suggestions for growing Sorcerer's Apprentice

[philoserenus]

Hi guys,

i just ordered one of these from Cloud's and will be picking it up on the 1st of June. So i thought i'd also ask the experts around here for a extra few tips. i am fully aware that it is going to be a giant and its spike is going to be crazy--i've seen your pictures Dot--and i am just amazed how it just is able to even support itself naturally

Warren, from Cloud's, was great to share some info on its culture via email too. he mentioned:

...the leaf span of the top leaves is approx 36 cm. These would like to have "wet feet" or watering through more often. Intermediate light at present but as the plant comes closer to blooming size, you can increase the light level (leaves should be a medium green in colour if given adequate light). I would expect blooming sooner than the size indicates probably about a year and a half from now. Blooming size leaf span can start at about 50 cm...

36cm is about 14" and 50cm is about 20".

I have another 2 questions:

Q1 will SA only initiate its spike in a certain season or would it just go when it feels ready?--i understand that once it gets going, the spike will bloom continuously

Q2 how do you guys help support the long spike since most sticks are only 1/2 the length of the mature spike ><" or so you guys only support as much as you can then just let nature do the rest?

so would u guys also have anything extra to add?

 

[SlipperFan]

1 - I never noticed a blooming "season" since it was in spike continuously for over 3 years.

2 - I used a bamboo stick -- it has a hole down the middle, so I could attach a florist's wire into that hole which would extend it's reach. With branching, I even had 2 or 3 wired stuck into the hole, which would then support the branches.

 

[philoserenus]

thanks Dot, thats a very interesting idea that u suggested with the hollow bamboo stick. i will look into that when the time is right for it to bloom in a good year's time

still excited ^^ hehe

 

[Grandma M]

I had a couple of phrags which were almost 6 feet tall. I went to Lowes and bought the stakes they had for marking your driveway in heavy snow. I wrapped florist tape around it. It was very sturdy and not to thick a stake. Mine were about 5 feet tall and worked very well. They were not too objectionable looking or too noticeable.

They also had tall garden stakes but they were too thick and ugly looking.

Marilyn

 

[SlipperKing]

Nick,
I posted this same cross awhile ago. It's blooming on a single fan started late last summer/early fall. The whole plant is 58 inches tall from the bottom of the 4 inch pot to the top of the spike. I have it staked with a single 2 foot long dowel wooden rod from a home store. The spike is very strong. I've taken it twice in my truck and had to lay it down (not flat down) inorder to get it in. It bounced up and back on both trips like a fishing rod and never broke. As a fact, the last trip I had to set it down outside because a newbie stopped me to ask a paph question and it blew over. Broke the petals on two flowers but didn't hurt the spike at all.

Good Luck, Rick H

 

[NYEric]

1 tough mother!

 

[philoserenus]

thanks marilyn for the extra ideas ^^ and rick, i was following ur thread back then when it first came out, it was quite interesting ^^

i hafta agree with nyeric, my goodness!!! i guess plants are able to support themselves afterall, haha... a spike that is... say 50"... didnt break after all those events, haha... i gotta say itz one darn good fishing rod =)

i just a few more weekends and i'll have my SA =)