My new Cypripedium reginae... and it's just opened the second flower - Page 2 - Orchid Board

RosieC · #11 06-07-2010, 04:12 AM

Thanks Joe, we're having a right mix of weather here right now, but I was advised by the person I bought it from to keep it moist enough.

We shall see what happens, I'm just so excited to have one of these however long it lasts though

Hedge · #12 06-08-2010, 06:35 AM

It's lovely, Rosie! Are you going to plant it out or just restrict it to a pot so you can bring it in in winter? I am thinking about growing these directly in the ground as I am on very free draining soil, would love advise from other growers, please?

slipperfreak · #13 06-08-2010, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hedge

It's lovely, Rosie! Are you going to plant it out or just restrict it to a pot so you can bring it in in winter? I am thinking about growing these directly in the ground as I am on very free draining soil, would love advise from other growers, please?

I don't live in the UK but in a rather dry part of Canada, but I can tell you this: Cyps, especially big ones like reginae, like to be in the ground and will do their best that way. You have to use large pots if you grow them in containers, and because reginae has a large root system it can become difficult to accommodate. I do know that many people in the UK grow this species and others in the garden, and they mostly use inorganic media, with success. If you check out Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum - Index, you'll find threads on Cyps grown by UK gardeners. Also check out the old SRGC forum: Topics - SRGC Forum.

RosieC · #14 06-08-2010, 04:31 PM

I talked a lot to two guys on seperate stalls who were both selling this one and they both said you can plant them out if you have free draining soil but...

1. Growing in a plastic pot can help keep in the moisture during the summer months. One of them actually advised that I would find it easier to grow in a pot.

2. If you grow in the garden you need to find a way to cover them in the winter... not to keep them warm, but to stop them getting too wet. I mentioned that I had discussed with Joe before about them being able to stand the cold and they both said that the difference between Canada and the UK is the amount of moisture in the winter months. We have too much and they don't like the combination of cold and wet. One of them gave me the care sheet they have for Cyps and it talked about using ridge tiles to cover the ryzomes during the winter to keep out the water. Both of the guys I talked to said that if you can move them in to a grarage or greenhouse or shed over the winter then it allows you to control the water.

3. If growing in tubs you have to protect them from side frosts. While the can take the frosts from above they don't like the cold from the side. A larger pot/tub helps with this.

4. One way to grow in the garden is to mound up a large area with loose sand/soil and then use the in-organic medium in a smaller area within that. Using that method you can plant it above the level of the normal ground, helpful in places like mine where the soil is heavy clay.

Currently I have kept it in the pot it was sold in. The vendor said to contact him in the autum to repot somewhere else and he can supply the same in-organic mix it is in now. I have set the pot in to a bigger tub using gravel between the two pots, mainly to make sure the pot it was in does not fall over, because my Cym keeps doing that (I set the Cym in a bigger tub in the same way when I did this one).

I think I'm going to see how it goes and I may well change what I am doing now. We shall see, it will be a big learning curve

WhiteRabbit · #15 06-08-2010, 04:35 PM

Rosie - it's lovely! I hope it does well for you - and am definitely interested to see how it goes - keep us updated please!

Tindomul · #16 06-09-2010, 11:28 AM

Gorgeous Rosy!!! WoW. I love these cyps!

Angurek · #17 06-11-2010, 04:50 PM

I love it. The foliage looks nice, too.

RosieC · #18 06-12-2010, 05:04 AM

Thanks Carl.

I was worried because we had some REALLY heavy rain a couple of days ago, but the flowers seem to have survived it

Hedge · #19 06-12-2010, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RosieC

3. If growing in tubs you have to protect them from side frosts. While the can take the frosts from above they don't like the cold from the side. A larger pot/tub helps with this.

Rosie, I have a fig growing in a large pot ( square and plastic) surrounded by a wooden box that my husband made, with casters on the bottom to make it manoeuverable, and the gap between the pot and the inside of the boxing is filled with expanded foam of the kind used to insulate items. The net result is a portable pot that can withstand even the cold we had last winter with no effect to the roots. Perhaps you could try a simpler version of this, using two pots and some similar foam insulation - we used fill and foam - it's a builders product.

RosieC · #20 06-13-2010, 05:11 AM

Cool idea Hedge.

Mine is currently in a pot inside an outer tub with gravel between the two, but I might look in to using expanded insulation foam instead.

I plan to move it over the winter when the growth dies back, probably in to either the garage or the greenhouse, but the greenhouse may be too warm as I plant to heat it. It will therefore get some protection there. The other thing I've thought of doing is using scrunched up newspaper between the two pots over the winter, but I like your foam idea better.