Cypripediums from seed

[ian mcenery]

Some years ago I had an unsuccesful attempt at raising cyps as deflasked seedlings and thought with all of the experience of members on this site that I should try again.

Could anyone help me with the following:

• Where these can be bought from
• When should I buy
  Methods of growing these on

[Slug Killer]

Hi Ian

I've bought some from Phytesia over the last few years and they seem to be doing fine. I'll e-mail you their 'Growing Cyp seedlings' guide if you contact me. The Cyp reginae alba I bought last December have tripled in size this year.

David

[ellen&dan]

We have bought some off German ebay in the past.

[Slug Killer]

Hi Ian

Just noticed your in Sutton Coldfield. Pascal/Phytesia were at the NEC last month for some Garden show. I'll ask a contact I've got in Germany for you if he can sell seedlings to you. I had some last month and they were fantastic quality.

For anyone else interested in Phytesia, register as wholesale and then buy, its much cheaper. You are meant to buy in qty's of 50 but if you ask Pascal nicely he will split 25/25 if 50 of one type is too much for you.

David

[Slug Killer]

http://www.in-vitro-quedlinburg.de/

This link is for a site that I've had my latest seedlings from. Good prices and very good quality large seedlings. I was over the moon when they arrived as I've been buying Cyp seedlings for years but these looked much stronger than any others I've had.

This is not a plug for this company, I really am happy with them.

David

[ian mcenery]

Hi Dave thanks for the information and the links - excellent

[LarsB]

I've bought from Pascal/Phytesia the last three years and experimented with different composts. I'm not sure the plants have been given sufficient cold treatment but apart from that they have been fine. I've jsut ordered some plants from Crustacare. They have a different selection of species.

I've ended up it ha compost consisting of coarse quarts sand and perlite. It seems to be working well.

Kind regards

Lars

[ian mcenery]

Thanks for the additional information Lars. It seems that what you grow them in matters less than drainage and the lack of nutrients in the compost. Are you feeding at at what dose?

[LarsB]

This mix is only to get them started. After a year or two in the sand they transfer to normal media, but i don't feed. I'm only at the second season with this mix, so it's not a 100% proven concept I use it partly because i saw a recomandation to grow them in pure Seramis, which i couln't get (that was before i realised it was much the same as the pellets used in cat trays, the other reason being one of my friends growing in sand only with great success. I put in the perlite to make it a little lighter.

Kind regards

Lars

[Stephen Vella]

Hi Ian,

what you grow your Cyp seedling is very important as is drainage. Stay away from any organics. Wash river sand and perlite in equal parts works best for the first 3 years. If you can get your hands on Seramis mix it with sand and perlite, equal parts. Ive just potted some up in and it works miracles, its nothing like cat litter,cat litter will later break down and cause drainage issues.

Feed them at 1/10 strenghth 1st year. 1/4 strength from then on. Stay away from organic fertilisers and urea with seedlings. Use orchid fertilers to be safe.

For species recomendation go for C reginae its very fast and any cyp hybrids that you can get your hands on have provin to be very vigorous and hardy. Crusticare as mentioned have many hybrids.

Keep your seedlings cool and shaded in the growing season with direct sun in the mornings, 3 hours max and sink the pots in clean river sand to keep the roots cool.Keep the humidity up.

When winter arrives place covers over them so as not to get very wet,especially with first year seedling, just moist. Hybrids and Americain sp dont mind the excess moisture. The Asain sp prefer to be kept a little dry,just moist.Keep the pots sunken into the ground to stay cool. Some growers remove their Cyps and bag them up and place them in the crisper for winter.

They get easier in their 3rd yr stage.

Good luck.

Stephen

[ian mcenery]

Hi Stephen thanks very much for your advice. I have so far bought a few kentuckiense and Emil seedlings and they are in the fridge in perlite till spring. You say you plunge the pots in sand are you growing in plastic or clay pots?

[Stephen Vella]

Gday Ian,

I grow mine in plastic pots. Much easier to handle when it comes to repotting as the roots tend to stick onto the clay pots and I dont want to damage the roots. Clay pots also absorb moisture from the potting mix. I plunge them into sand to keep the roots/potting media cool and the tempretures don't fluctuate as much.It works.

[Anthony Darby]

Try 'www.orchidsbypost.co.uk'.