Japanese terrestrials 2023

[Roberta]

Looks good. I used about 80% kanuma and 20% akadama. And have started watering, Ponerorchis are definitely sprouting, visible teensy little green shoots, Hab. radiata not showing yet but the tubers looked like they were waking up when I potted them, I expect them along shortly. (So it's been about a week). It is definitely spring!

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Anyone considered placing them on heat mats? Or would that be too hot?

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by MateoinLosAngeles

Anyone considered placing them on heat mats? Or would that be too hot?

These plants come from fairly high elevation in Japan. They aren't tropical at all. Normal spring and summer warming should be fine. Mine are already sprouting nicely outside, I love seeing the little green shoots poking up through the medium, see progress each day. The air is still cool, but the sun hitting the pots warms them and they "know" it is spring. Winter, they actually need to be pretty cold (a few degrees above freezing), the dormant tubers will spend winter in the vegetable bin of the refrigerator since my winter temps are much too warm.

[Lil Duck]

Originally Posted by Roberta

my winter temps are much too warm.

Don’t mind if I steal some of that winter warmth.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Lil Duck

Don’t mind if I steal some of that winter warmth.

Actually, I think even YOUR climate is too warm for them in winter... they want to be never over 50 deg F, 40 deg F is better. Winters in the SF Bay area are warmer than that, at least during the day some of the time.

[Lil Duck]

Ah, I was mainly talking about the winter nights, we've had a very cold winter this year, about 6 degrees below average.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Lil Duck

Ah, I was mainly talking about the winter nights, we've had a very cold winter this year, about 6 degrees below average.

Hasn't been exactly tropical here... a few degrees warmer than San Francisco, but definitely not toasty. Actually, I'm amazed at how well the orchids tolerated the cold and wet. Because they got plenty of both and are blooming well, just a bit later than usual.

[Roberta]

These little guys are wide awake! Ponerorchis (Amitostigma) keiskei I got (and immediately potted) on 3/15, so just shy of 4 weeks. They were already sprouted when I got them, about 1/2 inch (1 cm). Now, you can even see the developing buds. Ponerorchis graminifolia I got on 3/23, they were just beginning to sprout. So about 3 weeks' growth, they're well on their way. I have two pots (3 each) of Pecteilis (Habenaria) radiata, that are just barely visible (too small to photograph but I can see the green peeking out of the medium, and I can see all of them) So these babies grow fast, they were soooo ready. Of course, the real test will be if I can get new tubers and bring them back next year. Y'all are going to just have to wait. But I'll post when I get flowers, looks like the Ponerorchis won't make us wait for long.

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by Roberta

These little guys are wide awake! Ponerorchis (Amitostigma) keiskei I got (and immediately potted) on 3/15, so just shy of 4 weeks. They were already sprouted when I got them, about 1/2 inch (1 cm). Now, you can even see the developing buds. Ponerorchis graminifolia I got on 3/23, they were just beginning to sprout. So about 3 weeks' growth, they're well on their way. I have two pots (3 each) of Pecteilis (Habenaria) radiata, that are just barely visible (too small to photograph but I can see the green peeking out of the medium, and I can see all of them) So these babies grow fast, they were soooo ready. Of course, the real test will be if I can get new tubers and bring them back next year. Y'all are going to just have to wait. But I'll post when I get flowers, looks like the Ponerorchis won't make us wait for long.

Nice! Here's my two week update. I've been watering them since they arrived twice a week at 25 ppm N. The plover orchid is clearly taking the lead.

[MateoinLosAngeles]

How are yours doing estación? Figured out an anti-rat setup?