I think my Paph Juliet needs a repot

[emydura]

I thought it had been a while since I repotted Juliet so this morning I decided it was time. I was wondering why I was having so much trouble getting it out of the pot. I got there eventually. This was the first Paph I ever owned and it was given to me by my father. Not knowing what I was doing I grew it in Cymbidium mix and rotted every root. I then repotted it in much coarser bark and it has come back strong. Now I just have to find a pot suitable for it to grow in.

The last photo is what the flowers look like. It has not flowered like this for a couple of years and now I know why.

David

 

[biothanasis]

WOW!!!!!! (it looks like it is potted in a root patterned pot...lol). Great plant and flowers!!!!!!!! :clap:

 

[Paph_LdyMacBeth]

Well, that IS something! Good luck

 

[gonewild]

What makes you think it needs to be repotted? Looks like it is growing very well to me!

 

[emydura]

What makes you think it needs to be repotted? Looks like it is growing very well to me!

It hasn't been putting out many new growths in the last 2 years and there hasn't been many flowers (3 or 4). Nothing like the flowering below. It is funny as I was worried the problem was because I had rotted the roots again because it has been a few years since I have repotted it.

David

 

[gonewild]

Oh I assumed the flowering pic was recent.
Best to just slip it into a bigger pot and not bother the roots.

 

[Erythrone]

Incredible!!

 

[SlipperFan]

That is an amazing root ball!!!

 

[paphioboy]

Holy cow! :drool: :drool: :drool: Can't wait for the next blooming...

 

[tim]

amazing that you still have this plant, probably a seedling cultured on a mother plant before the advent of flasking in 1927. Do you have any info from your dad on where this plant came from? I wonder if it's a piece of AOS-RHS awarded clone 'Magnificum'...

Wonderful culture...

 

[emydura]

amazing that you still have this plant, probably a seedling cultured on a mother plant before the advent of flasking in 1927. Do you have any info from your dad on where this plant came from? I wonder if it's a piece of AOS-RHS awarded clone 'Magnificum'...

Wonderful culture...

Tim

I can't be 100% sure that it is a Juliet as it was given to me by my dad without a name. He got if off a friend. It is one of those vigorous Paphs that everyone seems to have a piece off so quickly does it multiply.

The reason I thought it could be Juliet was that a piece came up for sale in Australia a few years ago and I was amazed at how similar they were. Other than the staminode they were identical. There was a bit of a discussion about it in this link. You would be in a better position than any of us to say whether my plant could in fact be a Juliet or whether it is not possible to say.

http://www.slippertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13180&highlight=juliet

David

 

[tim]

it's certainly a swallow cross, and looks good to me....here's the rhs painting of 'Magnificum', Swallow x Mulatto. I have one more reference for australia I could check...

 

[emydura]

it's certainly a swallow cross, and looks good to me....here's the rhs painting of 'Magnificum', Swallow x Mulatto. I have one more reference for australia I could check...

Thanks Tim. It certainly looks very similar. I'm happy to keep calling it Juliet. Any other information you can find is appreciated.

David

 

[GuRu]

...Wonderful culture...

Indeed it is !!

 

[W. Beetus]

Um, wow! Amazing root system!

 

[John M]

OMG! You get first prize in the "roots on steroids" category!

If it were mine, I'd not disturb such a magnificent root ball that clearly has NO problems that need fixing. I'd put it in a larger pot with fresh mix all around and I'd top it off with diatomite or pea gravel and bark. Then, check it again in two or 3 years.

 

[emydura]

I repotted it yesterday. It took me half the day. I put it in a pretty big pot (43 cm wide). A bit too deep for my liking so I put a couple of layers of large chunks of polystyrene at the bottom. I used coarse bark (8-18 mm) combined with pebbles. So it should be right for a few years. See the photo below.

I think I have told this story before but I will tell it again as it helps me to get it out of my system. I entered this plant in our show one year (I think it was when it flowered like in the third photo at the beginning of this thread). I thought it looked fantastic with so many flowers open. I was as proud as punch. Being such an old hybrid I obviously didn't expect it to win Champion Paph or anything. But I thought Best specimen Paph was in reach. That looked a certainty when it was the only Paph eligible. Anyway it din't win. Nothing won. I asked the senior judge about this later and he said you don't have to award a winner for that category. He said - "the judges could not reward such a poorly grown plant". I have never been so stunned in my life. It is the best grown plant in my collection. This was the same judge who said my obvious sukhakulii was a wardii hybrid. So I think the problem was with him rather than my plant.

Anyway, I will grow this plant into the biggest specimen possible until it claims the title that it previously earned and deserved - "Best specimen Paph in the Canberra show."

David

 

[paphioboy]

He said the judges could not reward such a poorly grown plant.

Poorly grown? Geez, this guy must be have his eyes elsewhere on his body... I doubt he can grow paphs to the same quality as you have, David...

 

[SlipperKing]

You will probably win Best grown after this judge passes on

 

[Candace]

Nice roots!