Rossioglossum Grande - Orchid Board

alsorchids · #1 11-01-2010, 11:20 PM

I am not the best photographer!, but here is a picture of Rossioglossum Grande. This is this orchids first blooms and they are about five inches wide. As a mature plant the blooms will average 8 to 10 and over 7 inches wide.

silken · #2 11-01-2010, 11:44 PM

Great growing! I have a Grande and a Rawdon Jestor that I have had for about a year. I was hoping I would have a spike about now but nothing so far. Any tips on how you get yours to bloom?

alsorchids · #3 11-02-2010, 12:04 AM

I wish I could say that I have done something special or different,but I have not as far as I know. I Fertilize with MSU At 1/2 Strength bi-weekly and I use fish emulsion with seaweed the alternate weeks. My other taller orchids are providing partial shade. Water twice a week in summer, much less in winter. Temps not below 60 degrees F. and this last summer it surprised me by doing just fine with highs of 85 degrees F. some days and very seldom up to 90 degrees F. This plant is tougher than I was lead to believe and has been in bloom for over two weeks now. Hope this helps!

silken · #4 11-02-2010, 02:04 AM

Thanks alsorchids. Maybe I don't fertilize enough. My winter temps go down to 60 at night and about 70 in the day. Sometimes higher at the moment if the sun is shining a lot. But summer can get in the high 90's and then cooling kicks in. Lows at night in the summer are likely around 68 to 72. I have them under two T5 lights about 2ft away as there are taller plants there too. They both have 4 or 5 pseudobulbs ranging from small to the last big fat one.

What are yours potted in? Mine are in medium bark and some charcoal and a few leca balls.

alsorchids · #5 11-02-2010, 08:24 PM

Hi Silken, Your two Rossioglossums sound like they are good size and healthy. Maybe its just a matter time until they bloom for you. In terms of potting medium I have a mix of perlite ,medium bark,and a little charcoal in with this orchid. In terms of Fertilizing I do not know your routine, what I am doing seems to work for me with most all my orchids.

silken · #6 11-02-2010, 09:14 PM

I usually did water 'weakly weekly' and the occasional pure water flush. But the place where I got them said to feed only every few weeks or they will turn into couch potatoes and just grow greenery and not bloom. So I cut back a bit.

They do look fairly healthy so I will just wait and see. We had a very strange summer here with very much rain and little sun or warmth. Even the vendor said theirs were late in blooming and some didn't spike so maybe that was partly the reason. I SOOOO want to see one or both of these bloom!

Thanks for the information. At least I don't think I am way off track in the care I give them.

alsorchids · #7 11-02-2010, 11:13 PM

Silken I was just reading on the Net where the usual reason for not blooming is a lack of bright lite (but not direct sun). Look under Rossioglossum Grande for more information. These orchids as you know are highly regarded by many growers and there is plenty of info on care and culture available. Best yet there even seems to be basic agreement on cultivation amongst all these Internet articles! Also I am glad for this thread, it has made me bone up on this plants care.

silken · #8 11-03-2010, 10:14 AM

Thanks alsorchids. I have the Baker's culture sheets for the Grande as well as have read a few others for Rossioglossum and thought I was following things quite close. 2 4ft HO T5's is a fair bit of light and I actually have 2 T12 bulbs in there too as it's an old T12 fixture with T5's mounted in. The T12 bulbs are old but still working although they will be less powerful than when new. I could swap them out for new ones. I've got in spike catts under there so it's fairly bright. The Rossioglossums don't seem to be burning and are a mid green colour. The Rawdon Jestor's pseudobulb looks about to burst and a few weeks ago grew visibly within a few days so I figured for sure a spike was coming, but.... Maybe a bit later in the winter. The Grande has a really fat pseudobulb, but the leaves at the top of it are not as happy (one turned yellow and came off. Overall the plant looks OK and other leaves are fine tho. There is still hope I think

alsorchids · #9 11-03-2010, 11:22 AM

Silken it sounds to me that your doing every thing you possibly can. Your bound to have success. I can understand your wanting to see the Grande bloom. I would feel the same why . Rawdon Jester as I am sure you know is a summer bloomer so you have both bases covered. By the why, there is a chance Grande could bloom in the spring. I enjoy these flowers enough that I now want to purchase a Rawdon Jester myself!

silken · #10 11-03-2010, 03:44 PM

I'll post a picture if I ever get one to bloom!