question on Phaph staking
 

My first Paph is in bud, and I am wondering when to stake it. With a Phal I
would start staking fairly early on, but I don't know anything about staking
Paphs. This one's spike is already about 6 inches long, and the spike is
curled up for the last inch or so before the bud -- is this curling normal,
will it straighten out on its own? Other than the last inch or so, the rest
of the spike is already very straight, and does not appear to need staking.
When I got this Paph in January in bloom, it's spike was perfectly
straightly staked, and about twice as tall as it currently is. It's bloom
was placed in a loop support in the wire stake. I still have the stake,
although I wonder how useful it will be unless the height of this spike is
very close to the height of the previous spike, might need to acquire
another metal stake otherwise, since the bamboo ones that I usually use for
my Phals would be way too thick for this thin Paph spike.

Any ideas on proper Paph staking would be welcome. Thanks.

Joanna

Joanna,

The "nodding" nature of the bud is perfectly normal. That is how the flower
is displayed, once it is open.

Personally, I don't stake paph spikes until they show a need for it, if they
do at all. Some are just stronger than others. The loop-stake was probably
a good way to keep the spike from breaking when the plant was moved.

I don't see how the diameter of the stake has any relationship to the
diameter of the spike...

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"J Fortuna" wrote in message
...
My first Paph is in bud, and I am wondering when to stake it. With a Phal
I
would start staking fairly early on, but I don't know anything about
staking
Paphs. This one's spike is already about 6 inches long, and the spike is
curled up for the last inch or so before the bud -- is this curling
normal,
will it straighten out on its own? Other than the last inch or so, the
rest
of the spike is already very straight, and does not appear to need
staking.
When I got this Paph in January in bloom, it's spike was perfectly
straightly staked, and about twice as tall as it currently is. It's bloom
was placed in a loop support in the wire stake. I still have the stake,
although I wonder how useful it will be unless the height of this spike is
very close to the height of the previous spike, might need to acquire
another metal stake otherwise, since the bamboo ones that I usually use
for
my Phals would be way too thick for this thin Paph spike.

Any ideas on proper Paph staking would be welcome. Thanks.

Joanna

Any ideas on proper Paph staking would be welcome. Thanks.


Well, how to stake the flower depends on several factors. If the plant is a
complex paph like Winston Churchill for instance it would be staked once the
flower was completly open. You cut the wire about 2 1/4 of an inch taller than
the total height from the top of the mix to the bottom of that portion of the
pouch where it meets the meets the petals. Form a loop at the end and insert it
behind the pouch with a slight upward motion and at the same time insert the
straight portion into the mix to support the stem. By doing it in this manner
the flower is pushed slightly forward making a more dramatic presentation. When
grooming complex paphs it is not unusual to place cotton balls behind the pouch
to flatten the petals. They are removed just before presenting them for judging
or for use in an orchid display at shows.

In the case of primary hybrids, wait until near completely open, then simply
cut a length of wire about 1 inch shorter than the the height between the top
of the mix and the bottom of the pouch. Form a loop and put the stem into the
loop and insert the straight section into the mix.

For multi-blooming paphs you can handle them much like with phals except you
want to have a more upright posture rather than the sweeping presentation
favoring phal spikes. Pick the center point of the stem and put the stake in
between the flowers much like you would stake phals.

Hope this helps.

BTW: Grooming a paph does not violate any rules. In fact a multitude of awarded
complex paphs would either never get awarded or would have scored lower points
had they not been groomed. One other grooming trick is the use of adhesive tape
to flatten petals but this requires a good bit of skill to prevent damage to
the flower.

Thanks for this, I've heard several times in judging circles that a paph was
staked 'at the wrong time' . This is the best description on staking paphs
I've read in a while. Can I send it ot our newsletter editor?

K Barrett

"TRAINMAN9" wrote in message
...
Any ideas on proper Paph staking would be welcome. Thanks.


Well, how to stake the flower depends on several factors. If the plant is
a
complex paph like Winston Churchill for instance it would be staked once
the
flower was completly open. You cut the wire about 2 1/4 of an inch taller
than
the total height from the top of the mix to the bottom of that portion of
the
pouch where it meets the meets the petals. Form a loop at the end and
insert it
behind the pouch with a slight upward motion and at the same time insert
the
straight portion into the mix to support the stem. By doing it in this
manner
the flower is pushed slightly forward making a more dramatic presentation.
When
grooming complex paphs it is not unusual to place cotton balls behind the
pouch
to flatten the petals. They are removed just before presenting them for
judging
or for use in an orchid display at shows.

In the case of primary hybrids, wait until near completely open, then
simply
cut a length of wire about 1 inch shorter than the the height between the
top
of the mix and the bottom of the pouch. Form a loop and put the stem into
the
loop and insert the straight section into the mix.

For multi-blooming paphs you can handle them much like with phals except
you
want to have a more upright posture rather than the sweeping presentation
favoring phal spikes. Pick the center point of the stem and put the stake
in
between the flowers much like you would stake phals.

Hope this helps.

BTW: Grooming a paph does not violate any rules. In fact a multitude of
awarded
complex paphs would either never get awarded or would have scored lower
points
had they not been groomed. One other grooming trick is the use of adhesive
tape
to flatten petals but this requires a good bit of skill to prevent damage
to
the flower.

Thanks for this, I've heard several times in judging circles that a paph was
staked 'at the wrong time' . This is the best description on staking paphs
I've read in a while. Can I send it ot our newsletter editor?

K Barrett

"TRAINMAN9" wrote in message
...
Any ideas on proper Paph staking would be welcome. Thanks.


Well, how to stake the flower depends on several factors. If the plant is
a
complex paph like Winston Churchill for instance it would be staked once
the
flower was completly open. You cut the wire about 2 1/4 of an inch taller
than
the total height from the top of the mix to the bottom of that portion of
the
pouch where it meets the meets the petals. Form a loop at the end and
insert it
behind the pouch with a slight upward motion and at the same time insert
the
straight portion into the mix to support the stem. By doing it in this
manner
the flower is pushed slightly forward making a more dramatic presentation.
When
grooming complex paphs it is not unusual to place cotton balls behind the
pouch
to flatten the petals. They are removed just before presenting them for
judging
or for use in an orchid display at shows.

In the case of primary hybrids, wait until near completely open, then
simply
cut a length of wire about 1 inch shorter than the the height between the
top
of the mix and the bottom of the pouch. Form a loop and put the stem into
the
loop and insert the straight section into the mix.

For multi-blooming paphs you can handle them much like with phals except
you
want to have a more upright posture rather than the sweeping presentation
favoring phal spikes. Pick the center point of the stem and put the stake
in
between the flowers much like you would stake phals.

Hope this helps.

BTW: Grooming a paph does not violate any rules. In fact a multitude of
awarded
complex paphs would either never get awarded or would have scored lower
points
had they not been groomed. One other grooming trick is the use of adhesive
tape
to flatten petals but this requires a good bit of skill to prevent damage
to
the flower.

This is the best description on staking paphs
I've read in a while. Can I send it ot our newsletter editor?

K Barrett

Be my guest.

This is the best description on staking paphs
I've read in a while. Can I send it ot our newsletter editor?

K Barrett

Be my guest.

"TRAINMAN9" wrote in message
...
This is the best description on staking paphs
I've read in a while. Can I send it ot our newsletter editor?

K Barrett

Be my guest.

Thanks!

K