Pleione formosana
 

Does anyone on urg grow these? I'd be very interested to hear how you
cultivated them. I have just potted up four bulbs. The instructions
with them were less than helpful, but I've done a spot of research and
hope they'll be okay. Are they hard to grow and get into flower?
Should I expect to see flowers this year? Should I protect them from
slugs and snails. They are currently indoors in a cold (not frosty)
garden room. I have not watered them in, but the compost was not bone
dry.

I would appreciate any advice, anecdotal tales of success and woe and,
if you must, even boasting :~)). Thanks.
--
Spider
from high ground in SE London
gardening on clay

Pleione formosana
 

"Spider" wrote ...

Thank you so much, Bob. That's really helpful. I didn't want to be
toooo precious with them, so I'll follow your instructions. I won't put
them out until I've cleared up after the repointing work, for fear they
get damaged, but I usually keep a few plants (agapanthus, etc) by the
house over winter so the Pleiones can join them.

Thanks again. You're a gem :~).

One thing I forgot to mention is that I have to protect mine from squirrels
in the winter with some wire mesh. Not sure if they eat the plants or just
dig them out looking for or burying nuts but Sue says she is certain she saw
one carrying off a pseudobulb.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

Pleione formosana
 

On 12/02/2011 11:37, Bob Hobden wrote:


"Spider" wrote ...

Thank you so much, Bob. That's really helpful. I didn't want to be
toooo precious with them, so I'll follow your instructions. I won't put
them out until I've cleared up after the repointing work, for fear they
get damaged, but I usually keep a few plants (agapanthus, etc) by the
house over winter so the Pleiones can join them.

Thanks again. You're a gem :~).

One thing I forgot to mention is that I have to protect mine from
squirrels in the winter with some wire mesh. Not sure if they eat the
plants or just dig them out looking for or burying nuts but Sue says she
is certain she saw one carrying off a pseudobulb.


Yikes! We're plagued with the little (deeply cute) ratbags! Thanks for
the warning .. I'll keep my mesh to hand.

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

Pleione formosana
 

On Feb 12, 11:37*am, "Bob Hobden" wrote:
"Spider" *wrote ...

Thank you so much, Bob. *That's really helpful. *I didn't want to be
toooo precious with them, so I'll follow your instructions. *I won't put
them out until I've cleared up after the repointing work, for fear they
get damaged, but I usually keep a few plants (agapanthus, etc) by the
house over winter so the Pleiones can join them.

Thanks again. *You're a gem :~).

One thing I forgot to mention is that I have to protect mine from squirrels
in the winter with some wire mesh. Not sure if they eat the plants or just
dig them out looking for or burying nuts but Sue says she is certain she saw
one carrying off a pseudobulb.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
W.of London. UK

I've had the frame over mine (the ones you gave me) open for a couple
of days to let them get a bit of rain, then I read that and I've put
the light back on.
The survival rate isn't 100% but it's pretty good, looks like I'll
have well over a dozen good plants. Even the ones I am trying in the
open (in a sheltered niche next to the base of my workshop) seem OK -
I only put 3 there as an experiment and I've found 2 of them, they're
hard to see in the loose leafy soil there.
So there goes my resolution to not have anything of doubtful hardiness
in this garden - in the end I can't resist an experiment especially
with something as lovely as these orchids.