In My Bushhouse Nov 2017
Well here I am standing in my bushhouse, and what a difference a month makes. I am here during a small interval between the showers. Well actually rain, as it pelted down last night. My rain gauge said it all as it is only 25 mm from the top. My rain gauge by the way is a full size builder’s barrow so I checked at the lowest end and was staggered to find we have had more than 135 mm in the last 24 hours. Also the temperature this morning at 8:30am was 15 degrees, brrrrrrr!
Bill's rain gauge
Must keep potting on with these conditions as they are ideal though. The new growths are coming and the rain will only stimulate this. Once the showers have finished and we resume our normal watering/fertilizing. I will add some Auxinone to the water and spray the plants to stimulate root activity and also the 1st week in December. By that time the growths should be well on their way. Keep pushing them along as this is the way to grow.
On this, after 30 years of growing and flowering many awarded specimens I can say there are 2 ways to grow your orchids, and effectively, into large well flowered plants.
1. Plants like to be fed just as we do and I have chosen to feed regularly, that is EACH week of the year, with full recommended strength Peters Excell Finisher (previously Hi K Cal Mag). Natives and exotics respond to this well in my conditions. Don’t forget that while I use full strength of this fertilizer I do have a slow release 9 month Ozmocote that will feed a small amount at the other times of watering.
2. Fertilise the same strength but break it down to so you fertilise each time you water. So if you watered 4 times a week; you would give the plants ¼ of full strength each time you water.
Anyway that’s my take on it.
Keep an eye out for aphids and other bugs as the weather warms up. I am due to spray again for Dendrobium beetle this week. You may also like to start spraying with Mancozeb or Eco-fungicide mixed with Eco Oil as a protectorate against any pathogens that could attack your new growths. Also you can use a seaweed tonic once a month.
Remove all the old racemes from your Sarcs after they have finished and top up with Blood and Bone. I did this last year and what a difference that made. Plumper and healthier plants with fatter and more flowers. Keep the humidity up from now to April for the Den. tetragonums as when the new growths start you don’t want them to dry off. Most plants if they have a problem will be damping off, with these the reverse is true, they LOVE humidity.
Bill Dobson
