Project 2023 Spring Sarcochilus

[Roberta]

Just pot it up. When you water, give the aerial roots a good spraying too. It will be fine. You have a few good roots at the base, and the aerial roots will also help.

[Blueszz]

I got myself a very healthy and good size second Sarcochilus.



This is Sarcochilus Kulnura Roundup 'Multi Spot' x
Kulnura Secure 'Shapely' (F226)

Just re-potted her and watered overhead. It's windy and warm, she'll be dry quickly.

[ArronOB]

I know it’s a bit unfair being able to show progress 6 months ahead of Nth Hemisphere growers, but think of this as what you have to look forward too.

This is the sarco I showed a few weeks back when the spikes were only just emerging. One spike is doing well, the other is way behind - not sure why. It’s the only one of the 6 sarco that I bought together which is in spike so I expect the other 5 have missed out this season. Obviously my culture was not ideal - probably not enough light.

If you are interested in weather conditions, I’ve had these outside all winter under shadecloth. The lowest temp we got down to at night was 6 deg Celsius, I think, although that was an outlier and average low was more like 10 deg this winter as it has been a mild winter. These come from Barita Orchids in Kulnura, which is about 30km from me but inland and a bit higher so would be a bit colder in winter. I didn’t water or fertilize them in the winter months although rainfall this winter was unusually high so I don’t think they dried out much. I can’t find an offical BOM weather station near Kulnura but the Terry Hills station is the closest I can find in topography so would probably have the same microclimate. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/20...4.202307.shtml.

I repotted two of the sarcos into scoria, which seemed like a good idea at the time as I’m rapidly running out of faith in bark, and pots, and bark in pots. I think it was unnecessary though, because they turned out to be potted in inorganic material throughout. So far they are doing well anyway.

The plants coming from Barita have excellent root systems so I can’t fault their culture but I still think these things would be happiest if they had a big mossy rock to scramble over.

Cheers
Arron

[Roberta]

What a treat for you to be so close to one of the top hybridizers of Sarcos! That could be very dangerous to one's bank account

[Blueszz]

How are your Sarcochilus doing? Any progress?

Upon arrival I repotted mine. One shows good root growth, the other seems to struggle a bit, although they live next to each other. Reason might be the tad bit courser bark I used.

Have to get some new bark which isn't that course or add a few strings of sphagnum. That might the way to go as new bark always seems hydrophobic to me. This baby needs some extra moisture which I can't achieve by watering more often. The roots dry too fast in this coarse bark. I can't keep up with the watering.

This baby isn't that happy. Time to change growing conditions (= repot) now I see active root growth.

[ArronOB]

Originally Posted by Blueszz

How are your Sarcochilus doing? Any progress?

Upon arrival I repotted mine. One shows good root growth, the other seems to struggle a bit, although they live next to each other. Reason might be the tad bit courser bark I used.

Have to get some new bark which isn't that course or add a few strings of sphagnum. That might the way to go as new bark always seems hydrophobic to me. This baby needs some extra moisture which I can't achieve by watering more often. The roots dry too fast in this coarse bark. I can't keep up with the watering.

This baby isn't that happy. Time to change growing conditions (= repot) now I see active root growth.

Yep, new bark can be hydrophobic. I think these need a lot more moisture then one usually gets in bark. I wind sphagnum around the top of the media and that retains the water for a full extra day, then water the day after it dries out - so every second or third day. Having the spahgnum at the top means I can adjust or remove it if I need too.

When I bought mine they came direct from the grower (Barita) and had a dense layer of living moss on top.

The spike has now opened on the only one of my 6 sarcos that will be flowering this year. I think the others did not get enough light or moisture at the critical time.

[camille1585]

Like mostly everything else in my now mostly non existent collection, my Sarco is dying. I kept it separate from the other plants, watered it separately, and it still got infected... It's sitting out on the balcony now until it either dies from the disease or gets cold enough that I have to bring it indoors.

Originally Posted by Roberta

What a treat for you to be so close to one of the top hybridizers of Sarcos! That could be very dangerous to one's bank account

That explains why so many have Kulnara in the name!

[Blueszz]

@ArronAB. Yes, that is what I found out de hard way. It needs more water. Luckily the plant is salvageable. It's not in a too bat shape.

Yours has beautiful flowers!

@Camille. What is happening to your plants? Is it a virus?

[Hazeldazel]

Progress report: the two I got from SVO at the beginning of June are doing great, lots of new root growth everywhere, new leaves and new fans. They’re grown indoors under lights and they’re in a mix of orchiata bark and perlite in net pots. Im hoping I can get some flower spike started soon.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Hazeldazel

Progress report: the two I got from SVO at the beginning of June are doing great, lots of new root growth everywhere, new leaves and new fans. They’re grown indoors under lights and they’re in a mix of orchiata bark and perlite in net pots. Im hoping I can get some flower spike started soon.

Great progress! Expect flowers next spring. April/May is when they bloom for me.