I need to go check nametags Bob. I'm pretty certain I don't have any of those. I'm heavy on the hybrid side. Just a couple species and I'm have difficulties with those. My niveum x dominica is seriously trying to buy the farm, my fairianum hates me, and finally the leucochilum says I suck and wants to go back to the Orchid Inn.So if you got any tips for me on those I would appreciate it.

I can understand why Vanda Pearman would give you trouble. I have intentionally stayed away from those two particular species.

I have one that is kind of growing funky too. Almost like it's growing a new fan out of the top of an old one. An old original fan that you typically would be ready for it to pass on, but hey look it's sending out all these new leaves instead. I think that is a white paph, but that's why I said I need to check nametags.

Under lights? Why did I think you had a greenhouse??gb

gb,

I grow in a spare bedroom and just started putting plants out in the summer over the last 2-3 years, I'm pretty impressed with how well they react if you can keep the critters away. My 60-70 'kids are more than enough to keep me busy for now, if I had a g/h I'd spend way too much time and money there, especially according to the wife. Maybe in 10-15 yrs when I retire and we both need to get away from each other a little more :-)

My lawreceanum grows 'up' with 'sets' of leaves, it has a couple of growths that have at least 6 sets of leaves, each set about 1/4"-1/2" above the other, so the total distance from the bottom leaves to the top leaves may be 1 1/2" - 3"??? There also seem to be root 'buds' around the sets of leaves? I'm used to them being more fanned shaped. It also seems to throw new growths that easily separate from the 'mother' plant so it appears there are 5 separate plants in the pot, all growing tall and lanky.

I've got a phrag (Hanne Poppow) that seems to grow like this also? I personally think it makes the plants look tall and lanky, it's not 'eye catching' at all.

I just got a single growth farianium seedling last month, repotted upon arrival and so far it is looking good. It will stay indoors until next spring. I believe my Paph Oto has 1/2 fairianum and 1/2 WC 'Indomitable'. It is an interesting looking and robust plant, I didn't really like it on it's first couple of blooms the latest ones are pretty impressive (thus the order last month for the fairianum). It has the bulldog look of the WC and a little bit of swept-down petals of the fairianum. This one stays indoors year round, as i think the WC likes it intermediate to cool but the fairianum helps to warm it up a bit (I think?).

Bob

What kind of water are you using and just how much light are they really getting?

I use RO and/or hose water. RO in the late fall/winter/early spring and water from the outside hose during the outside times.

As far as light, the best answer I can give is 'phal' light. Indoors there is a slight shadowing when hand is held above, grown on shelves, each shelf is under 4 T12's, I can give more light indoors if required. During the summer they are on a protected east facing patio that gets @4-6 hours of dappled early morning sun. When needed (mini-vandaceous, B. nodosa, etc..), I can move them to get more of the mid- and late-day sun. I never measured the output with anything official.

Do the three listed need more or less light than standard paphs and/or phals? Is their watering needs different than most other paphs? These are the type of things I'm trying to determine from others real life experience with these three. Or maybe I just have a couple of sub-standard plants???

Thanks for any input,

Bob

Mine are always happiest in the summer hangin' out underneath my Redbud tree. I have a large saucer with ridges in it. It has a good size crack in it so it drains,the water doesn't stand in it.I can put a good number of the smaller plants in this and basically forget about them. If it rains I'll go out there and tip them onto their sides so they can drain but other then that I leave them alone.

Now when the paphs are in for the winter I grow in the basement under regular flourescents. I use the T12's too.I have them about 4-6 inches away from the bulbs. If I feel they need it I can bring them upstairs and put them in the south facing china cabinet windows. The only shading is a lace curtain. They seem happy.

I looked at my nametags and I don't have any of those three you were asking about. Have you done any past searches on the two big slipper forums? I like digging into some of those old threads, you can really find good stuff sometimes.Have you got any good paph books?

