Burrageara nelly isler

[RosieC]

I love this one, but struggling to grow it. One of mine is looking like it's picking up again at the moment (new growth), they seem to like me in the summer but not the winter so I've got to find the winter 'happy spot'.

[Susie11]

Well mine gets south east /west light all year and it has done really well. I don't heat that room in the winter as I can't afford to, and I actually fed it too much. I grow in sphag and I didn't know until last week that you are supposed to flush more often and fert less in sphag!! I was feeding every watering and flushing on the fourth!! But no harm done. It seems happy enough. I have just counted four new growths and I have only had it a year so maybe it liked being force fed?

[Judi]

I just got one for my birthday last Friday--so far it doesn't have a fragrance, but the blooms just started opening. I was very pleasantly surprised as my favorite nursery has had a very poor selection of orchids lately. My daughter-in-law found it at the grocery store of all places. It is a real beauty and now I can't wait for the fragrance to develop!

[Susie11]

It took a while for the fragrance to develop on mine. Now though, about a week after the first blooms have opened I can really smell it and it smells good!! I love walking past it and sticking my nose right on top of the petals to get a heavy dose! I can mainly smell it in the morning and sometimes I can even get a whiff of it when I am in the next room. It is lovely. I wonder if anyone has ever made a perfume from it?

[kevin1217]

Love the color! I need one now!

[silken]

Originally Posted by Susie11

Well mine gets south east /west light all year and it has done really well. I don't heat that room in the winter as I can't afford to, and I actually fed it too much. I grow in sphag and I didn't know until last week that you are supposed to flush more often and fert less in sphag!! I was feeding every watering and flushing on the fourth!! But no harm done. It seems happy enough. I have just counted four new growths and I have only had it a year so maybe it liked being force fed?

So it sounds like yours gets quite a bit of light and quite a cool winter? Do you keep your sphag moist or allow it to dry out between watering?

Mine's growing but could do better. It seems to really like being hung out under a tree in the summer. I guess it gets nice breezes and doesn't get as warm as in the greenhouse on hot days.

[Susie11]

I let the sphag become dry-ish about for an inch down then I water. I do the finger test, I stick my finger onto the medium and if it comes back with moisture on it then I don't water, if it comes back without any water / moisture then I water. It works for me but I doubt that it is recommended practice.

[Leafmite]

Mine is actually going to bloom again and it is putting out new growths. It is truly a great orchid.

[Susie11]

I have three new growths on the go so hopefully if I am lucky they will bloom maybe at the end of the year or more likely early next year. I can't wait for that display.

[silken]

Originally Posted by Susie11

I let the sphag become dry-ish about for an inch down then I water. I do the finger test, I stick my finger onto the medium and if it comes back with moisture on it then I don't water, if it comes back without any water / moisture then I water. It works for me but I doubt that it is recommended practice.

Thanks for the tips. mine bloomed this year and last year and has a few new growths, but some of the leaves are crinkly and I just think it could do better!