Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

Does anyone have tips on how get Dockrillia wassellii to bloom? I'm growing
mine under lights, and it gets misted heavily twice a day and has a fan set
to low on the other side of the kitchen (5' away) blowing obliquely onto the
growing shelf.

I get tons of root growth, nice new finger-shaped leaves that are almost as
large as the leaves it grew while living in a greenhouse, plump leaves - no
dessication, light green colored, but no blooms. I've had it this way now
for about 18 months.

The grower I purchased it from couldn't get any of his to bloom, either, so
I realize it might not be the most easy to bloom species, but I figured
someone would have a comment or tip.

Thanks.

-Eric in SF

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

Subject: Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
From: "Eric Hunt"
Date: Thu, Nov 27, 2003 2:08 AM
Message-id:

Does anyone have tips on how get Dockrillia wassellii to bloom? I'm growing
mine under lights, and it gets misted heavily twice a day and has a fan set
to low on the other side of the kitchen (5' away) blowing obliquely onto the
growing shelf.

I get tons of root growth, nice new finger-shaped leaves that are almost as
large as the leaves it grew while living in a greenhouse, plump leaves - no
dessication, light green colored, but no blooms. I've had it this way now
for about 18 months.

The grower I purchased it from couldn't get any of his to bloom, either, so
I realize it might not be the most easy to bloom species, but I figured
someone would have a comment or tip.

Thanks.

-Eric in SF

As you mention, this Australian species is easy to grow, but unless it has
ample sunshine it will not flower.
I grow mine in a cool room of the greenhouse, with a min night temp of 46F. It
is mounted and watered every day, and fed once a week with a low ration N
formula at 100ppmN/gal. I use no shade on my greenhouse, but it is on the north
side of my home and receives little or no direct sun during Nov, Dec, and Jan.
I am also in New England, notorious for dark, cloudy days in winter. Fall, and
winter are the seasons when this plant must have sunshine if it will flower. In
years with a lot of dark days, I get few or no flowers; with bright sunny days
my plant blooms quite well.
Unless you are using supplemental high output lights, I would doubt you will
flower this species in a window.

Wilford Neptune

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

I have one and it blooms but not as fully as a plant this size should. Its
on a piece of cork (5x5) and has fully covered the mount. I got probably 5
spikes on it last year and maybe 6 the year before. I can only assume it
responds to lack of attention. (You know my mothering skills are in the
toilet) I *think* this one may need a winter rest. Lord knows I hardly ever
fertilize. And I'm loathe to water in the winter for fear of the cold clammy
weather setting in rots. The GH gets down to 55 in the winter, so if it
needs an (in my case inadvertant) cold dry winter's wrest it certainly gets
one in my GH. Other than that I have it hanging at about eye level in the GH
so slightly higher than catt light.

I'm sorry to answer with only my anectdotal experiences. I'd prefer we get
an answer from someone who *knows* something.

K Barrett
"Eric Hunt" wrote in message
...
Does anyone have tips on how get Dockrillia wassellii to bloom? I'm
growing
mine under lights, and it gets misted heavily twice a day and has a fan
set
to low on the other side of the kitchen (5' away) blowing obliquely onto
the
growing shelf.

I get tons of root growth, nice new finger-shaped leaves that are almost
as
large as the leaves it grew while living in a greenhouse, plump leaves -
no
dessication, light green colored, but no blooms. I've had it this way now
for about 18 months.

The grower I purchased it from couldn't get any of his to bloom, either,
so
I realize it might not be the most easy to bloom species, but I figured
someone would have a comment or tip.

Thanks.

-Eric in SF

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

"WNeptune" wrote in message
...
Subject: Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
From: "Eric Hunt"
Date: Thu, Nov 27, 2003 2:08 AM
Message-id:

Does anyone have tips on how get Dockrillia wassellii to bloom? I'm
growing
mine under lights, and it gets misted heavily twice a day and has a fan
set
to low on the other side of the kitchen (5' away) blowing obliquely onto
the
growing shelf.

I get tons of root growth, nice new finger-shaped leaves that are almost
as
large as the leaves it grew while living in a greenhouse, plump leaves -
no
dessication, light green colored, but no blooms. I've had it this way now
for about 18 months.

The grower I purchased it from couldn't get any of his to bloom, either,
so
I realize it might not be the most easy to bloom species, but I figured
someone would have a comment or tip.

Thanks.

-Eric in SF

As you mention, this Australian species is easy to grow, but unless it has
ample sunshine it will not flower.
I grow mine in a cool room of the greenhouse, with a min night temp of
46F. It
is mounted and watered every day, and fed once a week with a low ration N
formula at 100ppmN/gal. I use no shade on my greenhouse, but it is on the
north
side of my home and receives little or no direct sun during Nov, Dec, and
Jan.
I am also in New England, notorious for dark, cloudy days in winter. Fall,
and
winter are the seasons when this plant must have sunshine if it will
flower. In
years with a lot of dark days, I get few or no flowers; with bright sunny
days
my plant blooms quite well.
Unless you are using supplemental high output lights, I would doubt you
will
flower this species in a window.

