Oak Hill Gardens Paph collection

[murphy48]

I've been reading all the great reviews for Oak Hill Gardens and I was wondering if anyone has gotten the paph/phrag special where you get 10 seedlings of paphs and phrags. If anyone has, what did you think? Is it a good way to start a slipper collection? How large were the plants?

Thanks, Kristen

[seamonkey]

Ooooh, I couldn't imagine starting a paph collection from seedlings, I don't have that kind of patience! I can hardly wait for the mature plants to bloom as it is!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You don't get to choose what you want. It says so on the web site.

Paphs in general grow pretty slow. Depending on what you want to achieve, the seedlings are a good way to inexpensively acquire a bunch in one shot. The trade off is you don't get to choose what you get and you may be waiting years for them to bloom depending on the size of the seedlings you get.

[murphy48]

If people have found that they get great plants, then I didn't really mind if they are not blooming size (as long as it won't take more than a couple of years to bloom, say less than 5). I already have some blooming size paphs that I've picked out. I love orchids that have a fragrance so I've gotten some fragrant ones. I just thought it might be a good way to get some paphs or phrags that I wouldn't otherwise get. I'm a bit new to paphs, I've had one for over a year and got it to rebloom twice so I thought I would expand.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Oak Hill Gardens is a reputable seller.

The plants you'll get are good.

As far as Paph seedlings blooming within 5 yrs, I can't answer that question. It may also depend on the species.

[Doc G]

I haven't bought their paph seedlings, but I have bought their species and some of their other monthly specials. Always healthy plants arriving in good condition. What you might want to do is check out their regular plant listings. They sell individual plants from seedling size to blooming size. Buy one seedling and see if you like what you get.

[murphy48]

I ended up ordering the seedling collection and got them earlier this week. They sure are cute and tiny! I'm so excited by the ones I got. One was even a bonus, it had two plants in the same pot. Now that I have them I am wondering if I should repot them.

Should I repot all my new little paphs? If so, what bark should i use. The bark they are currently in has big chunks on top but is almost like a dirt/bark mix down lower. The bark pieces aren't squishy so I don't think they are decaying...

The bark I currently has is fairly small, the average size is probably 1.5 x .75 cm and has pelite in it. Would this work or should I get new mix or should i just leave my little guys alone.

Thanks
Kristen

[Zoi2]

If the plants and medium look good, it'd probably be a good idea to wait to repot. Seedlings are pretty fragile and like to stay a bit more moist.
Joann

[kavanaru]

Kristen, post what you get I would be curious...

Buying seedlings would need patience, as already said. Some crosses can bloom after 1 or 2 years, but this is actually an exception to the rule, and others can take over 30 year and never bloom (e.g. Paph Rolfei). However, most should bloom within 5 years or so...

On the other hand, once they bloom you really get a kick I have several mature Paphies, but also some seedlings for which I will need to wait longer yet (some of them have already bloomed and that was great)

[murphy48]

The joy of seeing one of my seedlings bloom in a few years was the reason I got these little guys. I'm sure I'll loose a few along the way but I figured with 10 I'm bound to grow some to full blooming size.

Here is the list of the little seedlings I got. It's great, I got 12 as two of the pots had two seedlings in them!

Species:
Paph appletonianum
Paph callosum
Paph delenatii
Paph hainanense
Paph liemianum- two of these in one pot
Paph spicerianum

Hybrids:
Paph Oto (Winston Churchill ‘Redoubtable’ FCC/AOS x fairreanum)
Paph Maudiae x (Hsinying Majakun x Alma Gevaert) -two of thesein one pot
Paph Barbilight (Barbie Playmate x Nulight ‘Hampshire’ HCC/AOS)
Paph Beauhill x Winston Churchill ‘Redoubtable’ FCC/AOS