Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Pleione and Orchidaceae => Topic started by: mark smyth on September 16, 2014, 07:39:45 PM
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Many of my winter green now have noses poking through the grit despite being dry all summer
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Darn I just remembered something I meant to ask weeks ago. I was planning to put all my O. mascula, O. pyramidalis, and something else, in troughs. Are the Greek ones genetically different to the UK plants? Can they be grown outside also?
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Mark many of my Ophrys are already in the green too (6cm of foliage), first year i've got this state.
I think i'll water the pots this week-end because bulbs gonna exhaust.
In the southern french areas the autumnal rains are now falling heavily, it's a signal for watering our plants, i guess also grown under glass.
Gonna post a photo of mine to show you they look now.
pyramidalis will not survive in the moist climate of our northern areas, u'd better bring back pots to your greenhouse.
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Mark you can see how my Ophrys and Orchis are already sprouting
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Yann sorry for the long delay in replying
A. pyramidalis grows around the coast of N Ireland
The first spikes have appeared on my plants. Last year it was assumed they, O. lacteal, flowered early due to change in climate from Greece to N Ireland but they have had a year to change to our climate. They are a week later than they were last year
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Hi Mark & Yann I grown lots of different tender orchids in the house, but I'm wanting to grow some of the hardier types like the ones you mention above, can you recommend a good nursery where I can purchase them from? Thanks John
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I buy from terrestrial gems and med orchids on ebay. None are selling just now but will be in the spring
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I'm wanting to grow some of the hardier types like the ones you mention above
These aren't necessarily hardier. They require frost free conditions. Others more experienced may want to comment. Last year I didn't have the warming cables on at all and never covered them with fleece. In 2012 the warming cables were set to +5 and at night when frost was due I covered mine with two layers of fleece. Someone has a 'lid' of sorts that goes over his plants when frost is due
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The first spikes have appeared on my plants. Last year it was assumed they, O. lacteal, flowered early due to change in climate from Greece to N Ireland but they have had a year to change to our climate. They are a week later than they were last year
But if they are genetically programmed to start growth at a certain temperature they will always start growing far earlier in Ulster than in Greece so they will not get "used" to your climate. And if flowering is initiated when they reach a certain size then it will always be early here compared with the med. But what's the problem with that?
When I was in Greece a week or so back I visited sites that I knew had Ophrys populations but it was still mid twenties and so none were up. Crocus and cyclamen galore but no sign of orchids.
Some of my terrestrials, purchased from Australia pre CITES, are still six months out of "normal" phase. Some changed to UK time, others refused.
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Interesting that some of yours changed to UK time while others didn't. Did some of the same species refuse to change?
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Here's just a few of mine - nice spotty leaves
Orchis italica
a lost label - to be truthful one I left lying around after planting the rest
Orchis provincialis
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After lying around during the summer with the pot on its side I'm amazed my Spiranthes spiralis have the energy to flower. Are they late or is this flowering time?
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The variation in the patterns on the spotty leaves is fascinating, isn't it? And looks somehow reptilian in some cases. Love 'em!
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I look at these spotty leaves most days - mostly because they stand out among all the other plain leaved species
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These aren't necessarily hardier. They require frost free conditions. Others more experienced may want to comment. Last year I didn't have the warming cables on at all and never covered them with fleece. In 2012 the warming cables were set to +5 and at night when frost was due I covered mine with two layers of fleece. Someone has a 'lid' of sorts that goes over his plants when frost is due
Mark it is me that has a lid of sorts! As you can see from the picture I have a sand plunge lined with polystyrene and fitted with a soil warming cable set at 5c. The box above it is twin layer plastic . I only close the lid when frost is threatened and so far it has worked well. You can see from the picture there is some snow in the greenhouse on a couple of pots on the floor. Last winter the heating cable did not come on at all. The main problem is condensation and so I have to open the lids carefully to avoid drips going on the plants below. I have though of some improvements but have not got around to making them. I have two further ones set up like this for other tender plants and my Cyclamen graecum collection.
