old pot/new pot

[cnycharles]

I had purchased a mexipedium seedling a few years ago from bloomfield orchids when he had heavily gotten into s/h culture. he was growing them in small s/h containers under lights and they looked pretty good. I tried a larger s/h pot, but they just didn't do well. there were some roots but I think I let it dry out too much and the humidity was too low for them. also I fertilized a few times when they were dry which I know for any slipper can be the kiss of death. I had had a bud on the oldest growth at one point but when watering got some drops on the flower and it blasted :sob:

the old pot I had it in, bottom of a gallon milk container

experiment using high drain pot with cover, much more humidity and stays slightly damp for a while
higher light would likely keep the spike shorter, but i'm doing everything I can to keep the buds on there

seedling, white flecks are crushed coral, can see spike starting on right growth which started after I put it into this container

new pic showing much looooooooonger spike which is growing very slooooooooowly (has two buds, too! hasn't bl*st*d yet either, keep fingers crossed)

i'm trying the small, closed container hoping that the higher humidity will lead it to keep the new growths very close together

 

[Roy]

Yee Gods, how small are they??? I've not seen one of these up close before let alone seen one in flower. Looks like a difficult plant to handle.

 

[cnycharles]

Yee Gods, how small are they??? I've not seen one of these up close before let alone seen one in flower. Looks like a difficult plant to handle.

it isn't very large at all, but if you have a good potting media and decent humidity it can grow and flower right along. heather and a few others here have posted pics of very nice plants with lots of flowers

 

[Roy]

Well, might just have to try and get one to see if I can grow it. One can only but try.

 

[Rick]

Yee Gods, how small are they??? I've not seen one of these up close before let alone seen one in flower. Looks like a difficult plant to handle.

A large growth is about 4 - 5 inch leaf span. The flowers are about an inch or so across. Spikes are longer than 6 inches and branch. The plants are real ramblers so you can cover a square foot or so in a hurry when they are happy.

I think this is a very easy species to grow if you treat it like an orchid instead of a cactus.

 

[Jorch]

Very interesting pot with the tall dome cover! Haven't seen that kind of pot before, seems perfect for growing mexipediums or seedings!

 

[cnycharles]

Very interesting pot with the tall dome cover! Haven't seen that kind of pot before, seems perfect for growing mexipediums or seedings!

http://www.kkorchid.com/1misc_watering.asp
high drain trays with cover dome ; i've seen around the regular tray flat and plastic cover but don't know who the producer is for the mesh drain bottom and the very solid tops for full and small trays

added: is this what is called the 'joe pot' that joe kunisch of bloomfield orchids made? he was into plastics before he changed to orchids

 

[Ron-NY]

my concern with a domed pot is that there is lack of air circulation when the cover is on...that can lead to disaster for orchids as well. I am saying that from first hand experience.

 

[Rick]

my concern with a domed pot is that there is lack of air circulation when the cover is on...that can lead to disaster for orchids as well. I am saying that from first hand experience.

It's a good way to rejuvenate rootless plants, got once started back to recovery I agree that it's a risky situation. At this point you might consider setting it up in a big enough aquarium that you could add a little clip on or computer fan.

 

[cnycharles]

now that we have some warmer and more humid weather the top is off; also you can lift up the cover and turn it sideways. It received no sunlight and only muted light hence the long spike so it couldn't get very warm (this was in winter and early spring when the controlling factor was humidity, which it didn't have enough of). probably once a day during cold season I would take the top off, blow some air across the plant and into the top for a few seconds and then put it back on the pot. also I didn't have to water for maybe two weeks so I had less chance of bud blast from errant moisture.
if someone were not going to keep an eye on it then a growing case with humidity and a fan would be a good idea. of course if someone had high humidity in their growing situation either in a greenhouse or other growing area the domed pot wouldn't be needed anyhow. we orchid lovers from temperate, seasonally dry areas must always come up with humidity band-aids for a good part of the year!

 

[SlipperKing]

Nice job Charles I wait to see your open flower!

 

[Rick]

Me too! Do you know the parentage of yours? Mine is "Oaxaca" and I haven't been able to find any unrelated pollen for it.

 

[NYEric]

I'm still waiting to get my mexi, but hopefully this summer will get it together to get a good one. Good Luck and keep us posted.

 

[cnycharles]

thanks, I'll try to find out from joe where his plants/seedlings came from. i'm a little excited, but I have had experience watching flower spikes from the green paph species grow and grow forever and then blast to get too excited.

 

[cnycharles]

I looked at the plant yesterday morning and it looked a little dry, gave it a little water. The bud didn't look like it was doing anything much but growing very slowly. I checked it after work today and it was opening! The water must've given it a jumpstart and it's growing and starting to open very quickly.

very cool! I guess this bud isn't going to blast... can't wait to see it open
I forgot to ask Joe K. what the background is of the seedling

 

[Rick]

And a second bud already forming. :clap:

Looks like it intends to be blooming for a while.

Mine is going pretty good with multiple blooms open on 5 spikes (some branched).

 

[Mrs. Paph]

Ok, that's too cute! Where do I pick up a decent one of these??

 

[NYEric]

When I get around to it [I've absolutely got to stop ordering besseae hybrids!] I'm going to get mine from Windy Hill. They have large multiple growth ones available. Unless I get some from someone else before then :ninja: [Hint to secret destroyer]
BTW, Well done Charles.

 

[cnycharles]

thanks... rick you should post some pictures! i finally have a day off tomorrow and will take some pictures first thing

 

[cnycharles]

need shades; this flower's bright

at last it's open and my tripod is fixed so I can get a decent picture

I can't believe how long the ovary is in comparison to the flower size!

any ideas on how long the flower could last?