Compotting Brassavola cuculatta
Beginnings....
This is my first attempt at compotting plants from flask. I received the "flask" on April 3, 2007.
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| OK all you experts, how many are in there? |
The set up
Here are some of the things I used to accomplish the task. The colander has the sphag in it waiting to be wetted. There is a bowl of RO water and some special fertilizer I got for cuttings. I put it in the water at about 1/2 strength with the measuring spoons.
 | I added a couple of items once I got started: a chop stick, a pair of plastic tweezers and some sharp, pointy bonsai shears. |
On the left is the bowl I plan on using to do the compot. It is a small bonsai bowl and will allow the sphag to dry out quickly. The purpose of this is to help reduce the chances of damping off. Here is a link to an article I found on damping off:
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1167.html
At this point I am wondering if the container will be big enough considering the mass of plants in the bag!
HOLY MOLY!!!!
Now I am SERIOUSLY considering where I am going to put all these babies! I was promised a quantity of at least 25 plants: 1... 2... 3... oh forget it.
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| As they were uncerimoniously dumped into the bowl | After some gentle teasing and separating |
Any clues on quantity yet? I know I have given up trying to figure it out!!!
Let the sorting begin...
Here is how I sorted the plants, at least a few of the larger ones. I got a tray and lined it with a paper towel and then wetted the towel to keep the roots humid while working with them. Oh, the colander is in the sink with the sphag soaking now.
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| A few of the plants ready to be potted up |
PAY DIRT!!
Here are the first TWO compots that I put together. I totally forgot to count as I was placing them. I was working as fast as I could. I was not sure how dense to place them in the containers. I did not want to croud them and I did not want to under do it either. Some of the plants were pretty well developed both above and below the crown. One even had a leaf well enough developed that I could easily see the crease down the center of the leaf!!!
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| The first compot completed | The second one (but NOT the last!) |
Did I mention there are a LOT of plants? There are at least thirty in each of these dishes.
What to do with the chaff...
I did not know what to call it, so chaff will have to do. I was NOT going to give up on them. I could still see decent leaves and roots in there.
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| Itty, bitty babies |
Pot the suckers up!!! I used a slightly thinner layer of sphag, placed the plants and then lightly covered them with a layer of sphag dust. I then did a fairly aggressive spray down to wet the dust and to rince it off of the little darlings.
What do you think? Is there a chance some will make it?
Oh, and a little vented lid to help keep them a little more humid for a short while, a week or two maybe? Then it is out into the cold, dry world with them.
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| The little ones all tucked in | A little protection for them |
Post Care
I used Phyton 27 in the water for the first misting. I noticed that the media in the covered container was not drying out very quickly so it was removed after 3 days. This was recommended by those more knowledgeable than I am. For watering I have been letting the media dry out or nearly so between mistings. Periodically (once a week or so) I thoroughly soke the media. I have been keeping them in the same area as my phal seedlings. I plan on moving them to increased light at about the 6-8 week point.
Things have been going quite well so far and I have not noticed any serious die off in any of the pots.
