If only all weekends were this fun. The order from Peru Flora in Peru, with a quick layover in Germany at Orchids & More, came in on Friday. So, this was my view for morning coffee Saturday. Nice! I spent a very pleasant morning (or better part of the day) doting over the new arrivals, re-potting and mounting, teaching them how to to say beautiful in Swedish (vacker)… eh well, perhaps not that last part. But if they can understand what we say, that would have been the word they would have picked up.
All the plants were in excellent condition, and all but one (the Coryanthes) was in active growth. M. yungasensis came with two flowers, but sadly they were already fading upon arrival. Hopefully there will be more soon, the small candy cane striped flowers are not hard on the eye. The one I am most excited over is the plant on the far right, Dracula saulii, wickedly beautiful flowers… I cannot wait to see it bloom! A friend of mine in town got one as well, we’ll see who brings up a flower first. This is also my first Coryanthes. The main reason I got it is because the pollination story for this species is so awesome. Talk about complicated… I promise to tell you more about it when this one decides to bloom.
My friend who delivered the order to my house also brought a present from his own collection, a very nice little Epigeneium chapaense, my first of the species. Thanks a lot Thomas! After googling some more on Epigeneium I definitely want more. Very cool – and small. I seriously need to only order minis from now on… I am running out of space – fast!
So, the newcomes are… seen from left to right in the picture: Coryanthes alborosea, Masdevallia yungasensis, Masdevallia decumana, Dracula barrowii, Masdevallia venusta, Masdevallia eumeliae, Masdevallia ayabacana, Masdevallia veitchiana, Dracula saulii, Brassavola nodosa, and Epigeneium chapaense.
WOW, lots of new babies to take care of! How are the flask babies doing? Also, will you be selling them once they are bigger, like at a show or market, or will you be turning your flat into a giant vivarium, lol?!?
Yes, a lot of fun new stuff!! 🙂 The whole flat as a vivarium, no, but the entire room is up for grabs. The sofa is hanging by a thread, lol. The flaskbabies are doing really good, some are growing others are holding out for warmer weather (I imagine), but all are in fine form. Hmmm… perhaps it is time for an update on them. I will see if I have time to get some good photos this weekend and do a report on the little ones.
Karma:
Hey gillt… what did you have on your mind? 😉
Hi,
just found your blog after looking for info on nano vivariums!Great blog and photo’s,
Regards,
Ade
Thanks Ade! It is nice to hear you like my blog. 🙂
Very nice Karma!
Excellent babies, and agree that this is could be as one of the funniest mornings!
I am thinking of getting a Dracula saulii too from Peru Flora too!
How has yours been doing?
Anna
Thanks Anna! 🙂 Actually that Dracula saulii has been a hard nut to crack… It is growing really well and it has been trying to bloom for well over a year now, but the flower spikes grow about 4-5 cm then stops, and never continure to develop. My friend bought one at the same time, and he is having the exact same problem with his. I have tried growing it brighter, shadier, wetter, more fog… nothing seems to work. I have 4-5 flower spikes on it now, but I don’t suspect se see them go full term either. Sigh!
Querida Karma,
La Dracula saulii precisa un rango de temperatura de 6°C por la noche hasta 30°C en el día. Mucha humedad (60 hasta 90%. El sustrato de mantenerse húmedo pro no mojado, el exceso de agua pudre las raíces y se caen las flores. El sustrato debe ser muy poroso que no retenga agua. Soy de Lima-Perú y aquí en mi ciudad solo debemos cuidarla con mucho celo en verano ya que no soporta el calor nocturno.
En cuanto a la fertilización le aplico solo en hojas y raíces expuestas nebulizaciones semanales con 11-8-6 (2mml. por cada 3 litros de agua).
Espero haberte ayudado con mis sugerencias.
Saludos y Felices Fiestas,
Andrés
Hi Andrés!
Thank you very much for the cultivation advice! 🙂 My Dracula saulii is still alive an is growing OK. It is producing new leaves, but the flower spikes never reach beyond 5 cm, then they stop and never grow any more. Very strange, I bloom many other Dracula species in the same conditions. I grow it pretty much as you describe. Humid but not wet in a very porous synthetic substrate (EpiWeb), it retains a little water but not a lot. I am planning on repotting all the plants, including this one into cork very soon, this substrate will retain much less water and dry up a little faster. I will have to adjust watering accordingly. The relative humidity is about 70-80 during the day and 80-90% at night. Temperature 10-12 C at night and 18-20 C during the day, a couple of degrees warmer in the summer. I fertilize weekly with a weak solution, half recommendation, (NPK 13+3+15+11CaO+3MgO) weekly. I am not quite sure what it wants to be honest, I thought it might want a little cooler temps perhaps, but I guess not then..? I have tried growing it brighter as well, but it prefers lower light levels to look healthy at least. One day I will figure it out I guess… Thanks again and happy holidays to you too!