Disa Auratkew

[John M]

Brightening up the potting bench these days. I put it there to catch the air movement from the fan that is pulling air out of the greenhouse, just above the bench. The air keeps the plant cool because the medium is always wet and it's in a clay pot. So, the evaporation helps cool the roots and the high volume of air passing it also means no heat will build up in the leaf tissues during the sunny afternoons.

 

[Cat]

Disa!!!!!!!!! One day I will have one. Wonderful picture. Thanks for posting it.

 

[Ozpaph]

really beautiful.

 

[Migrant13]

Very nice! You have the growing conditions down.

 

[My Green Pets]

First time to see anything like this. How big is it?

 

[Wendy]

Very nice John. Is that a capsule I see on there?

 

[Marco]

Beautiful. I haven't seen photos of Disas in a while.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[NYEric]

Nice. I would love to try them again.

 

[abax]

Seeing a Disa flower is always a delightful surprise.

 

[John M]

Thanks everybody!

Disa!!!!!!!!! One day I will have one. Wonderful picture. Thanks for posting it.

LOL! I was going to hold off on repotting that Disa Kewensis that I posted a few weeks ago, Cat. But, the mother plant finally did begin to go down hill when it was finished blooming; so, I slipped the plant out of the pot and saw that the mother plant's roots were also dying, which is all very normal, of course. So, it was time to repot. I thought it might go until September before it needed it. I've now got multiple pieces of that plant in different pots. However, now is the tricky part! I need to grow the bits for a couple months to be sure that I'm selling you a live plant, not just a bit of green that will turn black and rot/disappear a week after you get it! Disas are not cheap; so, being patient is wise. I want to be sure these repotted bits will recover from the repotting before I offer any. Don't worry.......I never forget a customer who wants to buy something!

Very nice! You have the growing conditions down.

Thank you. Yes, it took me a long time to learn; but, the trick is to keep them in constant air movement, keep them in deep clay pots (standard pots, not the shorter azalea type) and keep them in a puddle, which is refreshed often. They also MUST have short days; but, strong light every day in the winter. They will not tolerate dull days; so, I grow them under two 8 foot fluorescents in the basement in the winter months. Also use rain water and never fertilize. Even R.O. water is nowhere near as good. Rainwater does have very tiny amounts of nutrients. That's what they want and no more. Disas are easy if you give them exactly what they want; which isn't too difficult to do for most people. However if you expect your Disas to put up with a compromise at any point, as we so often do when we grow a mixed collection, they will suffer and go down hill quickly. Disas must have what they must have.....and then they will generally do very well.

First time to see anything like this. How big is it?

That's a standard 6" clay pot it's in - for size reference.

Very nice John. Is that a capsule I see on there?

Yup, I selfed it.

 

[paphioboy]

You grow some of the most beautiful Disas, John M!

Thanks everybody!

Disas must have what they must have.....and then they will generally do very well.

Fussy buggers, not one for my collection

 

[Secundino]

Great plant, well grown! And lovely photos!

Some day I'll try one.

 

[SlipperFan]

Love that color!

 

[NYEric]

Thanks for the info.

 

[cnycharles]

Very very nice



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[GuRu]

Lovely flowers, stunning colours and a well cultivated plant - altogether you did a great job JohnM - congrats.

 

[eaborne]

Gorgeous!

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

Lovely. I tried one once and killed it quick between bad water and hot summers

 

[Linus_Cello]

Have these successfully been grown in a tank with draculas?

 

[John M]

Thanks for your nice comments everyone!

Have these successfully been grown in a tank with draculas?

Disas would die VERY quickly in a Dracula tank. The humidity is WAY too high. Any kind of enclosed space would probably be instant death to a Disa. They grow in areas where it's windy and the air is relatively dry; but, the roots are always wet. While they must have a moist potting medium at ALL times, the foliage likes to be dry. High humidity causes rot VERY easily. That's one of the reasons (as well as the cooling effect created), why strong air movement is VERY helpful in keeping a Disa happy.