My New Phragmipedium pearcei - Orchid Board

The Orchid Boy · #1 12-11-2012, 02:59 PM

Here's a picture of my new Phrag. pearcei that I ordered through The Plant House. I think they said it was in a 4 inch pot. I don't actually have the plant yet, the supplier sent this picture of the exact plant. I'm going to transfer it to semi-hydroponics soon. Any tips for growing it out of semi-hydroponics? I'll be using distilled water and Dyna-Gro.

WhiteRabbit · #2 12-12-2012, 05:15 PM

isurus79 · #3 12-20-2012, 02:51 PM

Make sure you tie it down so the roots can't jiggle around. Also use less fertilizer than you normally would for a plant in regular media. Other than that, you should good to go. Great looking plant too.

phraggy · #4 12-20-2012, 05:33 PM

Looks like you are going to get a very nice plant. Keep it warm and keep the roots cool by using cold water. Either repot in semi hydroponics using clay pellets if you want to use this system. I f it's being sent in its pot you could cut the bottom of the pot away and sink about 1" of the pot in the centre of a larger pot filled with NZ sphagnum and large perlite. Have used this method over the past six months with a kovachii hybrid and the roots are going crazy and it's in spike.
Good luck with your new purchase-

Ed

Paul Mc · #5 12-20-2012, 08:12 PM

No tips, but it does look very well grown! Congrats!!!!

The Orchid Boy · #6 01-22-2013, 11:35 PM

phraggy, you say that the roots need to be kept cool. I haven't heard of this with phrags before. My temps get no higher than 80F day and no lower than 65F night. I always thought you had to keep the roots warmer when in s/h because the evaporative cooling from the media.

phraggy · #7 01-23-2013, 06:47 AM

I take my advise from where the plants grow in the wild.
They grow by the side of cool rivers and streams where their roots search out the water- In the wet season they can get totally submerged with the floods. I find that by doing what I do , as regards watering, the plants multiply very quickly. Although my pearcii has still to flower----I sold my flowering one------it has 9 new growths in 2012..

Ed

The Orchid Boy · #8 01-23-2013, 09:36 AM

So in s/h I won't have to worry about extra cooling of the roots or roots getting to cool, right?

silken · #9 01-23-2013, 10:37 AM

I have one that isn't in S/H but I keep it wet and in a saucer of shallow water most of the time. I got it a year ago from a friend who was too ill to care for his orchids anymore. It has a lot of growths but hadn't bloomed so I am thrilled to see the start of a spike just a few weeks ago! I use rain water for my Phrags and it is in the greenhouse where it gets quite warm in summer (90 or warmer) some days and cools down at night to likely 70F. Winter it is 65 in the day and 55 at night. I have it under a t5 light but not real close to it. Leaves are fairly dark green which I'm not sure is typical or maybe it could use more light.

isurus79 · #10 01-23-2013, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Orchid Boy

So in s/h I won't have to worry about extra cooling of the roots or roots getting to cool, right?

My Phrag. Mem. Dick Clements in s/h has no bottom heat and is putting out a ton of new roots right now. I've got a 9" spike on it as well (this is new since I got the plant) and I obtained this plant bareroot (nearly no root!!) in September 2012. I can post a pic if you want.