First Ophrys of the year!

[camille1585]

Are you growing most/all of these in pots (based on the photo of the Ophrys), or are there some that are planted in the ground? I'd guess that with your climate most of these shouldn't be too difficult for you.

[Roberta]

All are in pots. The climate is fine but the watering and medium need more control. They all grow in a mix that is about 80% inorganic (I like pumice rather than perlite for the weight) with a little potting soil. The ones that need a more acidic environment, like the Thelys, get a bit of peat. The European ones get a few chips of limestone.

Another advantage of pots is that I can move them - when they are dry, they are out of the way so they don't get watered, in winter when the sun shifts and my yard has very little sun, I can move them into a bright spot because they do need sun when they are growing.

Pterostylis curta gets a little bit more soil in the mix, and I start watering much earlier (and keep them shadier)

[rbarata]

Ophrys orchids are very dear to me. Thet bring me a lot of memories when I was a kid. I was living in a place with a lot of wild fields and forests around and I was always searching for them. There were areas covered with hundreds of them. I could find almost 10 different species together with Anacamptis and Serapias.

I have been thinking about revisiting thoses places. Maybe this year.

[DirtyCoconuts]

this is stunning!!!

[EV4N0N3]

Hi Roberta,

I'm just wondering what sort of media you use for you Ophrys sp.?(Ophrys speculum in particular). I have some tubers on there way and i can't find much information online regarding there culture!

[Roberta]

First, welcome!

I grow these in a mostly-inorganic mix I use pumice rather than perlite, to get a little more weight when they're dry during dormancy. Then I add about 10% of a fast-draining potting soil such as a cactus mix. (I am not precise... I may also put a little sand in there if I het heavy handed on the soil) These grow in calcareous soils (probably a little on the alkaline side) so I add a few chips of marble, which leaches very slowly. I'm not sure that it makes much difference.

Your challenge is going to be to flip the seasons on these... As soon as you get them, you'll want to pot them up and start watering lightly, I think. I start waking them up in fall, as soon as nights cool off. So you are already well into the season when they would be growing, but I'm assuming that you're getting them from the northern hemisphere. If you can get them through this growing period (so that they form tubers), next year they'll be adapted. So if you get flowers this year, great, but don't worry if you don't.

[EV4N0N3]

Originally Posted by Roberta

First, welcome!

I grow these in a mostly-inorganic mix I use pumice rather than perlite, to get a little more weight when they're dry during dormancy. Then I add about 10% of a fast-draining potting soil such as a cactus mix. (I am not precise... I may also put a little sand in there if I het heavy handed on the soil) These grow in calcareous soils (probably a little on the alkaline side) so I add a few chips of marble, which leaches very slowly. I'm not sure that it makes much difference.

Your challenge is going to be to flip the seasons on these... As soon as you get them, you'll want to pot them up and start watering lightly, I think. I start waking them up in fall, as soon as nights cool off. So you are already well into the season when they would be growing, but I'm assuming that you're getting them from the northern hemisphere. If you can get them through this growing period (so that they form tubers), next year they'll be adapted. So if you get flowers this year, great, but don't worry if you don't.

Great info, thanks alot!

[Roberta]

Also, I'm assuming that you are going to grow these outside... they need to be cool in winter (which should help them start growing) So with the combination of chill and some water, hopefully they'll wake up and sprout.

[EV4N0N3]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Also, I'm assuming that you are going to grow these outside... they need to be cool in winter (which should help them start growing) So with the combination of chill and some water, hopefully they'll wake up and sprout.

No worries. So what time of years does Ophrys speculum usually begin growing naturally?

[Roberta]

Normally they start sprouting in the late fall, about a month after I start watering (typically late September or early October for me, so sprouts are visible by around November). Blooming is early to mid-March, then they die back. Once they do, I put them where they won't get watered. Around mid-July, I can repot if I want... since there is nothing in the medium to break down, not really necessary, but I want to see what I have in the way of tuber(s), and also the tubers tend to work their way toward the bottom of the pot so it is an opportunity to reposition them. The same medium can just be put back in the pot, topped off with a bit more.

Another tip... once the sprouts appear, they benefit from good light. (A challenge for me, because of the orientation of my yard, it's mostly in shade in winter, I have one little spot where there's good morning sun and that's where they go)

Do you grow any of the Aussie terrestrials, such as Thelymitra or Diuris? The growth pattern for the European terrestrials is pretty much the same. (Thelys in particular want a bit more acidic medium, but otherwise I grow them exactly the same as the Europeans) Pterostylis seems to have a shorter dormancy, those I have already stated to water lightly, will see leaves in another 4 weeks or so.