Start of Disa Flowering season

[marky1]

Hi

My early flowering Disa hybrids are starting to spike. It should be a good flower season for these little guys.

Just love my Disa! They are such a pleasure to grow! And they will be in time for Christamas

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Nice!

I have yet to see mine bloom.

I've got Disa tripetaloides and D. aurata.

Hopefully I'll be getting some D. uniflora sometime in the next year. We'll see.

Congratulations.

Please do post when they go into full bloom.

[Andrew]

The first of mine are just starting to open now.

Your leaves look really clean for this time of year. Where are you growing them and what are you conditions? Melbourne just had a short burst of days in the 30's which burnt the tips of a couple of my flowers.

[Paul Mc]

Can't wait to see them bloom! Good job!

[marky1]

Hi Andrew.

They are growing under cover of corrigated plastic, as can be seen in the background of the picture. They get plenty of sun in the morings, and temps reach mid to high 30's under the plastic. the whole area is paved in red tiles which hold heat unitill late in the day, and the place heats up like a hot greenhouse. Air movement is adequate. Humidity ranges 40-50% generally. I water very early for cool water temp with mains water - ph 7-8 which contains chlorine and flouride. But water mainly early as the direct full sun burns the leaves if any water is sitting on them in late morning. By late morning approx 11am they are shaded, and there is just bright light.

Goes agains all the rules, but they are thriving! they were deflasked in April, and flowering now, plus muliple "pups" emerging (4-5) per plant.

Would love to see some pics of your Disa.

Best Regards

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by marky1

Would love to see some pics of your Disa.

These are my plants. Most are in spike.

[marky1]

Your Disa are looking very good Andrew. can yo give us some info on how you grow yours?

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by marky1

Your Disa are looking very good Andrew. can yo give us some info on how you grow yours?

Hi Mark,
My plants are in a shadehouse with a solid polycarb roof. They are under beige 60-70% shadecloth with additional shading added in the summer. There is no additional shading from surrounding trees etc so they actually get a considerable amount of light. Everything is grown in sphagnum and watered by tray, refreshing the water every few days or when the water dries up (which ever comes first). I fertilise weekly with <100total ppm fertiliser.

[Wrebbitrocks]

wow guys, those are BEAUTIFUL. ive been looking for disas to try but i cant find any vendors? where do you guys get them from?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Wrebbitrocks

wow guys, those are BEAUTIFUL. ive been looking for disas to try but i cant find any vendors? where do you guys get them from?

Can you provide a cool to intermediate environment?

Do the temperatures drop significantly at night during the summers?

How warm are your summers?

I have an extra book about how to grow Disas written by Hildegard Crous and Graham Duncan, titled "Grow Disas", which is out of print and maddeningly difficult to find for sale. I can sell you my extra copy if you like.

Hildegard Crous used to work for the Kirstenbosch Gardens, in South Africa, she works with Disas. There is lots of great info on how to grow Disas in this book.