Lycaste 1 mature bulb - will it bloom? - Orchid Board

jason woodrue · #1 02-29-2008, 11:38 PM

Hi, this is my first forum thread as i am new here at orchid board.
anyway,

I bought a lycaste hybrid. it had no tag so i do not know the specific cross, except that it had a lovely predominately red flower. I bought it for an art project - i wanted to get a deciduous seasonal orchid to grow out of a real human skull.
Here is the thing: when i bought it it had 2 very large pseudobulbs and 2 small bulbs. all the leaves were gone. i bought it after the flowers had expired. 1 of the large bulbs was turning a purpleish brown. the guy at the store said it was fine, but when i got it home the brown purple bulb got worse and eventually mushy. i unpotted the whole thing and the bulb was totally gross! in attempting to remove the rot, it left me with 3 separate pieces: one healthy bulb with a good new growth on it. 1 completely rotten bulb that i threw away, and 2 smaller backbulbs connected at the rhizome that i have sphag and bagged. I planted the big healthy bulb with the new growth in the skull about 3 weeks ago. it seems to be doing well! Will it bloom? How much should i water it? I have read that when they are actively growing they can be watered alot. what does this mean? weekly? more often? it is growing very fast! i try to photograph it everyday to document its development. when i repotted it the roots seemed all dead. is it growing new roots rapidly to help the new growth get established??? anyones thoughts on the matter would be helpful.
thanks,
Jason.

dave b · #2 03-01-2008, 12:16 AM

They go dormant in the winter and should be left dry. Once the new growth emerges in the spring as your has, watering can resume. Lightly at first (perhaps weekly, with slight drying - never bone dry. As the roots begin to take hold and the growths enlarge, watering / fertilizing can increase. Really depends on your conditions (humidity and air movement) and media. Now is not the time to water the crap out of it, just could lead to rot. In the summer when its hot and growths are big, water it often, keeping evenly moist.

OK, ill ask. Whats up with the skull? How did you acquire it?

jason woodrue · #3 03-01-2008, 12:22 AM

skulls can be easily acquired on ebay. My last obsession involved physical anthropology. As an "orchid grower" you know how obsessions can be?
but what do you think? could it blooM? is it possible. one big bulb and one new growth??

dave b · #4 03-01-2008, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jason woodrue

skulls can be easily acquired on ebay. My last obsession involved physical anthropology. As an "orchid grower" you know how obsessions can be?
but what do you think? could it blooM? is it possible. one big bulb and one new growth??

OK, i know you want an answer about the bloom...

but back to the skull. See, this seems like one of those areas about ebay that is too shady. It provides thieves a place to do business, and now human skulls? Maybe im naive, but where does and ebay seller acquire human skulls if not a serial killer?

I dont know if it will bloom. Im going guess....no. Needs one or 2 more back bulbs. Now, i hope you prove me wrong.

dave b · #5 03-01-2008, 01:06 AM

OK i get it. I went window shopping on ebay. Its all about the 'for medical purposes/study only' thing. There is a nice one with 7 bids currently going for 399.99. I passed it up.

Dorothy · #6 03-01-2008, 08:04 AM

Now that's what I call .. having a head for orchids
- I guess the skull doesn't 'mind'

camille1585 · #7 03-01-2008, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dorothy

Now that's what I call .. having a head for orchids
- I guess the skull doesn't 'mind'

If I had that in my house, I would completely freak out!

As for the orchid, I would suppose that it would need to be a bit bigger to bloom. Maybe you'll get a bloom when the new growth matures?

gmdiaz · #8 03-01-2008, 09:00 AM

I am thinking that it's over-potted. . .maybe you need a smaller skull?

Seems like most orchids really like to be root bound. . .if you want really want it to get a head.

*snark*

jason woodrue · #9 03-01-2008, 02:30 PM

Thank you all for your input. I am new here at the orchid board and i have probably wierded you all out with this skull business.
Anyway, The general sense seems to be that it will not bloom next autumn. And i cant really get a smaller skull for the orchid. i dont want to go repotting it now - it has been thru alot.

And i understand a smaller "pot" would be nicer for the orchid, but that is not an option right now. actually there is less room in the skull than you may think. it is also kind of shallow. I will just look at it as an experiment and see how it proceeds.

New Question: Do you think if it does well this year that it may bloom in 1 or 2 more years? assuming it takes to the skull and i can meet all the cultural requirements????

jason woodrue · #10 03-01-2008, 02:46 PM

I will be attempting another experimental mount in about a week or so.
No, it does not involve any body parts or gore.

I am building a custom mount for an Ioncidium "popcorn".

It involves some fancy carpentry once i receive the cypress lumber in the mail that i ordered. I will post an image of it over on the Oncidium forum when it is ready.

thanks again
Jason