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Crikey Tony - those plants of yours get luxury, b****y luxury! ;D
Please do share when you get round to making those "improvements"
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Crikey Tony - those plants of yours get luxury, b****y luxury! ;D
Please do share when you get round to making those "improvements"
Perhaps because they a b---dy expensive to replace!!
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Perhaps because they a b---dy expensive to replace!!
That's a perfectly valid reason for a bit of cossetting, I agree!
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Here's just a few of mine - nice spotty leaves
a lost label - to be truthful one I left lying around after planting the rest
Looks like another italica to me. The wavy edge on the leaf is a bit of a giveaway. One or two of your plants look a bit yellow. Check for greenfly between the lowest leaf and the grit. It is their favourite hideaway and I am having major issues this autumn.
After lying around during the summer with the pot on its side I'm amazed my Spiranthes spiralis have the energy to flower. Are they late or is this flowering time?
Three of mine have finished flowering with four new growths coming up, but I would not worry about yours as my fourth is just coming through.
. The main problem is condensation and so I have to open the lids carefully to avoid drips going on the plants below.
I have already lost a couple of plants this autumn and am fairly certain that condensation dripping from the glass has been the cause.
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nooooo!
Steve you're correct I have an invasion of aphids! Can I simply spray fly spray in the greenhouse? I've tried using a wee paint brush to kill them but they just crawl back
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Thanks Tony. I must get one made asap. What's the height?
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Thanks Tony. I must get one made asap. What's the height?
12 inches above the sand at the front and 15 inches at the back.
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So difficult to get a good photo of this little orchid
Spiranthes spiralis - autumn Lady's-tresses
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Nice detail and nice plant!
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Memories of Zakynthos in October, pushing my daughter Lucy (she's now 15) around the olive groves in her push chair, marvelling at the flowers that grew along the road verges. 8)
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Tomorrow is to be sunny and warmish over here. To try and stop aphids I'm thinking of mixing some provado and painting it on the leaves of my orchids. Has anyone tried this?
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I spray with Provado on a warm sunny day. The finest possible setting,just a mist and early to give it a chance to dry.
If it is only an odd plant I pick them off with a damp fine paintbrush.
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Thanks Tony. Some are in the middle of the rosettes.
Why do I hate cats so much!? Just found this in the greenhouse
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I get angry when I see this sort of thing - why should we put up with other peoples' sodding animals riding roughshod (and crapping) over our plants and gardens? It's beyond intrusive. I feel like *******, but suspect a motion-activated water jet or similar is more socially acceptable.
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I agree Alex. My mood changed when I went in this morning. Could smell it and was looking in my sand and grit containers. Never had a cat crap in the plunges before now.
11 live in houses around me and that doesn't include the feral toms that come around at mating time. The toms spray the bins, the car, the house doors .... One house has 4 cats and three dogs. At least the dogs cant get out
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but suspect a motion-activated water jet or similar is more socially acceptable.
Not to mention legal!
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Dogs don't run free here anymore except in designated areas yet cats are free to do these sorts of things. How are they getting in Mark? Is it time for a good heavy metal screen outer door?
johnw - +12c with a bit of sun
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My sympathies folks my garden suffers similarly.
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How are they getting in Mark? Is it time for a good heavy metal screen outer door?
Through the door because its left wide open for lots of ventilation. Closed now. The door hasn't been closed for years. I suppose it just takes one to discover what's inside. Last time I trapped a cat in the green house it smashed a pane of glass trying to get out. I was shouting and chasing it ...
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I have always used a section of plastic coated mesh across the bottom half of the door when I am not there. Just drops in the hole when the door is open. Learnt my lesson when I first had the old greenhouse and gravel under the benches. Now have pheasants wandering around. Not sure how bad they are going to be, and it will not stop the occasional robin nesting, from past experience.
