Surprise! - Orchid Board

Subrosa · #1 02-22-2016, 05:08 PM

Just discovered this on my Gongora fulva. I can't believe I missed this long enough for it to get this far along! I need to pay better attention to my plants!

gngrhill · #2 02-22-2016, 07:41 PM

I have had a few sneak up on me like that, too. Congrats on the spike. Please post when you have blooms.

bethmarie · #3 02-23-2016, 03:28 PM

oooh... very cool spike.

Rothrock42 · #4 02-24-2016, 02:34 AM

Wow. That is awesome and a very pleasant surprise.

katrina · #5 02-24-2016, 08:31 AM

Yep...I've had them sneak up on me too. And I look regularly too!

SFLguy · #6 02-24-2016, 09:14 AM

Mind if I ask how you grow your Gongora?

Subrosa · #7 02-24-2016, 10:23 AM

In my growing conditions I find Gongora to be among the easiest of my plants. And I don't mean just my orchids, I mean all my potted plants. Quite simply they're in baskets of sphagnum lined with coconut fiber, I keep them constantly moist and try to not let them get under 60°F. As soon as the temps are good and the trees in my backyard are fully leafed out they go out in a fairly bright situation where they don't get any direct sun. I check daily and water as needed with rain water and fertilize weekly while they're outside with a 1/5 tsp per gal solution. Last year I was using BetterGro, this year I'm using K-Lite. Of course plants receive natural rainfall as well, which provides flushing I guess. When temps drop in the fall they come in and just hang in the windows. The galeata is in a SE facing window that's under an overhang. It gets some direct sun early, then bright shade. The others are in NW facing windows that get a bit of direct sun at the end of the day. I cut way back on fertilizer but maintain even moisture. Occasionally I let my galeata get a bit drier than the others, but never dry. So far I've successfully bloomed all of mine, excepting the fulva I got from OB member DaveS which my cat ate. So far I've grown galeata, fulva, and rufescens. And I'm always looking for portentosa.........

No-Pro-mwa · #8 02-24-2016, 11:22 AM

What a nice surprise.

SFLguy · #9 02-24-2016, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subrosa

In my growing conditions I find Gongora to be among the easiest of my plants. And I don't mean just my orchids, I mean all my potted plants. Quite simply they're in baskets of sphagnum lined with coconut fiber, I keep them constantly moist and try to not let them get under 60°F. As soon as the temps are good and the trees in my backyard are fully leafed out they go out in a fairly bright situation where they don't get any direct sun. I check daily and water as needed with rain water and fertilize weekly while they're outside with a 1/5 tsp per gal solution. Last year I was using BetterGro, this year I'm using K-Lite. Of course plants receive natural rainfall as well, which provides flushing I guess. When temps drop in the fall they come in and just hang in the windows. The galeata is in a SE facing window that's under an overhang. It gets some direct sun early, then bright shade. The others are in NW facing windows that get a bit of direct sun at the end of the day. I cut way back on fertilizer but maintain even moisture. Occasionally I let my galeata get a bit drier than the others, but never dry. So far I've successfully bloomed all of mine, excepting the fulva I got from OB member DaveS which my cat ate. So far I've grown galeata, fulva, and rufescens. And I'm always looking for portentosa.........

Hmm how do they respond to repotting?
How big are the baskets?
Did you soak the coconut husks before to get rid of any salts?

Subrosa · #10 02-24-2016, 12:11 PM

The plant was divided and repotted last summer. There are a total of 3 spikes so far. The baskets are 12" diameter, which is a bit big for the fulva and galeata and much more so for the rufescens. Since they like constant moisture it isn't a problem, and reduces the need for watering. I did not pre rinse the coconut fiber, although it is well flushed by now.