Maybe.
I received 4 cuttings back in July, let them set to harden off for 2 week(forget them). I did not have the soils that I usually mix to grown my epis in and no way to go get it.. I had some Miracle gro soil so I potted them up and was going to change to better soil. But you know how that is. I only watered them 3 times in the .
Well today I went out to look at them and one of those pesty furry tailed rats had knocked one of the pots off. And I was surprised to see a cutting with VERY health root system. And I mean health, some of the best I have every seen. And fastest I have every had rooting to take effect.
I think I will try using this soil with more of my epis. Would make life much easy. LOL
Sandy the epi nut.
Break through on rooting cuttings??
I didn't know they needed special soil when I got mine, so as with all my plants, I potted them in miracle grow soil. That was a few weeks ago, then when I learned a little more about them and wondering if I should repot, I found a bloom coming up on one so was afraid to mess with them. They are all putting out new growth and the one is about to bloom.
I think most people get carried away with making the best soil. I have read so much about their needs but I'm finding that most is not needed. We keep forgetting they grown up in trees where the only soil was the decomposing leaves, that caught in their roots.
Sandy
Grandma use to keep hers in a huge tin tub and fill it with old cow manure and had hundreds of blooms all the summer time. She only had white ones but I managed to fine the Epiphs in a lot of colors and got cuttings, so I hope they all make it. Then found several different Dragon fruit cuttings of red and white blooms. Started those also. So far so good.
Sounds like you are getting epiittis!!! Better watch out or you will be like me I have over 200!!!!
Still working on getting the shade house right and to get rid of the snails that invaded this year.
I think I will add fans next year and will repot everything. The ones in the clay pots seem to be growing best. Also need to change the type of shade cloth. The sun was way to strong this year.
Well I am off to bed.
Sandy the epi nut.
Good night.
i've had mine 4 years and they have never bloomed
Time to experiment. More or less light, more or less water, more or less feeding.
I am getting ready to redue my shade house, so we will see.
Sandy
Just for information purposes, i use miracle grow soil and have always had great success.
I do like to use rooting powder to get things moving.
I recently repotted all mine into clay pots. I also changed the soil to miracle grow with a little sand and perlite mixed in and did away with the orchid mix additive. They are already looking alot better. I think the chunks of wood in the orchid mix combined with a plastic pot in our humidity here in FL was holding too much water. They are happier now even if I do have to water more often lol.
I agree, still working on changing over to all clay pots.
Get my new shade cloth up. Now all silvery and shine but it seems to be cutting back on the heat in there. And the light seems to be spread out. It is bright but not hotly bright if that makes any sense. LOL
Sandy
Mine is in the poor soil at the root of an oak & it has bloomed twice this year. Does anyone know the name of this one? It has the flat leaves. The fragrance is wonderful!!! I had 9 open at one time & you could smell them all over the yard!!
This message was edited Oct 21, 2009 10:37 PM
It kinda looks like an epiphullum oxypetlum to me.
me too.
Beautiful blooms!!!!!! I vote yes on the epiphyllum oxypetalum too. You are lucky you don't have to wrestle it inside for the winter! Once you have smelled that fragrance, it's hard to describe but unmistakable.
I've had my Epip. Oxy. for about 8-10 years and never knew it's real name until I joined this garden club this year, now I have lots of different colors and several Dragon Fruit in different colored blooms and different colored fruit. All these colored ones are new for me so I'm just looking forward to getting blooms on them all. I just had to put them all in the greenhouse for winter because we just had 2 nights of frost and light freeze this week. But so far they are ALL doing great.
Oh my word! How beautiful and the Orchids. You are doing something right. I can't wait for mine to do that. Congratulations.
well done
sandy
i do not know
i would not try them
sandy-typing one finger is for the birds
Actually the fruit is suppose to be good to eat. The red fruit is tastier than the white fruit from what I've heard. But the red and pink fruit is suppose to be sweet. Wait for it to get ripe and try some. It is full of seeds too.
is that just the dragon fruit?
sandy
agreed lol
Wow, mom,, that is beautiful fruit. Wonder what did the pollinating?
probably bats or those big moth if they are night bloomers.
Yep,,, nighthawks, I bet.
we have lots of those here and I saw a few this summer when my NBC was blooming.
some are self pollinating
sandy
Well I have taken a step forward in improving the conditions for my epis. I get a weather station with a sensor to go out there that reads both the temps and the humidity, it also reads in the house also, can add 2 more sensors to it so when I build my second green house i can have one in there also.
Right now it is 61 degrees out there with a humility of 93% the humidity in the house is only 53%.
I had the surgery on my shoulder, not doing good and now I have tendinitis in my ankle, just falling apart. LOL
Sandy
Lorine thanks
Sandy
Sandy, sorry about that shoulder.. and ankle.
Elaine
Elaine thanks, had a feeling that the shoulder would not be fixed but the ankle was a surprise.
I have found a guy that knows something about yard care so that is a help.
EVERYONE HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING DAY!!!!
Sandy
Happy Thanksgiving to you, Sandy, and all the others on this form.