Compot (Paphiopedilums)

[NYCorchidman]

Hello, all those experienced seedling growers!

Have anyone of you grown paphiopedilum seedlings in a compot until they reached a flowering size?

Would that hinder the proper growth and development of the plants?

I know many paphs form a small colony in nature, although many of them might be just one big family via branching and so forth.

When I deflasked a bunch of seedlings, some were nearly inseperable with their roots tightly intertwined and even attached together, so I potted up these together in one pot. They have been growing well so far, but I'm guessing it'll only get more difficult to separate them as they each grow more and more roots of their own.

[Brooke]

They will get more entangled as they grow. When I am deflasking and the roots are intertwined I put them under water and kind of rock them back and forth to separate them.

Brooke

[NYCorchidman]

Oh, my, then, I'm screwed now!

When I took them out, I soaked them for a long time to "soften" them up, but it didn't help.

These "problematic" chids were the largest ones with lots of roots.

[littlefrog]

For me they always seem to grow faster as single pots. I kind of move from a big compot to 'mini' compots to individual pots as time goes by.

[NYCorchidman]

I'm just afraid to bother them around again.

It's just two big batches that are like that. Each batch has about five or six large seedlings whose roots are all mingled up and some attached together.

I tried to separate one, but then the whole plant came off the roots. I was so upset.

Now, how often do you pot up? Time frame.
I was thinking I could leave them all stuck together until they grow significantly more roots, so by then even if I lose some roots while separating them, they won't just come off the roots entirely and get ruined that way like some already did.

I still have a bunch of them, but these are the largest ones and I do not want to discard a single any more.
I want to see them all flower!

[littlefrog]

How often can you repot paph seedlings? Not as often as I should. You could easily repot them every six months and not set them back at all, they would probably grow faster that way. You need to use well moistened bark, I like to use a bit of older bark that has started to break down just a bit. If you put seedlings in dry bark mix and then water, they will probably survive but they won't be happy. But they will really take off if the roots can stay humid.

Sucks when they don't come apart. Don't force it, if two plants want to stay together, then let them. They will come apart eventually, or they won't.

[NYCorchidman]

Yeah, it sucks big time as I already lost a few trying to pull apart.

The thing is it's not like two stuck together, but the whole group (there are two groups like this) with about 5 seedlings are stuck together.

Oh, well. I think I'll just let them grow for a while this way. No other options for now.

I put about half of all the seedlings in sphag and the other half in a mix of sphag and bark.
Most of them are pushing new leaf, so I take that as a good sign for now.

[Fairorchids]

I deflasked 16-18 Paph flasks last year, and have done many more in the past.

With Paphs it is virtually impossible to separate seedlings straight out of the flask, without breaking half the tender 'flask roots'.

I remove as much agar as possible, by flushing with water, and if necessary by hand with a small bamboo stick. I do not go crazy trying to get 100% removal, 75-85% is good enough.

I plant them in one compot, making no effort to separate them. I use mix of chopped spaghnum with seedling bark, charcoal & perlite. When they have grown in, and developed stronger non-flask roots, they are easier to separate.

Depending upon how well they grow, they are ready for separation in 10-24 months. I recently split first two of my Aug 2013 compots (with seedlings up to 3.1/2" size).

This procedure was recommended by a commercial grower. However, he liked my compot mix better than his previous choice, so he adopted my mix.

[NYCorchidman]

I soaked mine in water for a while, but did not remove all the agar, which is also what I read.

Some of them are very small and not showing much activity but I'm learning to be patience. lol

I wish I had more space so I would buy more flasks, but oh, well... space is always the challenge in a city where the cost of living space is too much.

[JMNYC]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

I soaked mine in water for a while, but did not remove all the agar, which is also what I read.

Some of them are very small and not showing much activity but I'm learning to be patience. lol

I wish I had more space so I would buy more flasks, but oh, well... space is always the challenge in a city where the cost of living space is too much.

Truer words were never spoken!

---------- Post added at 05:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:02 PM ----------

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Yeah, it sucks big time as I already lost a few trying to pull apart.

The thing is it's not like two stuck together, but the whole group (there are two groups like this) with about 5 seedlings are stuck together.

Oh, well. I think I'll just let them grow for a while this way. No other options for now.

I put about half of all the seedlings in sphag and the other half in a mix of sphag and bark.
Most of them are pushing new leaf, so I take that as a good sign for now.

Yes, a VERY good sign! Re the separation, it requires a deft but light touch re the gentle teasing apart of the roots. I think good surgeons have this capacity.

And, congrats!
______________________________
Edit: can you make some pics and put them up? I, and bet all of us, would love to see the reality of this wondrous project!

---------- Post added at 05:12 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:04 PM ----------

Originally Posted by littlefrog

For me they always seem to grow faster as single pots. I kind of move from a big compot to 'mini' compots to individual pots as time goes by.

Luv yr signature!