Project 2023 Spring Sarcochilus

[Blueszz]

Originally Posted by Keysguy

I got mine from Tim Culbertson. Tim was working with Fred Clarke at the time and has since started his own business, Oceanside Orchids.

Tim advised me that, at a minimum, they needed to get down to 40F every night for at least 2 weeks in November to bloom well. As the temp where I am hardly ever goes below 60F even in the dead of winter, I tried popping it into the white wine (45F) section of my wine fridge every night for a month.
I guess this year I'll go the my regular fridge which I can set to get down to 40 and we'll see if that's what does it.

I just started a bit higher than he suggested because the 40 kind of scared me a little. Plant looks great after spending 30 nights at 45 so I feel safe now going down to 40.

I had also asked him about what to do with it during the day and he said to just put it where I normally grow it during the day. If I was growing it warm, the better temp differential it would provide. Because m winter is warm, that was another reason I wanted to start at a little higher night temp than he suggested. So now the question becomes, is it the bottom temp that matters or is the the total degree drop that matters?

Hey, this project is an experiment, right?

I doubt 40 F is necessary as I had mine not colder than 50 F. But I can't recall for how many days.

[Roberta]

I doubt that a particular temperature needs to be reached. Likely, more important is that there is some significant variation. A distinct "change of season".

[camille1585]

It could also be cumulated hours of chill, like is the case for strawberry and many fruit trees. The plant then needs X hours of cool temps that are under X degrees. For these species there ARE minimum temperatures that need to be reached. For strawberry that's 7C for instance.

[Blueszz]

Well, I guess this fall will be another trial for all of us. I had 2 spikes on 1 plant, but one of these aborted. On the other I had only 1 spike. But this were young plants with barely new growths. I didn't expect more spikes.

[estación seca]

Barrita Orchids is the source for almost all the Sarcos sold in the US, including those sold by Sunset Valley Orchids.

From their Web site:

A Sarco should never dry out completely. To dry out will stop the growth of a plant and once it stops a period of "sulking" will follow. Sarcochilus need to have at least 6 weeks of nightly minimum below 13 degrees Celsius to initiate spikes.

13C = 55 F.

[Keysguy]

Good info seca.

I definitely didn't go 6 weeks. I think it was maybe 4 1/2...ish.

I would have thought 45F was down plenty if it was in the 70'sF all day.

This year maybe I'll stick with 45 and do 8 weeks worth of nights and see what happens.

Then again, it may be a young plant but I'm pretty sure it's blooming size.

[ArronOB]

I’ve just checked my little sarcos to see what they are up to. I’m surprised that three of the six have tiny flower spikes. I can tell they are spikes not roots because they are laterally compressed and have differentiated structure already.

It’s the second week of winter here, after a wet autumn, so I don’t know what that says about ideal temperatures or seasonality. They are hybrids (from Barrita) so I guess they’re genetically pretty mixed up.

Cheers

[Roberta]

Wow, they ARE confused.

[WaterWitchin]

That's Great! I wouldn't care when mine bloomed, as long as the darn things would BLOOM! We await pictures of them....

[camille1585]

I'm with WW on this, just give me blooms!!!

Speaking of projects, is there a 2024 project going on? I found the thread started by our dear troll, but it seems nothing ever came of it?