Corybas geminigibbus

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Corybas geminigibbus - another "orchid growing" milestone checked! Finally, after last year failure, I have first two Corybas blooming! Cool growing terrestrial species from Borneo and Malaysia, also called the "helmet orchid". I did try many different ways last year, none of which did work well, I did make tuber grow tiny leaves, but they never bloomed, and leaves rotted, some very fast, some took months before falling off. Did grow in sphagnum, in terrestrial mix, in my own creating, in glass jar, in McDonnald's plastic cup with dome lid, put pine needles on the top of the mix as I read is recommended, really tried it all, but no success. This year I went with my guts and very simple. I kept dormant tubers in plastic cup with the lid, just very lightly moist sphagnum, checking them every week. Once I saw first nobs on the side, I did move the tuber to the $1 tiny plastic greenhouse from the Target, and as a mix, I did use eBay purchased mix of pumice, turface and lava rocks, called also Bonsai Soil (I did use this mix many times in past for terrestrials). Tubers are not buried in the mix, only sitting on the top, with very few pieces of life sphagnum moss around. I did make 8 holes on the top of the plastic cover for the greenhouse. I do keep greenhouse closed at all times, and water very carefully only the soil, never over the leaves, using weak fertilizer solution and adding some sugar daddy , seaweed, and MagiCal. Using ONLY RO water!!! It is sitting on my inside table between other setups, definitely more light than last year, gets some indirect light from the LED used for other setups around! Temperatures are 76F days and 68F nights. There are some 6 tubers, mix of Corybas calopeplos and geminigobbus, first two open blooms are geminigibbus, there is more growing, so let's hope calopeplos show the bloom too!

[RosieC]

So cool, congratulations on getting it blooming!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by RosieC

So cool, congratulations on getting it blooming!

Many thanks Rosie

[Pattywack]

Congratulations again, you are a very dedicated grower indeed. That bloom looks as if it is singing. What an awesome flower, you must be thrilled.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Pattywack

Congratulations again, you are a very dedicated grower indeed. That bloom looks as if it is singing. What an awesome flower, you must be thrilled.

Thanks Patty, I am!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Just a few more pics I did yesterday, they are truly amazing species!

[No-Pro-mwa]

OK, so I am reading this before I take a look at the pic''s, right, and Shannon is thinking no way would I go to these lengths. Then I take a look at the flowers and I take it all back way to go. I don't think I have ever seen anything as cool as these blooms.

All hale !!!!! But I don't think I will try these any time soon. I'm a slave to more than I want now

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

OK, so I am reading this before I take a look at the pic''s, right, and Shannon is thinking no way would I go to these lengths. Then I take a look at the flowers and I take it all back way to go. I don't think I have ever seen anything as cool as these blooms.

All hale !!!!! But I don't think I will try these any time soon. I'm a slave to more than I want now

I know Shannon, and, with some, I would not go this crazy. But there are just species that are on my "dream list", not only to own, but to somehow make them bloom here, in our extremely hot Miami. And I just do not want to give up, even after failure and failure, till I really give up ( I am there, or at least very close with most terrestrials, that I can make somehow wake up from dormancy and grow little, but than growths dying on me small and before ever blooming). Corybas was always a dream, and with me, it is always make it bloom and take great pictures, both achieved now!

[No-Pro-mwa]

Tommy, I think they call it stubborn. Sorry I had to.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

you are so RIGHT Shannon!!!