Early Green Bulldog, my first of the season

[NYCorchidman]

This is Paphiopedilum Sorsorcer's Stone (Stone Lovely X Pacific Shamrock).
Last year, it bloomed in December, but this year, it was already in spike in the middle of summer and the flower opened up about a month ago.
It is quite large with a natural spread of 15 cm.
There is a second spike developing. I hope I get to see both in bloom together but not sure.

This plant is a good grower because it added four new fans in the past one year! Yes, I got it as a single growth plant.

Now I have a bunch of others in bud or low spike.
Yay!!!

[WhiteRabbit]

Very nice!

[NYCorchidman]

I'm loving it!

[No-Pro-mwa]

It's nice. Are you using tooth picks for stakes?

[NYCorchidman]

It's a bamboo skewer that I got from a dollar store, although I think it was more like $2 or something. still can't complain. lol

Yes, I use them as my stake.
As much as I would love to have those thick bamboo stakes, I find them very difficult to push through the pot without hurting the roots.
Even with this much thinner "stake", I have very hard time with some pots which are packed with so many roots.

I hate staking, but with the bulldogs, it's almost a must or the spike will never stand up or even break off due to the heavy weight of the flowers.

Someone suggested that I put a stake at the time of repotting so I don't have to worry about puncturing the roots. I like the idea but I don't want to see the empty stake standing there year around.
Hmmmm
Oh, well...

[soobie]

Originally Posted by NYCorchidman

Someone suggested that I put a stake at the time of repotting so I don't have to worry about puncturing the roots. I like the idea but I don't want to see the empty stake standing there year around.

How about putting in a piece of a drinking straw when you repot, cut just to the depth of the potting mix level? Then when it's time to stake, you can just slip a skewer or a bamboo piece into the straw.

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by soobie

How about putting in a piece of a drinking straw when you repot, cut just to the depth of the potting mix level? Then when it's time to stake, you can just slip a skewer or a bamboo piece into the straw.

That is a really good idea!

[NYCorchidman]

Originally Posted by soobie

How about putting in a piece of a drinking straw when you repot, cut just to the depth of the potting mix level? Then when it's time to stake, you can just slip a skewer or a bamboo piece into the straw.

What an idea!
I should try that! Thank you!