Close to blooming Paph and travel (also other plants)

[naturalistSean]

My wife would like to visit her family up in Germany for a week after Christmas and I've a few plants that I'm unsure what to do with. Of course Omicron may end the possibility of travel undoubtedly making the plants happier.

Of primary concern in this Paph. sukhakulii. This will be the first chance for me to see it blooming. What would give it a better chance? Traveling by car for 10 hours each way, and a week in conditions that are probably quite different, or leaving it here without getting watered for a week?

I've also a mounted Dendrobium tetragonum (not giganteum) that I've been unable to get to bloom. It recently finished growing two new psuedobulbs and has been very thirsty every day. I've been keeping it in a cooler stairwell. I'll almost certainly bring this along as it is very dry every morning and seems to require daily watering. Then again I've heard that they may benefit from a dryer winter period.

I've an oncidium that has been sitting with buds for a very long time. I'd have to bring this one too I think.

Probably my other plants will do reasonably well for a week considering that it is winter. Although I'm not enthusiastic about going on this trip one silver lining is that I'll be within a 40 minute drive to Schwerter.

[Shadeflower]

should be fine taking those with you.

Great orchids, have been thinking about geting the sukhakulii but I read it was a warm grower that put me off?

Your twinkle is really going for it with so few pseudobulbs. I hope that doesn't drain it too much.

Carry on fertilizing it weakly if you can.

[naturalistSean]

Thanks Shadeflower. I worry about all the abuse it might suffer on the trip (2 adults, 2 children and 2 dogs) in addition to temperature and light fluctuation but those worries need to be weighed against no water for a week.

The shukakulii seems to be very forgiving. Currently it sits on a SSE facing windowsill with a temperature range of about 19-22. The windowsill is wide and it sits on the indoor side, somewhat shaded by other plants. In addition to the bud, offshoots are currently producing new leaves.

That oncidium (Oncidium Chiou Pin 'Chian Tzy Yangtze') should really have been repotted but I've been waiting for it to finish flowering. It's growing roots like crazy but has run out of room. Had I known flowering would take this long I would have gone ahead with repotting when it was in spike earlier.

Thank you again for your response and advice Shadeflower!

[Roberta]

If you can hydrate it, the Paph would probably be better off staying home. I'd put it in a little dish with some water - not the best way to water a Paph long term, but if you soak it well and set in water, it'll likely stay moist for the duration. If it opens while you're gone, it should still be in bloom when you get back.

The Dentetragonum probably is OK either way. If you want to leave it home, perhaps give it a good soaking (2-3 hours) to get it well-hydrated. Then a week of drying out should do it no harm, especially if cool. While it may not need a winter rest, it can certainly tolerate some drying. Might even help.

[naturalistSean]

Thank you very much Roberta! That sounds like good advice, there are just so many things that can go wrong traveling. I took some plants along on vacation last summer and they really got banged around.
I'm so grateful for getting advice from someone with such extensive orchid growing experience. Thank you very much!

[Shadeflower]

I was contemplating to advise to package them well in a box, thinking if he doesn't he might blame me for a spike breaking off.
But then I thought nah, he wouldn't just chuck em in the boot to get banged around would he?
If that were the case and the folks in law have little kids and dogs then it might be better to leave them at home like Roberta says.

The oncidium twinkle hybrid and the sukhakulii will be fine for a week so just take the dendrobium then

[naturalistSean]

Thanks Shadeflower. It's not the inlaws, it's my own immediate family that includes my wife, two young sons, and two little rescue doggies. This is a tough environment for orchids, more so when we all get in the same vehicle together!
Don't worry, I'd not blame anyone else for my ineptitude. I just look for advice, it's up to me to follow it or not. I'm grateful for anyone with experience chiming in. Thanks again!

[Roberta]

The Den is the least likely to be harmed by drying out... Den tetragonum is a tough little Aussie Den, the drying out might even be beneficial, won't be harmful.

[Burgos]

There are these pots with a kind of gel that you spread on top on the soil and it hydrates the plants. Look for them at the supermarket and give that paph some. It's a much better option than taking it for a trip

[Roberta]

Products designed for plants that grow in soil I don't think I'd use on orchids... a good soaking, plus some water in a dish under the pot, should be plenty of hydration for a little over a week.