Date: Thu, 24 Oct 1996 10:32:54 -0400
From: WNeptune@aol.com
Subject: [10848] Spiranthes

Yesterday I posted an answer to a question on the culture of
sarcoglottis. I stated that sarcoglottis and spiranthes were members
of the subtribe Spiranthinae, which is correct, but I'm afraid I left
the impression that spiranthes should be dried out- which is
erroneous. I was actually thinking of Stenorrhynchus speciosus,
another member of the spiranthinae, which I still call Spiranthes
speciosus. I grow these side by side, and dry out the speciosus more
than the Sarcoglottis amazonica 'Aaron' CBR/AOS. Although not a
suitable excuse, I tend to lump the native N American orchids
together, even though they may be individually grown somewhat
differently, and separate them from the strictly greenhouse
orchids. In order to clarify any confusion, I thought I should
describe the way I grow Spiranthes cernua var. odorata 'Chadd's Ford'.

Spiranthes cernua is a native orchid, from southern Canada to Florida,
and the east coast to Texas and the Dakotas, and growing in bogs,
moist meadows, and at the edge of moist woodlands. The clone 'Chadd's
Ford' is an exceptional plant with an excellent spike habit,
multiplies rapidly, and is readily available in many good nurseries
where it is advertised as a garden plant for zone 6. Since I do not
have access to suitable garden conditions, I grow this in pots. I have
5 pots of this clone, and grow it three somewhat different ways. Three
plants, which actually do the best, are in azalea type, plastic pots,
in a woodlands compost with added peat and perlite. These are started
up the first of May, outdoors, in full east sun until 11:00 to 12
noon. They are watered enough to keep them moist, and this may be
every day in the summer. They are fertilized every week with 1/4
strength fish meal and sea weed, until the first of Aug when all
fertilizer is stopped. The flower spike usually begins in Sept, and
when color appears in the buds they are brought into the cool house
for a more protected environment, and where I can see and enjoy them
better. After blooming, well into Nov, they are put outside until a
hard frost. They are then placed inside a plastic bag, and put into a
refrigerator, at a temp of 35- 40 F, until May. Another pot is handled
the same except that after the frost it is placed in a coldframe, with
a base of gravel and 2 ft below groundlevel. As long as the temp in
the coldframe is above freezing I keep the gravel moist. The pot stays
in the coldframe until growth starts in the spring. The fifth pot is
grown in live sphagnum (which I collect), in a net pot, placed in a
plastic dish containing 1- 2 inches of rain water-primarily for the
benefit of the live sphagnum. Everything else is the same. After the
frost, it is also placed in a plastic bag and put in the refrigerator
until May.

The spiranthes and calopogons have been the easiest of the native
orchids for me to grow.

Wilford Neptune. wneptune@aol.com