Alan Koch: Cattleyas 365, 24/7 June 18 2020

[isurus79]

Great summary, thanks! That advice on alaorii is crucial to me. I've been scratching my head about why I can't seem to get that one to do well.

[SaraJean]

Thank you for letting all of us know about that talk and posting your summary! I’ll be sure to watch the beginning that I missed, but I did join in right when he was talking about C. aclandiae. Boy, did that make me sit up and take note. I have a few aclandiaes (I really can’t stop myself from buying those seedlings. they’re so cute!), they grow well but I’ve had a hard time blooming. All I’ve been hearing is “more light, more light, more light!” from everyone and their mother. As soon as he said that he grows them in less light, and explained the bit about it spending it’s energy cooling off instead of blooming, it felt like a lightbulb went off in my head.

Super high light for that species might work great in many areas. Living where I do with very long, very hot days, and without the benefit of some sort of nighttime cool down that many people get, I can see where that could cause a problem. That, combined with what you mentioned on my cucumerinum post about it being potentially sunburnt, definitely has me thinking about my light levels over the past week. I have an area up on the balcony that I could add an extra layer of shade cloth cover and see how that works with a couple of my aclandiaes. They would still get a nice long duration of light, but also less intensity. I’ll leave a few where they are currently growing but it is worth trying out!

I also completely agree that C. intermedia is pretty darn bulletproof. I don’t think I want to test out the 17°, but I had no clue that it could handle temps even half that low. It certainly doesn’t sniff at high temps. This is one I might be able to grow outdoors year round, and lord knows, I always appreciate that.

The alaorii is one of my better growers and bloomers. I’ve had the same experience of it taking a small break from blooming at the tail end of winter, and blooming off of every new growth afterwards for 9 to 10 months. Super vigorous plant. But I’ve been hesitant to buy any alaorii hybrids. I just couldn’t see how that flower shape would turn out. With him mentioning how it easily passes on that dominant trait of multiple blooms a year, I’m sold!

Looks like you picked up some awsome stuff! That Pleuro with its kissing slug flowers is great. I really can’t wait for my order from him to come in next week

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by isurus79

Great summary, thanks! That advice on alaorii is crucial to me. I've been scratching my head about why I can't seem to get that one to do well.

Thanks! Oh, I'm not done! I got almost everything in my notes.

[Roberta]

Video is up, on the home page.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by SaraJean

But I’ve been hesitant to buy any alaorii hybrids. I just couldn’t see how that flower shape would turn out.

Buy some! Alaorii has a really great habit of simply miniaturizing the other parent. The only alaorii trait that seems to come through is a smaller flower/plant and some cupping of the flower.

Cattleya percivaliana 'Merril' AM/AOS x Laelia alaorii 'SVO II'

[farley101]

Very interesting info in this video! I've got some plants from SVO that are almost totally purple, either the pseudobulbs or the back of the leaves. I'll have to bring them indoors with the phals and see if that fades out. Lots to take in from this presentation!

[rbarata]

Rupicolous Laelias - rsbarata, hope you're reading. He has been growing them in tight clay pots with aquarium gravel, and a layer of sphagnum moss on the surface, to mimic the leaf litter in habitat. He said to promote flowering, if there is no risk of frost, mist them in the evening only during the winter, so evaporation will drop the temperature. Low winter temperatures are important for flowering. His suggestion to mist in the evening in winter helped some Hawaii growers to get them to flower.

Thank you, ES, for your detailed notes.
Some time ago, when I started with rupis, I was given some directions from a friend (the owner of the larger orchid collection in my country) about potting them.

She gave me two options:

- Clay pot
Gravel, LEKA or any other kind of inert medium mixed with a small amount of sphagnum (< 20% in volume) and a layer of sphagnum at the bottom.

- Plastic pot
The same as for plastic pots but the sphagnum layer is put on top of the medium (same sugestion as Alan's).

So, basically, the difference is related with pot material and its capacity to retain humidity that determines where to put the sphagnum layer so that humidity can be "trapped".

I could not see the video as it was too late for me on a working day but later I remembered that I could have asked those who attended to ask some questions about Laelia tenebrosa.
Do you have any notes about it?

Is there any place where the video is available?

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Is there any place where the video is available?

The video is on their facebook page: Desert Valley Orchid Society was live. - Desert Valley Orchid Society

I wonder if anyone grows rupis similar to how they grow in the wild: a clay pot filled with rocks and dirt. I think I'd do it that way I ever grew them.

[rbarata]

Thank you Isurus

I wonder if anyone grows rupis similar to how they grow in the wild: a clay pot filled with rocks and dirt. I think I'd do it that way I ever grew them.

Dirt must be some kind of organic material so they can get nutrients and moisture.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by isurus79

I wonder if anyone grows rupis similar to how they grow in the wild: a clay pot filled with rocks and dirt. I think I'd do it that way I ever grew them.

The approach I use is very similar...in a clay pot I put down a layer of rocks (small gravel). Then a very thin layer of sphag, just to hold back the next layer which is a small layer of potting soil, and then finish it off with another layer of gravel. They grow quite well for me.

My bigger problem with the rupis is that they tend to stay too wet in winter because they're outside and get rained on and watered. (I may try moving them to another spot next winter)