at all and will look like a small pedestal with some form of a slit through it. You may find that the pollenia wont stick, for this i like to use Cattleya sap as most of you know this is extremly sticky.
Just dab a lill on the pollenia and your set.
You should also make sure to pollenate as soon as possible as pollenia does go "bad". You should notice this when the pollenia have turned brown or grey or are moldy. If this is the case just wait for the next flower to mature.
By the way GEORGE selfings are usually quite viable.
Peace
Thanks much Khai!
I know the best possibility of orchid seeds germinating is in agar.But in my reading, I see that before they invented sterile culture they germinated seeds in the parent plants pot due to the benefitial fungus already being in the soil with the parent plant. Is this a viable way to get a few plants or should I just order the kitchen TC culture kit online for like $50 and make the effort more "worth my while"?
I know the best possibility of orchid seeds germinating is in agar.But in my reading, I see that before they invented sterile culture they germinated seeds in the parent plants pot due to the benefitial fungus already being in the soil with the parent plant. Is this a viable way to get a few plants or should I just order the kitchen TC culture kit online for like $50 and make the effort more "worth my while"?
well with me pollenating any of them it might be a long time due to all the flowers have dropped off most of the plants.
khia that would be kool if you started a top on how to polenate orchid flowers.
well it is no wonder i couldn't find the pollen on the paph. it is hidden behind the cup. that flower just dropped of today. they do last a very long time in blooms if i am correct it was in flower for 3 months.
the other 2 dracs. didn't show up at the door step today with being delivered maybe tomorrow or the sucker bit the driver delivering them.
khia that would be kool if you started a top on how to polenate orchid flowers.
well it is no wonder i couldn't find the pollen on the paph. it is hidden behind the cup. that flower just dropped of today. they do last a very long time in blooms if i am correct it was in flower for 3 months.
the other 2 dracs. didn't show up at the door step today with being delivered maybe tomorrow or the sucker bit the driver delivering them.
Hey swords no prob. Unless youve got plants that were collected from the jungle there will not be mycorrhizal fungus in their root system. So yes spend the 50 bucks. Would you be willing to throw that link up? I can recommend a book if you like, it is available at amazon.com The title is, Micropropagation of Orchids its a great book but its not cheap.
Yeah those Orchid blooms sure are long lived Ive had Phrags in bloom for 6 months. But then most Stanhopea flowers last only a few days.
Peace
Yeah those Orchid blooms sure are long lived Ive had Phrags in bloom for 6 months. But then most Stanhopea flowers last only a few days.
Peace
BigCarnivourKid
It's been one of dem days
Wow I didnt know they made a Kit like that, what a wonderful product.
I would just make sure they give you the media for Orchid seed propagation, I would also ask which genera it can be used with. I couldnt tell you now but several genera have preferences and seem to do better in different mixes. But im sure they would be offering sigmas most popular orchid media.
To which you could add what ever you needed. Again Id highly recommend that you purchase Micropropagation of Orchids. This book will definately come in handy.
A laminar hood would be fairly easy and cheap to build.
Axe man surplus sells dual panel blowers for 35 bucks!
Peace
I would just make sure they give you the media for Orchid seed propagation, I would also ask which genera it can be used with. I couldnt tell you now but several genera have preferences and seem to do better in different mixes. But im sure they would be offering sigmas most popular orchid media.
To which you could add what ever you needed. Again Id highly recommend that you purchase Micropropagation of Orchids. This book will definately come in handy.
A laminar hood would be fairly easy and cheap to build.
Axe man surplus sells dual panel blowers for 35 bucks!
Peace
well, the other 2 dracs. where delivered 10 mins ago by fed-ex. 1 drac. vamp. and 1 drac. gigas. packing was ok i guess. both dracs. where potted in orchid bark. kind of dry if ya ask me. drac. vamp. does have spike growing from it but, was damaged w/ packing. not flowering thu. if ya going to order one i would go w/ J & L orchids. might be 5 bucks more but, better quality.
well the one flower that was in the shipment of the Dracs.
the Drac.poly flower dropped off just a couple of min. ago. last night when i was checking up on them i noticed that the flower color actually bleed from the flower. that is one thing i have never see a flower do when it was about to drop off from the spike.
the Drac.poly flower dropped off just a couple of min. ago. last night when i was checking up on them i noticed that the flower color actually bleed from the flower. that is one thing i have never see a flower do when it was about to drop off from the spike.
Didn't the site say it was due to symbiotic fungus living in it's tissues?
But that's not to say I won't try it sometime anyway cos I'm often making cuttings and tossing them due to not having enough space for a bunch of some cheezy Nep hybrids that I got from lyndale gardens so that would be a good trial and error thing. Maybe on my days off for the holiday I'll try concocting that DIY kitchen TC recipe.
But that's not to say I won't try it sometime anyway cos I'm often making cuttings and tossing them due to not having enough space for a bunch of some cheezy Nep hybrids that I got from lyndale gardens so that would be a good trial and error thing. Maybe on my days off for the holiday I'll try concocting that DIY kitchen TC recipe.
Ah yes you are right I dont know why i didnt see that at first.
Id Like to know more about the type of mycorrhizae that grow in association with Neps.
If any of you would like more info about Mycorrhizal fungus in general this is a really good start.
http://www.mycorrhizae.com/
Peace
Id Like to know more about the type of mycorrhizae that grow in association with Neps.
If any of you would like more info about Mycorrhizal fungus in general this is a really good start.
http://www.mycorrhizae.com/
Peace
