How to grow dense plants w many spikes like they have in shows?

[kkdcalgary]

i am always so impressed by the gorgeous plants in flower shows especially varieties with many p-bulbs sending out blooms. Sometimes the plant is almost a ball shape - for example I saw a gorgeous den. aggregatum with sprays all the way around the plants. How to growers encourage this shape and density of blooms?

Any thought appreciated! Karen

[Subrosa]

Time and proper care............the round ball shape comes from getting even lighting all around the plant.

[chantrelle]

I'm far from having any experience with Orchids but like everything else, they surly have much better means than the average hobbyist.

Plus they must have first pick of the litter when new inventory comes in. That might help ?

If you ad that to knowledge I guest you get awesome results.

[Roxanna]

Maybe there is more than a plant in the same pot. I have heard that one method is to cut the rhysome into many divisions of at least three pseudobulbs, encouraging many new growths and, of course, many flower spikes.

[estación seca]

In a greenhouse, with light from above, a mounted plant can be rotated frequently so the plant grows in all directions on the mount. In a window this is a lot harder to do.

[jkofferdahl]

It's all done through magic, slight of hand, and mirrors. In the real world none of us can get so lucky.

Seriously, professional growers have advantages of which most can't dream. Their growing conditions are just right for the plants in question, and they tend these plants as a profession. They've learned tricks we'll never know to produce the best results with a given plant. Those such as myself, who grow in windows and under lights, may occasionally get a display that looks good, but for us to get a perfect specimen like the Pros get is pretty unlikely.

[Salixx]

As already mentioned above, time, care, proper conditions and understanding.

I am toying with trying to do it myself. I, however, will only try with a miniature plant, and by that, I mean a mini-miniature, ity-bitty, specimen plant fits in my palm kind of thing... I may be able to get all the benefits of a greenhouse in a tiny environment that way.

But, first, I must decide on my ideal subject. Right now, my tiny Dryadella cristata is top of the list, but we'll see. I just went a little crazy with some bare-root plants from Andy's.

[estación seca]

Epidendrum polybulbon?

[Salixx]

Probably not as I really want to try it with a little pleuro, they are really my favorites, but thank you for reminding me of that plant! It's on my mental list of Wee littl' ones but I keep getting distracted by other things.

If I was a millionaire, I would live in a shed next to a massive greenhouse.

[Selmo]

A lot of the time these growers not only have the 'pick of the litter', they have tens if not hundreds of these to choose from. And if you take three, five ,or more of these prime plant and put them together you can make one awesome plant. Hope that this does not burst your bubble in hopes that you can grow one of these show quality specimen plants. You can, it just takes a few more plants than one.


and Salixx, if I was a millionaire, I would just sleep on a cot in the corner of the massive greenhouse. Oh if I could just win the lottery.