Pleione 2014

[Maren]

Gregor,

Akerne's Rainmix is formulated for orchids, therefore you should use the measurements on the pack. The rule of 1/4 strength only applies to general, non orchid specific, fertilisers.

As far as play or mulch bark is concerned, I have been toying with the idea, but it would need a lot of preparation. First one would have to be sure that no chemical additives have been used eg. herbicides, because that would rather defeat the objective. Secondly, the particle size is extremely variable from large chunks to fine dust. It would have to be sifted twice:

1) through a 1cm sieve to remove the largest particles. Keep what falls through and put what's left in the sieve on your garden.
2) through a 2mm sieve to remove the dust and fines. Keep what stays in the sieve and put what fell through on your garden.

There is another option which I am trying to pursue. Last spring I bought from Akerne a bowl (12) of Pleione formosana 'Blush of Dawn'. They were in a mixture which Kenneth Bruyninckx, the owner, called "pond soil". These pleiones grew incredibly well and made pseudobulbs of 4cm in diameter with lots of good size offspring. I was impressed.

Kenneth sent me this message: "According to the English description of the ‘vijvergrond’ is consists of: hard frozen peat, clay, sand and fertilizer (NKP 14-16-18) with a pH value of 5 - 6,5 and a conductivity of 200 µS/cm."

There is no bark in this mixture, so maybe this is something you could make yourself from materials available in your country. Good luck. 

[gregork]

Dear Maren,

Yes i was thinking the same. Mulching bark realy is the mix of big and small pieces, but the thing i never think of is chemicals in it. You got the point here, this is the thing i realy have to check!

Pond soil is something i never heard before and as you described it something well worth trying If you'll try it please let us know how it went
The materials in it seem to be easy to buy from a local store except for the hard frozen peat... very unlikely to be obtainable here. You probably meant black peat that was once frozen in the nature? Can you tell me more about it(any brand that sells it)?

Thank you for all the answers and tips

Best regards
Gregor

P.S. Nice Sirena Luc

[Michal Mikita]

My first Pleione

#1 & #2 Pleione formosana
#3 & #4 Pleione formosana 'ROSSINI'

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Pleione 'Lhasa Blushes' opened it's first of two flowers !

[Nova]

Very nice Luc!

Over here an early Pleione yunnanensis, Lhasa 'Blushes' and Kettlewell 'Garth start to ignite a flowerbomb

[Nova]

Pleione Piton 'Sering' is truly flawless...

[Richard Williams]

A couple of the first flowers I have this season Eiger and Sirena , others are thinking of flowering.

[Erwinia]

Hi all,

these are some spring bloomers from me: formosana and Rakata without clonal names, and a home-made Glacier Peak. I bred it a few years back from a white grandiflora and formosana alba. Used the formosana as the pod parent to increase vigour.

Enjoy, Carsten

[Danshi]

P. humilis, already faded, and two yellow clones of P. forrestii. Actually the first time I got that one to flower.

[gregork]

Nice pictures Danshi.
I see you grow them in live sphagnum. Any advice on how you manage to do that?

[Danshi]

Hi Gregor, I will update the thread.

[gregork]

That would be great

[Luc Gilgemyn]

This one is new in my collection : Pleione 'Iris Butterfield' - a cross between forrestii and x confusa... it could hardly be anything else but yellow could it ??

[gregork]

Oh.. Luc,.. it is gorgeous! Can't wait for mine to bloom

Regards
Gregor

[erf]

Hi Luc
This is realy a wonderfull flower. Congartulation
Regards Erling