dormant orchids growing

[mark smyth]

I got some orchid tubers in the post last week - A. morio, O. mascula and others. I ws told to keep them dry but growing points have emerged and one has roots just starting. What now? I assume they should be planted or potted asap?

Can A. morio and O. mascula be grown in pots? I ask because since the winter of 2010 I lost interest in my green house because most plants got wiped out and I really need to start using it again.

The orchid section has been very quiet recently but I'd appreciate a reply

[John Aipassa]

Mark,

These pages from Svante Malmgren are always helpful for me:

http://www.lidaforsgarden.com/Orchids/orchis_eng.htm

[SteveC2]

Mark, thanks to the cool nights which we have been having this summer I have several wintergreens up already; serapias lingua, a couple of Ophrys and Anacamptis morio included.  This prompted me to do my annual mega repot of the supposedly dormant tubers and I found that many were decidedly undormant.  I've been giving just the very occasional light sprinkling of water to these all summer, and one or two look as though they haven't had enough, but once they break the surface careful, gentle watering can start.  I just hope that it doesn't come too hot now.
As to what can be grown in pots, I grow all my hardies in pots due to a soil which resembles Skeggy beach and a slug population which has been on steroids and fertility treatment this summer.  I'm thinking of building a plunge bed as I lost a few due to excessive freezing last year, (-17 overnight, leading to -7 in the greenhouse even with the heating on) but I've been growing them on the benches for several years with reasonable success.

[Tony Willis]

If we are looking at orchis and ophrys I generally start watering when the shoot on the  first one breaks the soil surface. This seems an indication they are all on their way.

Some years I do not repot them due to lack of time and it does not seem to make a difference.

I grow mine in a just frost free plunge bed with a top over it. No way would I let them freeze.

[Neil]

Well down here no cool nights yet, and no sign of growth, but I had re-potted all of my winter green by the beginning of July and the same as Steve, I just keep the soil very slightly moist until they break the surface and then the water regime will start.  I have invested in a heated plunge bed this year.  Just got to make a cover for it now.   

[Jeff Hutchings]

Most of my wintergreen stock has begun to move, although only the morio have produced leaves. I normally start watering around the edge of the pot at this stage to encougage root growth. Later I will water the trough in which they stand.  O mascula, pyramidalis and militaris will start to grow but the growing spike does not open until sometime on the new year. The biggest problem with wintergreen is finding a compost that works for YOU. The biggest problem period is February/March with plats in a greenhouse. Sunny period warm the house up too much and if the plants are overwatered they can rapidly suffer from neck rot.

The interesting species are platanthera and gymnadenia. Whilst they are dormant for the whole winter I have found that if I keep them slightly watered they will produce a good number of roots in the autumn and the tuber itself swells up keeping the tuber in good condition. When I used to leave the plants rather drier I found that they suffered from stress in the spring.