Mary ellen Carter 'Dixie Hummingbird" is growing up fast

[johnblagg]

now in her third year since I bought her in a 2 inch pot she is ready for a upgrade from the 6 inch container into a 9 1/2 inch home so here we go.......

Thought about splitting her but lol she has not bloomed yeat and she is doing great so I figure Ill go for a huge plant and the first bloom should be awesome.she is due to bloom any time now

[fotofashion]

And this is what may await you....in spite of our horribly hot, dry summer.
Beverly A.

[Oscarman]

Lovely flowers!

Originally Posted by fotofashion

And this is what may await you....in spite of our horribly hot, dry summer.
Beverly A.

[johnblagg]

lol I certinly hope so ....very nice

[Bud]

WOW! from a 2 inches pot to 9 and a half in 3 yrs...its becoming a large specimen and it will give you a spectacular show of blooms someday...good growing !

[isurus79]

Wow, those roots look VERY healthy!

[Merlyn]

I know it's in the Cattleya alliance but what's the genus name ?

[johnblagg]

lol now that is one youl have to tell me since it used to be a lc, and actually Im not that concerned with genus names lol Im sure if you google Mary ellen carter "dixie hummingbird' you will get the same info I would and without a copy of orchid whiz to refrence I am not even attempting to post a corrected name .

Its a c. or a lc. but the tag told me lc. 3 years ago
so lc. it is for me

Actually untill it blooms and looks like it is supposed to it could be something totaly different from what the tag said even

---------- Post added at 04:53 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:40 AM ----------

Originally Posted by isurus79

Wow, those roots look VERY healthy!

thank you I was a little concerned that she had a root problem because the new growths suddenly went down in size and since she had new roots emerging it was time to move her up and take care of anything ....

she had some old dead roots in the very center but they were just that and no rot and not that many at that

[silken]

That's absolutely a beautiful and healthy looking plant! And when I saw fotofashion's blooms is had to go on my wish list! so is yours grown in S/H? Can't wait for the show that will put on!

[johnblagg]

Originally Posted by silken

That's absolutely a beautiful and healthy looking plant! And when I saw fotofashion's blooms is had to go on my wish list! so is yours grown in S/H? Can't wait for the show that will put on!

It was grown In s/h from the day I got it but I just went to just hydrotron because I dont have a container this big that will be good for s/h and hyrdotron and plenty of water will do just fine ,lol in fact maybe a bit better since the roots are so long the tips seem to be unhappy at the bottom.

I may find a smaller container to sit the new one in to act as a reservoir, and after a few days of staying dryer to let the roots heal from the move, go back to s/h since it loves s/h so much.

---------- Post added at 12:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:30 PM ----------

Originally Posted by tucker85

That's a healthy, well grown cattleya. It seems like it should be blooming at that size. Just a suggestion, you might want to give it a little more light and less fertilizer if this is the blooming season for that cross. Especially less nitrogen. Some orchids will grow more foliage and no flowers when lots of nitrogen is available. Good luck.

I think she just needs one more season of growth since it was a 3 to 4 year from bloom size plant when I bought it ....as for the fertilizer she had absolutly none all summer out side and is a late summer - late winter bloom season .

she has several new leads right now and "kick myself for clumsy" I did break one off during the move,but they may well make sheaths since only one has unfolded so far and there is a very good possibility she may make her first bloom any time.

I have had no issues with any of my other chids blooming on my fert schedual so far and in fact have one den that bloomed over and over all year and has been in bloom now 6 months non stop and almost every chid that has bloomed has done so at least twice this year. So I dont think that is affecting her blooming,she just isnt ready yet age wise.

---------- Post added at 12:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:38 PM ----------

and lol just showing off a bit this was her on Jan 23 2010 so just under 2 years later she is a monster

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...8-dixie-1.html