Wilford Neptune


Winter light, eh? Well, mine certainly gets that. Its hung at eye level but
in the least shaded portion of the GH. This isn't one of the dry winter rest
dens? Like anosmum or aggragatum?

K Barrett

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

Wilford,

Thanks a lot - you're right, I'm probably going to have to be content to
enjoy the species as a succulent instead of an orchid, and give pieces away
from time to time as it gets bigger.

I have long range plans to put an agro-sun grow light in my north-facing bay
window to serve as supplemental lighting, and if I do, I'll move the plant
into the window near the grow-light and see what I get.

-Eric in SF

"WNeptune" wrote in message
...
As you mention, this Australian species is easy to grow, but unless it has
ample sunshine it will not flower.
I grow mine in a cool room of the greenhouse, with a min night temp of
46F. It
is mounted and watered every day, and fed once a week with a low ration N
formula at 100ppmN/gal. I use no shade on my greenhouse, but it is on the
north
side of my home and receives little or no direct sun during Nov, Dec, and
Jan.
I am also in New England, notorious for dark, cloudy days in winter. Fall,
and
winter are the seasons when this plant must have sunshine if it will
flower. In
years with a lot of dark days, I get few or no flowers; with bright sunny
days
my plant blooms quite well.
Unless you are using supplemental high output lights, I would doubt you
will
flower this species in a window.

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

Subject: Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
From: "K Barrett"
Date: Thu, Nov 27, 2003 1:05 PM
Message-id: B9qxb.326794$Fm2.335865@attbi_s04
Winter light, eh? Well, mine certainly gets that. Its hung at eye level but
in the least shaded portion of the GH. This isn't one of the dry winter rest
dens? Like anosmum or aggragatum?

K Barrett

I was remiss in not saying that wassellii needs to be dryer in the winter;
however, I do not dry it like I do linguiforme, which I bloom very easily, even
though both are quite similar in requirements.

Wilford Neptune

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

I grow mine under 70% shade outdoors and the blasted thing flowers itself to
death. (VERY VERY Bright )

Kye.

"WNeptune" wrote in message
...
Subject: Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
From: "Eric Hunt"
Date: Thu, Nov 27, 2003 2:08 AM
Message-id:

Does anyone have tips on how get Dockrillia wassellii to bloom? I'm
growing
mine under lights, and it gets misted heavily twice a day and has a fan
set
to low on the other side of the kitchen (5' away) blowing obliquely onto
the
growing shelf.

I get tons of root growth, nice new finger-shaped leaves that are almost
as
large as the leaves it grew while living in a greenhouse, plump leaves -
no
dessication, light green colored, but no blooms. I've had it this way now
for about 18 months.

The grower I purchased it from couldn't get any of his to bloom, either,
so
I realize it might not be the most easy to bloom species, but I figured
someone would have a comment or tip.

Thanks.

-Eric in SF

As you mention, this Australian species is easy to grow, but unless it has
ample sunshine it will not flower.
I grow mine in a cool room of the greenhouse, with a min night temp of
46F. It
is mounted and watered every day, and fed once a week with a low ration N
formula at 100ppmN/gal. I use no shade on my greenhouse, but it is on the
north
side of my home and receives little or no direct sun during Nov, Dec, and
Jan.
I am also in New England, notorious for dark, cloudy days in winter. Fall,
and
winter are the seasons when this plant must have sunshine if it will
flower. In
years with a lot of dark days, I get few or no flowers; with bright sunny
days
my plant blooms quite well.
Unless you are using supplemental high output lights, I would doubt you
will
flower this species in a window.

Wilford Neptune

Tips on blooming Dockrilila wassellii
 

Hi Kye:
Over the last couple of years I've posted questions inquiring about
how to get the Dockrillias pugioniforme, teretifolium and wassellii to
bloom on several orchid forums, even this one. I get great foliage
growth, but alas, no flowers now for up to 5 years for these plants.

Every Aussie that has given an answer to my questions always tells
about how beautifully they bloom outdoors as wild and cultivated
plants in the area where they live. AAARRRRGGGHHH!!! I have such
trouble with blooming them that I've become almost obsessed with 'em.

Proving that I lack common sense, I just added a gift cutting from a
D. striolatum (as were the pugioniforme and wassellii) to my
collection yesterday. One more to probably pull hair out over. Will I
never learn?

I have extraordinarily good results with growing and blooming Dend.'s
from high altitude monsoonal climates in-home. All the cultural advice
I can find on these Dockrillias tells me that they should fit
somewhere into the range of conditions that I provide for the
successful blooming of these Den.'s. I've become convinced that the
short winter day length and usual winter cloud cover where I live are
the cause of my problem. Although, I'm trying a complete elimination
of feeding them this winter. I normally feed everything with a low
nitrogen fertilizer the year around. This winter they're on a diet.
Without the light though, I don't hold much hope.










"Kye" wrote in message ...
I grow mine under 70% shade outdoors and the blasted thing flowers itself to
death. (VERY VERY Bright )

Kye.