Brassada Mirvada & Epidendrum prismatocarpum x Encyclia cochleata (Anyone?) - Orchid Board

Blueszz · #1 10-07-2009, 06:26 PM

Today I ordered 2 plants from an eBay vendor. I might get them after the weekend. Before the purchase I lookup up if I could provide the right conditions for these plants.
I also searched on several forums if I could find some specific cultural advise, not with much luck. I hope one of you can tell me how you culture these plants?

Always great to hear from others how they grow their plants.

BTW the plants I ordered are small and might not bloom within a year.

Nicole

orchidsamore · #2 10-08-2009, 08:35 AM

Brsa. Mivada (Ada. aurantiaca x Brs. brachiata) is a spider orchid hybrid. Treat it like any other oncidium intergeneric hybrid.

Medium to low light (2-2500 foot candles) and allow to dry between waterings. It should be easy to grow.

The cochleata has been renamed to Prosthechea cochleata. The Epi prismatocarpum also is now Prosthechea prismatocarpum. The hybrid is registered as Prosthechea Elfin. I also grow these the same as oncidium intergenerics. They are slower growing.

Be very careful if this is a vendor that ships bareroot. These plants should not be shipped bare root.

Blueszz · #3 10-08-2009, 08:58 AM

Hello Jerry, thanks :-) Didn't know about the name changes and that it's a registered cross. Very helpfull post! Thank you.

If I'm right the vendor doesn't ship bare root, sold many plants over years and only found one neutral feedback, no negatives. I hope everyting goes well for the plants to arrive here. I'll contact him and ask if he sends bare root and to send them potted as I prefer that, just in case.

Thanks Nicole

Blueszz · #4 10-08-2009, 08:05 PM

Jerry, I contacted the vendor and he confirmed he always ships his plants potted. Can't wait, they are traveling to me right now. :-)

Do you have pictures from your plants, even when they are not in bloom? If you have to make them only for this post, don't mind, but if you have them available it would be great to see them.

Nicole

Blueszz · #5 10-14-2009, 11:48 AM

I received the plants yesterday. Young but strong plants (I knew they were young). The vendor always ships the plants potted. At arrival I unpotted and even the moss plug was removed from the center. Plants packed very well too. So, I'm happy! I potted them up in the coco husk they were potted in as it was in great shape.
Plants arived just in time as we have an unexpected cold period with frost during the nights!

Nicole

Brenda Aarts · #6 10-14-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orchidsamore

Be very careful if this is a vendor that ships bareroot. These plants should not be shipped bare root.

Jerry, just curious as to why plants should not be shipped bare root. It seems to be a common practice and I wondered if you had bad experiences with it??

orchidsamore · #7 10-14-2009, 01:50 PM

I should have limited the bare root statement to young plants especially plug tray plants that are removed from the trays for shipping. They dry too fast and seedlings should not be allowed to dry for very long.

I have bought thousands of plugs like this bare root but it is my business and I know what to expect and how to handle them. Losses with best care is around 10-15%.
If bare root seedlings are delayed and dry further losses can mount up quickly.

There is one Ebay grower that ships bare root after buying them from Hawaii bare root. They are shipped without any additional care so they are dry for about a week. Too long for seedlings.

The worst part is the plants will not look dead but fail to grow for about a year and then die. I have a few for experimental purposes that are 4 years old and still seeding size. They look alive but never grow roots or leaves.

The growers shipping wholesale bare root are giving price and other considerations to me to offset the problems.

Wholesalers that ship me bare root seedlings can cull a tray that is doing badly they can take some that look good and ship them whereas if I saw the tray I would not buy any.

Whenever possible I like to buy the entire tray. These plants arrive in much better condition and can remain in the trays for a week or two until we have time to handle them. Bare root plugs need to be potted immediately.

Now bare root divisions are exactly the opposite especially Cattleya. When we divide a Cattleya we leave the cuttings on the tables for 1-4 weeks until we have time to pot them. The first week allows the cuts to harden reducing the risk of disease.

We have been experimenting with divisions and find that if we leave them until new roots begin they do even better.

We are removing almost all the roots on our divisions to force new root growth. This is a commercial decision. Some deaths are acceptable and we prefer they die on us rather than a customer.

Potting divisions immediately runs the risk of disease. Allowing them to harden reduces the risk.

Blueszz · #8 10-14-2009, 02:53 PM

Good question Brenda, thanks for your answer Jerry. Always great to learn from others, especially about young plants and divisions.
When I read this, seems my young plants should be OK. Besides the roots from the plug it grew new ones and I see new growth which will put out new growths in 'short' time. Gives me a good feeling.

Brenda Aarts · #9 10-14-2009, 06:22 PM

Great explanation Jerry, thankyou. Can't believe that you leave the cat divisions out for so long with no problem. Proves how tough they are, guess that's why I grow them mainly. Another question Jerry, do you sell to the public in the Ft. Myers area? We were orchid touring last April in the Cape Coral/Ft. Myers/Bonita Springs area...we visit the area once a year normally in March. Although, due to changes in rules at the border, I will have to behave myself as far as orchid shopping this year.

Thanks again for the info.