On 04/11/2011 17:28, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Spider" wrote

Bob Hobden wrote:
"Spider" wrote

My Pleione formosana are growing in clay pots. I have stopped watering
them and brought them indoors. Should I leave them as they are, rooted
in compost, or lift them all from the compost and store them loosely
within a tray of fresh dry compost? Also, should I (gently) break away
the old, yellowed backbulbs, or leave them to their own devices? The
old leaves are already starting to fall away, so they are no problem.

Secondary question: will the several tiny new pseudobulbs survive to
grow on next year, or will they shrivel too much to be of any use?

Thanks for your time and brain power.



I've grown them for years including some of the hybrids and they stay
out all year (even during the last two winters).

My method for growing is to repot every two years, sometimes longer,
during the dormant period in late winter** the old back bulbs are left
in place until repotting, the pots are brought right up against the
house under our bench so they stay just frost free as if they were under
snow as they would be in the wild. In colder parts of the UK then a cold
greenhouse might be better but indoors would be too hot unless you are
very hardy souls. The very tiny new pseudobulbs that grow on top of the
old bulbs (not the ones that replace the old bulbs) take some years to
reach flowering size but just push them into the compost and let them do
their thing. Or you can push them into any deep moss covered pot or log
(Bonsai pots in my case) and forget about them and they will gradually
get bigger and eventually flower.

** Some hybrids flower very early and no Pleione will stand growing
roots being disturbed at all so repot the early flowerers that bit
earlier, a few weeks after the leaves completely fall, say mid December.

How did yours do this year Rod?



Thanks for that, Bob. Very helpful. I will leave them as they are for
now then. I can't leave repotting for two years this time because
they're filling a small pot to capacity now, but potting up is not
really a worry. I even have a suitable clay pan just begging for that
job. I shall certainly pot up the tiny top-growth pseudobulbs
separately and grow them on. This year was the first time I'd grown
them and I love them to bits, so I'm not wasting any! When I've built
up my collection, so I'm not quite so paranoid about them, I will try
planting a few in a sheltered part of the garden to see how they cope.

Although I said I had brought them indoors, which was rather
misleading, I have merely brought them into my garden room which is a
single brick extension to the house, which is chilly enough in winter
to require a fan heater with a frost stat for really bad weather. If I
thought it was getting too warm in there for the Pleiones, I'd move
them to my mini-greenhouse outside, but I think they'll be all right
where they are.

With regard to the very tiny pseudobulbs, use a clay pan as normal and
top the compost with live sphagnum moss and push the little bulbs into
that. If you can keep the moss growing the bulbs will be fine. I always
top my pots with a bit of moss around the the plants, they seem to like
snuggling in it. You will eventually have so many bulbs you will find it
difficult to even give them all away.
Others I have grown successfully outside are "Shantung" (stunning large
yellow), "Eiger" (similar to the species but smaller/earlier),
"Tongariro" and "Vesuvius" all obtained from Ian Butterfield at his
suggestion.

This site might be of interest... http://www.pleione.info/



Thanks, Bob. Will try and get hold of live sphagnum moss nearer the
time and try that. Loved that link (saved it!) and will have another
look soon. Amazingly tempting ;~). Have only looked at the pretty bit
so far, but can't wait to look at some of the more practical pages.


I find it hard to believe that I could have too many bulbs, but your
advice *usually* pans out ... time will tell:~).

--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay