"Shell91" wrote in message gy.com...
Well, it was only $4 so I thought I would give it a shot So if it
shrivels up and turns brown on me no big deal I wouldn't have gotten it
if it had been expensive.


What Cypripedium species do you have, and where are you located? The
price suggests you got one of the collected C. acaule rhizomes that
sometimes show up in large home improvement stores. Or was it a small
seedling of another species?

If it's the C. acaule, it has undergone some abuse already , so I
would pot it up and then refrigerate it. C. acaule requires acidic
conditions. The easiest mix to make up is 1:1 mix of sphagnum peat
moss and coarse acidic sand. You can purchase the peat moss sand from
Lowes or Home Despot, but bewa sand consituents may vary in
different parts of the country. You want silica sand, not limestone.
Test by treating with hydrocholoric acid (watch for foaming) or by
soaking some sand in distilled water. Test the pH of the water after
several days. If it is above 7.0, do not use the sand. If the pH is
acidic, the sand should be safe to use.

Pot the rhizome with the top of the new bud above the surface of
moistened (not soaking) mix, and top dress the pot with about 3/4 inch
of chopped pine needles. Put the pot in a ziplock bag and refrigerate
for about four months.

In the spring, water the plant with rain water or distilled water
treated with a small amount of cider vinegar. Keep the pot moist but
well drained. Ideally, keep the plant outside during the growing
season.

If you have a different species, let us know because requirements
vary.

Hope this helps.

Nick
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