Developing/Failing pod question

[lotis146]

So I had a pod growing that was a cross between a full-size Phal and a mini.

My first question is, do minis, or the influence of minis cause the pod to develop sooner?

About 2.5 months in it started to yellow and shrivel/wrinkle. These changes progressed more and more until it had shriveled quite a bit and I decided to take it off. One of the grooves in it did start to pop open. Is it the case that this pod failed? Is this what they do when they fail? What's the difference between failing and being ready to harvest? The yellowing started on the ends.

I have a mini Catt pod 6 weeks old about, anyone know the time to harvest on the minis?

Thanks for your info.

[WhiteRabbit]

[orchidsarefun]

it sounds like your phals had incompatible ploidy and the pod failed. I have had pods dehisce and contain no seed at 5 months - which is round about the typical period for pods to mature and dehisce normally. I have also had a pod go to 8 months to dehisce and contain seed. The size of the phal doesn't make any difference in my experience - all will need at least 4-5 months, some even longer. Generally speaking a pod containing seed will appear much "fatter", will dehisce after 5 months. Pods that are "thin", hard, yellow and wrinkly prior to that probably won't. There are always exceptions, as with everything and differences between species phals and hybrids.
My mini catt Cernua had a mature pod that I harvested at about 100 days - the size of a bead. Depends what your mini is and the size of the pod - large pod, longer - small pod, comparatively shorter period.
Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules, just general guidelines.

[lotis146]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

it sounds like your phals had incompatible ploidy and the pod failed. I have had pods dehisce and contain no seed at 5 months - which is round about the typical period for pods to mature and dehisce normally. I have also had a pod go to 8 months to dehisce and contain seed. The size of the phal doesn't make any difference in my experience - all will need at least 4-5 months, some even longer. Generally speaking a pod containing seed will appear much "fatter", will dehisce after 5 months. Pods that are "thin", hard, yellow and wrinkly prior to that probably won't. There are always exceptions, as with everything and differences between species phals and hybrids.
My mini catt Cernua had a mature pod that I harvested at about 100 days - the size of a bead. Depends what your mini is and the size of the pod - large pod, longer - small pod, comparatively shorter period.
Unfortunately there are no hard and fast rules, just general guidelines.

Thank you very much for sharing your experience, I know you have a fair amount!

I had gotten the impression a while ago that pods/capsules need at least 3 months to mature but I also know there are exceptions to almost every rule. Given this was my first capsule ever I've never seen what happens when they fail. Like I said it started to yellow on both ends - a sign I'd heard to look for when almost mature - and yet it was also shrinking in size. It was the shrinking and the young age of it that made me think it failed. though I did put it in an envelope until I could get here and ask! Good experience though, since all my other attempts failed. (It was long and skinny btw.)

All but my mini Catt failed I should say! And this capsule/pod is the short and fat type. It's now about the size of a decent bead. I actually think it's about 2 months old now. I'll look into the parents of the cross however I've found little so far about mini Catts. These are hybrids btw, not species.

Thanks again, much appreciated.