Oh! One thing my guys do truly love while they are in the basement is my heating pads. It always seems like as soon as I turn those on they go nuts. I try to use rain water as much as possible but if I run out of that and snow I melt then I have to turn to tap water. Tap water is by far not my first choice so I thought I'd try something new this year. I went to the local pot store and found some sort of chemical flush. It's supposed to help with mineral build-up in your hydroponic stuff. I wonder if First Ray's knows anything about it?

What kind of growing media are you using Bob?gb

gb,

I generally use a fine bark mix, Orchiata as of late and I'm pretty happy. I'm hoping the orchiata keeps me from having to repot every 6-12 months.

Bob

I'm not familiar with Orchiata? What is that, is it like Aussie Gold or something?

Did you get the new Piping Rock color catalog?? Oh my Lord...I want to buy a whole buttload and weigh down the mailman's truck...gb

gb,

Just going from memory and too lazy to google to verify but... As I recall it is the bark of pinus radiata (sp?) or a pine tree from New Zealand. Supposedly (and in my experience) it doesn't break down nearly as fast as fir bark. I initialy got some a couple years ago from 1st Rays but now it's available from most orchid supply stores already mixed. I'm using it for most of my potted stuff.

Bob

I was just thinking about this thread last night. Did you do any searches on the Antec site for these species? I'm sure they would have some kinda info that you could use, sometimes I forget about them since they no longer sell. I do love to read some of their old articles. Just a thought! gb

was looking through some of my old AOS bulletins from the raffle table and found some info for you maybe. Ned Nash wrote an article on paphs that had three parts, unfortunately I only have two of them but one was about brachy paphs. His big tips that I found were; keep them underpotted,only water when they are just about to go dry, and keep them warmer. I don't know if that helps any.He said they were very sensitive to salt build-up so that was one of the reasons for the underpotting. And they like the limestone crevices so limestone in the mix would be important.Hope you can use that.gb

Thanks gb,

They are potted small already and I do keep them W to I/W. I'll add some lime to the brachy(s) (Vanda M Pearman) and keep 'em a little wetter.

On the good side, the lawreceanum may be busting it's 1st bud, and I've read the glanduliferum is just naturally a very slow grower. I still think I have an inferior VMP though.

Bob

Informative article from ANTEC describing which paph. species may like a little extra lime/calcium.

I'm going to try some egg shells on my brachys...

Bob

Here is a link that might be useful: Supplementing Calcicolous Paphs

Bob, you need to bookmark this too if you don't already have it!gb

Here is a link that might be useful: Paph Data Sheets

bump!Just trying to keep this current til Bob sees it!gb

gb,

Have it book marked.

Decided to go with crushed oyster shell instead of the egg shell. Waiting for the order to arrive along with some pots and media.

Thanks,

Bob

I repotted all three of the mentioned paphs this weekend, using a small orchiata mix and some crushed oyster shell.

The root (yes root, as in singular) on the VMP was sad to see, but repotted in a 3" pot and we'll see. The glanduliferum and the lawrenceanum looked good. I was able to pot the lawrenceanum a little lower in the new pot so it has a better looking appearance now, although what I thought may have been a bud is just new growth out the top.

Learned that oyster shell definitely sinks to the bottom as I was repotting several paphs and made up quite a bit of mix without oyster shell. Media was in a large bowl with a little water to moisten, I potted up 2 or 3 non-calcicolous paphs first and then thought I'd be smart and throw in the COS and mix into the the media in the bowl. Sunk like a rock and just stayed at the bottom of the bowl as there was more standing water in the bowl after potting up 2-3 plants earlier. Now I know why it is used as a top dressing most of the time.

Bob

I have repotting to do too.Hope your slippers perk up.I need to pull one of mine out of the pot and probably go up one size. We will have to see what the roots look like.gb

p.s. give them a little dose of epsom salts too and I bet that will help them along a little. good sized four finger pinch sprinkled on top next time you water should be enough.

gb,

Thanks for the reminder... I use ES for about a month this time of year on all my 'kids. Not sure why only this time of year (November), but it is part of my regiment. I must have read something about it only being needed at pre-blooming times or something.

Thanks again.

Bob