Stanhopea tigrina nigroviolacea 'The Predator' FCC/AOS arrived!

[JScott]

My first little flower spikes are starting to emerge! There's only four so far (last year it had 8), but they're so tiny right now, I'm sure it's just getting started and more will follow. I would have posted a picture, but they really are too small to get a good, clear pic.

I think I'll leave it outside until the spikes are a couple inches long (it seems like in the past they have started to blast at about 3 or 4 inches), then I'll bring it inside and see if they flowers will develop in the cooler air. If that doesn't work, I have a whole year to figure out what to do with it next year haha.

[Jinh]

Have you been watering more than once a day in this heat wave? I’ve left my 2 outside in the shade and hose them down every morning, but I think I may need to water them more than once a day.

Originally Posted by JScott

My first little flower spikes are starting to emerge! There's only four so far (last year it had 8), but they're so tiny right now, I'm sure it's just getting started and more will follow. I would have posted a picture, but they really are too small to get a good, clear pic.

I think I'll leave it outside until the spikes are a couple inches long (it seems like in the past they have started to blast at about 3 or 4 inches), then I'll bring it inside and see if they flowers will develop in the cooler air. If that doesn't work, I have a whole year to figure out what to do with it next year haha.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by Jinh

Have you been watering more than once a day in this heat wave? I’ve left my 2 outside in the shade and hose them down every morning, but I think I may need to water them more than once a day.

I water at least twice a day. Morning and early evening. Occasionally if the day is especially hot, I'll water them a third time in the heat of the afternoon.

Please note, I am not a Stanhopea expert. Everything I know about these plants has come from trial and error and tips from other members, all regarding this one, single plant. My entire body of Stanhopea knowledge comes from one plant. I have learned so much from members here, and my plant grows great and seems to be flourishing, but in three years I have yet to successful bloom it, so keep that mind if I give you any advice haha.

[estación seca]

Even indoors in the Huntington Gardens orchid greenhouse curator Brandon Tam has the Stanhopeas watered twice daily with an automatic drip system. They are planted in sphagnum moss in baskets.

[Jinh]

Yeah, it’s been quite brutal here with the heat index hitting 115 some days. Mine have been growing well enough and I’m quite certain they are blooming size - but no sign of any blooms.

Originally Posted by estación seca

Even indoors in the Huntington Gardens orchid greenhouse curator Brandon Tam has the Stanhopeas watered twice daily with an automatic drip system. They are planted in sphagnum moss in baskets.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by Jinh

Yeah, it’s been quite brutal here with the heat index hitting 115 some days. Mine have been growing well enough and I’m quite certain they are blooming size - but no sign of any blooms.

Haha hey Jinh, I just noticed we both live in DFW, so we have about the same weather and growing conditions

[Roberta]

That heat is nasty! I looked up the award for 'Predator' - it was grown somewhat inland (about 10 miles) so warmer that where I live but summer temps not hitting triple digits all that often. And the award was given near the end of June (so nights still cool and days fairly temperate) I did see it that evening, really impressive! Interesting, I have a fairly small (recovering and growing but when I got it fairly pathetic) division of the mother plant, and a couple of selfings of it, and mine always bloom in mid- to late July. But again, I'm closer to the coast so more temperate, typical days rarely hitting 90 F and nights typically in the mid-to-high 60's F. At the Huntington (farther inland) days are hot, triple digits F not uncommon, but even there nights do cool off. Nothing like Texas summer, unfit for man or beast or orchid especially this year.

[Jinh]

I’m actually in Arlington! So we are probably just on opposite sides of 360. I had noticed you were over in Grand Prairie, so I’d thought I’d ask about how you had been growing yours.

Originally Posted by JScott

Haha hey Jinh, I just noticed we both live in DFW, so we have about the same weather and growing conditions

---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------

Even our nightly lows have been breaking records. 😭😭😭 The past week pretty much hasn’t been dropping below 80 at night with 80% RH. Quite stifling.

We typically keep our house cool at night, like 64. I wonder if it would be worth bringing them in at night or if that would just be more stressful. I have terrible lighting in my house and with as hot as it is, I really don’t want to turn on grow lights to add to the heat.

Originally Posted by Roberta

That heat is nasty! I looked up the award for 'Predator' - it was grown somewhat inland (about 10 miles) so warmer that where I live but summer temps not hitting triple digits all that often. And the award was given near the end of June (so nights still cool and days fairly temperate) I did see it that evening, really impressive! Interesting, I have a fairly small (recovering and growing but when I got it fairly pathetic) division of the mother plant, and a couple of selfings of it, and mine always bloom in mid- to late July. But again, I'm closer to the coast so more temperate, typical days rarely hitting 90 F and nights typically in the mid-to-high 60's F. At the Huntington (farther inland) days are hot, triple digits F not uncommon, but even there nights do cool off. Nothing like Texas summer, unfit for man or beast or orchid especially this year.

[Roberta]

I'd be inclined to just bring it in. Less-than-ideal light for a relatively short time isn't likely to be a problem. I'd worry more about temperature. These are fairly low-light plants. Andy Phillips grows Stans in a shady, even dark, area. Low light over an extended time might slow it down a bit, but those temperatures have the potential to do serious damage fairly quickly.

[JScott]

[QUOTE=Jinh;1005398]I’m actually in Arlington! So we are probably just on opposite sides of 360. I had noticed you were over in Grand Prairie, so I’d thought I’d ask about how you had been growing yours.

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---------- Post added at 05:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:41 PM ----------

Yes, I live just on the Grand Prairie side of 360. I can be in Arlington is 5 minutes or less haha. Good to know there's someone here close enough to experience the same weather patters as I do, so we can compare notes about what works for us in our tiny part of the world, and what doesn't work.