Is that a flower spyke?

[rodrigo]

I de-flasked some "Stoneheaven Cooksbridge" Standard Cymbidiums on Oct. 2008 I imported from Australia.

Now, after 2 years, my most vigorous specimen is at the 3 bulb stage and growing!

But about 2 weeks ago, a fat, very purple "shoot" has started emerging!

I do not want to get over-enthusiastic thinking that this is a flower spike, after only 2 years? In the tropics? Come on!

But every day, I look at it and it seems different from a foliage shoot. So I just want your advice on this one to be certain I'm not fooling myself.

Here are 2 close-up pictures of the 2 shoots, there is one that for certain is a foliage shoot, but how about the other fat one?





Any help to gain certainty here will be very much appreciated.

Rodrigo

PS. Sorry for not being patient enough as a good gardener should

[trdyl]

The growth on the right should be a flower spike.

[orchids3]

Is that (Stonehaven X Cooksbridge) ? I agree it sure looks like a flower spike on the right. I grow cymbidiums in N, Florida & although certain species do pretty well here - many that are not supposed to do - bloom very well. It seems like the only real way to find out is to grow the plant and find out.
It looks like you are using some kind of pebble mix.
Could you comment on that?

[rodrigo]

HI orchids3

Originally Posted by orchids3

Is that (Stonehaven X Cooksbridge) ?

Yes, do you have any genealogy on this particular hybrid?
If that new growth is indeed a flower spike, I have a reason to drink a huge beer .
I de-flasked that hybrid one year and 10 months ago. And, its being getting no chills all its life, so that hybrid could well be a new Heat Tolerant Cymbidium discovery
Any info on this hybrid would be greatly appreciated.
I have never even seen a photo of the flowers

Originally Posted by orchids3

It looks like you are using some kind of pebble mix.
Could you comment on that?

Yes, that is my "local" attempt to compose a simple, fast draining, sterile, non-degradable, recyclable substrate for Cymbidiums

It's is:
50% semi-coarse volcanic red rock (very porous)
50% semi-coarse charcoal
1 spoonful of slow release 9/3 month fertilizer.

You are seeing my "fine" version here, I use a coarser version for much bigger cymbs.

It works very well for me!

Regards,

Rodrigo

[orchids3]

I use a gravel mix for my cymbidiums as well. The gravel I use is Stalite - a light weight aggregated prduced to be used with concrete for precast structures. I am having good luck with it in my wet climate and use it with crushed seashell and dolomite lime at the rate of 1 tablespoon/ gal. I put a little coconut husk chips on top - it looks better and slows down liquid fertilizer a little. The people growing in drier climates might not have such good luck with it.

[rodrigo]

Originally Posted by orchids3

use it with crushed seashell and dolomite

I was pondering whether it would be a good idea to throw something into my substrate to raise the PH a little.
So far I'm doing OK without it, but so many people and literature emphasize that cymbs like being on the "basic" PH side.
What is your opinion here?
I can get seashells really easy around here. How about the salts? Do you wash it? How?
Seashells have lots of calcium already, why do you use dolomite AND seashells?
Wouldn't be sufficient just one or the other?

Originally Posted by orchids3

I put a little coconut husk chips on top - it looks better and slows down liquid

A local friend of mine always insists I should add coconut husk to my Cymb substrate. He says that the husk degrades very slowly and that by the time you have to re-pot (3-4 years) the coconut would still there. But, I have had resistance to this material for the mere fact that it is organic and it degrades, I want a substrate that I can recycle over and over.

Additionally, as you mention, CC husk holds way too much water for a tropical environment like mine. Better to get that water in and out as fast as possible around here. Fast draining for cymbs. During rainy season (right now is raining ) all fungi are having a party around here!

Thanks for the great info on the PM.

Regards,

Rodrigo

[Cym Ladye]

Originally Posted by rodrigo

HI orchids3

Yes, that is my "local" attempt to compose a simple, fast draining, sterile, non-degradable, recyclable substrate for Cymbidiums

It's is:
50% semi-coarse volcanic red rock (very porous)
50% semi-coarse charcoal
1 spoonful of slow release 9/3 month fertilizer.

Rodrigo

Rodrigo,

Be very cautious with the use of red lava rock. It has a huge appetite for absorbing calcium and other salts and then becomes toxic to the Cymbidium roots when they come in contact with it. It may work OK for a year or if you have relatively pure water, but waiting to repot any longer than one year is asking for trouble. I certainly would never consider recycling it back to an orchid use.

Many Northern California Cymbidium hobbyists used it 15-20 years ago and almost lost their collections until the problem was discovered.

CL

[orchids3]

Your comment about lava rock is interesting. I have used it in the botttom of pots to promote drainage. It was always replaced when I repotted. I did note that roots didnt seem to like it much. Am really having good luck with stalite but am watching it closely. Several commercial growers are using it here in Florida including one big lady slipper grower. No one has reported a problem yet. Guessing that the chemical makeup of lava rock is just much differant.

[Rosiefuture]

Hi Rodrigo, I live in Australia and I grow a lot of cymbidiums. I would agree that the shoot on the left is a new growth and the larger one at the front is a spike. Would love to see it when it blooms.

[Bobfharris]

Hi Rodrigo
I probably grow in conditions closer to what you have than anyone on this list (I'm in Hawaii)

At sea level with 150 inches of rain.

I do use the coconut chips and I do not recommend you recycle any media as virus and fungus and bacteria will abound if you do

What I do is a mix of 40% coconut chips, adjusted for the size of the pot (1/4 inch for 2-4" pot, 1/2 inch for 5" to 6" pot and 1" for 3 gallon pots

I add 40% bark- a mix of Orchiata in the bark is excellent. Orchiata (New Zealand) pine bark will not break down in 3 years. I repot all the young orchids on a 6month to 1 year basis, and then blooming size every 2-3 years.

I also add 20% perlite (sponge rock) to the plants 6" and smaller pots.
I use a layer of Styrofoam on the bottom of all but the largest pots. I have excellent drainage and no rot if you repot timely

I do add a mix (1/3 of each) of 6 oz each (by volume) of #10 dolomite, #65 dolomite and gypsum.

Complex in a sense but I get really really really good growth that way and very little rot here in Hawaii. I've tried all sorts of lava cinder and forget it. The roots will be ok at first but with time it's not good for the root growth. Cymbidium growing is first about the root growth. Feed the roots and you will have healthy plants. Ignore the roots and they may look good at first but will keel over and die later as Cym Ladye indicates. If you see decline, repot, even if you have to trim off all the roots.

Originally Posted by rodrigo

A local friend of mine always insists I should add coconut husk to my Cymb substrate. He says that the husk degrades very slowly and that by the time you have to re-pot (3-4 years) the coconut would still there. But, I have had resistance to this material for the mere fact that it is organic and it degrades, I want a substrate that I can recycle over and over.

Additionally, as you mention, CC husk holds way too much water for a tropical environment like mine. Better to get that water in and out as fast as possible around here. Fast draining for cymbs.

Rodrigo