Fdk After Dark "Sunset Valley Orchids" - Orchid Board

orchidsarefun · #1 08-03-2018, 11:30 AM

I've posted extensively on my fdks, mainly around early watering - that is watering lightly even in dormancy.
The prime objective was to get them to bloom early, maybe as soon as October. Normal blooming for them here in Chicago is in December. ( For me )
Well it's prime growth time right now. The biggest bulb is over 12 inches long and is fattening up - a sign of maturity. I'm hoping for early blooms, it'll be great for me as I am space challenged indoors and these plants are giants.

orchidsarefun · #2 08-03-2018, 11:39 AM

A couple of notes
- those are in 2 separate pots. They are extra large because I've had them about 7 years and they really like my conditions.
- 8 bulbs in 1 pot, 7 in the other.
- I didn't repot in Spring
- used Osmocote granular fertilizer, roughly a teaspoon in Spring - and a couple more sprinkles since.
- a teaspoon of blood meal in Spring
- a teaspoon of bone meal in Spring and another this week

fishmom · #3 08-03-2018, 12:35 PM

You are getting great results!

isurus79 · #4 08-03-2018, 01:41 PM

They look great!

Roberta · #5 08-03-2018, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

I've posted extensively on my fdks, mainly around early watering - that is watering lightly even in dormancy.
The prime objective was to get them to bloom early, maybe as soon as October. Normal blooming for them here in Chicago is in December. ( For me )
Well it's prime growth time right now. The biggest bulb is over 12 inches long and is fattening up - a sign of maturity. I'm hoping for early blooms, it'll be great for me as I am space challenged indoors and these plants are giants.

It will bloom when it wants to... probably as it enters dormancy late in the year. So like or not, you will probably have to wait for the flowers. But the plant is growing beautifully... so that greatly increases the odds that it WILL bloom when the time is right. Some things you just can't control, go with the flow.

orchidsarefun · #6 09-15-2018, 01:24 PM

Update. I was correct about early maturity and spikes have started. The plant I watered sparingly throughout dormancy has 2 spikes. The other where I started watering about a month later has 2 maturing growths and spike nubbins starting. I'm probably going to remove the foliage next month when I bring them indoors. The Fdk's are just too big! Amost 4 feet across.

Roberta · #7 09-15-2018, 01:43 PM

I know they are monsters. But if all possible, keep the leaves until they show signs of fading, probably November or even December - they're generating the energy for blooming and to get the plant through the winter. It's always a balancing act between what is good for you and what is good for the plant, especially when you have to share living space with them. But if you can indulge the plant a little for a month or two, it will help make next year as good as this one.

orchidsarefun · #8 09-15-2018, 06:35 PM

I've never removed leaves before. As these are already yellowing, I'm thinking that by the end of next month, they'll be mostly gone. The plants are already 2 months ahead when compared to prior years so we are all happy. Besides a forced early dormancy may mean earlier wake up and that suits me fine.....time will tell.

Roberta · #9 09-15-2018, 06:42 PM

Sounds good. Yes, I was looking at the photo where the leaves still looked fantastic. But if they are starting to go now, in a month they will be pretty ratty if not already off, and no problem clipping them. I find that they do what they do when they want to do it. I am not sure that anybody knows what the trigger for "waking up" really is. Day length? Temperature? It would have to be subtle... these come from close enough to the equator that there are not big seasonal differences in day length. They break dormancy ahead of the rainy season... so somehow they can anticipate it. (And I don't think they consult Accuweather

)

orchidsarefun · #10 09-16-2018, 02:03 PM

I'm not sure if I agree with the grow as species grow thoughts, especially with multi-generation hybrids that are successfully grown in many conditions and media. I'm sure that many species we currently grow wouldn't survive in natural conditions as they've been "changed" so much. However that is not to say that a basic such as dormancy can be ignored. My pileatum is one that has a fly-by dormancy which would closely tie to tropical day length.
On the other hand maybe the theory that we all originally crawled out of the ocean may have some truth - it may explain why I have an affinity to any ocean, preferably warm.....😀