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Brian, me too. I put 1cm square netting around the vents after I had to chase out 3 pheasants and you can imagine what they did to my pleione pots, carnage everywhere. >:(
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I got back from London on Friday to discover several lots of sh*t buried in my new peat area dedicated to my five year old shortias which I have raised from seed. The plants had been scooped out and tossed aside as the muck was being covered. The bed is now covered in unsightly netting.
Had them get into my greenhouses several times and use the sand plunge.
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Why not go with hardware cloth on a secondary door and keep field mice out as well?
Never a good idea to alarm a cat unless it's pointed in the desired direction.
johnw - +11c
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Guess it depends on the greenhouse construction as to what is most convenient, or maybe the least inconvenient. Just remembered I have had blackbirds in a number of times. Bet it was for spaghnum moss now I think about it.
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Why not go with hardware cloth ...
I think folks in the UK would recognised this as welded wire mesh, such as Maren suggests.
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Himantoglossum robertianum 2 months earlier than the previous 2 years. And a lovely scent to go with it.
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Himantoglossum robertianum 2 months earlier than the previous 2 years. And a lovely scent to go with it.
Glad I am not alone. One of mine has been open since late November, and thanks to the cold still looks fine. And the scent is much appreciated. Its two sisters, genetically identical, grown in the same conditions, are still some weeks away from flowering. Very strange.
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and thanks to the cold still looks fine.
My concern is it has only been above ground since the end of October is that long enough to produce a decent tuber for next year. And regarding the cold, what is that? Only had 4 frosts this winter so far
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Which would be two more than we had last year! But what do you expect down on the riviera!
My experience, based on a whole three different clones, is that a flowering plant tends to make a smaller tuber for the next year, but a non-flowerer can double up, which is how I come to have a couple of clones that I have three of. I really like Barlias, large, long flowering, scented, definitely worth growing.
And last year's seeds have germinated, and are doing well, so at some point down the toad I hope to have a few more!
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My first Ophrys are now in flower:
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8600/16612496592_4b70e76a31_o.jpg)
Ophrys leochroma
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8597/16426715539_4a13b7efac_z.jpg)
Ophrys lutea
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8575/16425983890_45ee8b151b_z.jpg)
Ophrys ferrum-equinum
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8622/16612998035_abf048cf84_z.jpg)
Ophrys sp. (I bought this as a lab-raised seedling of O. incubacea from a German supplier. It isn't O.incubacea but I'm not sure what it is.).
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8645/16613309075_06dd609932_o.jpg)
Ophrys bombyliflora
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Goodness, Steve, your photography is breathtaking - and the plants aren't bad either. ;) ;) :)
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My first Ophrys are now in flower:
I bought this as a lab-raised seedling of O. incubacea from a German supplier. It isn't O.incubacea but I'm not sure what it is
wow fabulous!
I thought I was going to get away without any deaths this year. First one this morning :'( and the one the cat crapped on is very sick
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Steve do you light your orchids? I'm surprised they already bloomed.
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No Yann.
They are in a slightly elevated south-facing greenhouse which they share with some South African bulbs. The pots are plunged in sand which contains heating cables which are set to come on when the temperature drops below 3C.
None of my Orchis or Barlia have opened their flowers yet and I still have more Ophrys which should flower in early to mid -March or later.
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Orchis lactea is finished flowering for me. Others have spikes.
Like Steve mine are in a heated sand plunge. Mine get direct sun, when it shines, from mid February
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I have had only one flowering so far this year, Himantaglossum roberticium, spikes are now starting to show on a lot of them. But my greenhouse is a lean to which is North facing and only sees the sun from Feb to Nov. The lowest temperature in there this winter was 4C, when it went to -3C outside. So no heating bills this year
Steve the Ophrys bombiflora seeds you sent me last year are germinating well, thank you.
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Ophrys fusca, speculum, tenthredinifera and sphegodes flowering here for a couple of weeks now in a totally non insulated and therefore bright full sun greenhouse. My plants got an early start due to cool August and as per last year, and despite the horror headlines and forecasts in the press, we have not had much of a winter. More frosts, but no sub zero days.
The Barlia which opened in November is finally going over. Three months in flower is not bad!