Frick and Frack have arrived!!

[patticake]

My Fdk After Dark baby twins have arrived! Thanks, Jay! I decided that the first one I saw would be Frick! When I opened the container, and started to remove the sphag, there was the first one! Forever more known to the geeks as Frick. Frack was soon to follow! For those of you that aren't familiar with these little guys, these are just nick names. They aren't the actual names of the plants. Although, if one turns out to be an awarded plant someday, the name just might have to stick!

Out of the two, the one with the smaller "sprout" is Frick.

Cool stamp, too!

[CharliesAngel51]

Looks like they arrived in perfect condition. Now you have a second set of twins.

[myorchid]

Patti they look great! It will be so exciting to see how our little Fdk's all grow out. One day we will all be able to trade since we aren't sure how many will be black and how many will be the spotted.
How will you pot them up? What do you plan to use? I am not great with sphag so I am looking for advice.

[solay]

Not identical twins but twins for sure. They look good though. Cuties for sure.

My Fabio has grown a bit since I got it. I can make out leaves now.

[jay]

I am glad they arrived ok. I only need to hear from Mayres now.

One thing I absolutely love about these is that it is easy to divide and trade so that everyone can share. I have a Mormodia x Mormodes hybrid that will bloom with just one bulb. I divided the back bulb this year and gave it to a friend. I think the next bulb on it is spoken for as well.

I am so happy to see so many excited and interested in this great group of orchids.

[jay]

Solay - it is amazing how fast they grow isn't it.

[myorchid]

Wow, Cindy I can't believe that Fabio already is putting out leaves! Boy, they sure do grow fast!!!

[solay]

Well, they still are tiny leaves but leaves they are!

[myorchid]

Cindy, do you have a thread about Fabio? Love to see his pic!

[solay]

No, but I'll start one soon. Figured I'd wait exactly one month from the date I received it.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by myorchid

Patti they look great! It will be so exciting to see how our little Fdk's all grow out. One day we will all be able to trade since we aren't sure how many will be black and how many will be the spotted.
How will you pot them up? What do you plan to use? I am not great with sphag so I am looking for advice.

I'm not sure yet, April. They haven't even started roots, yet. I'll probably use my Schultz' mix with a little chopped sphag mixed in. That's what I used for my Cyc., and it worked out well. I'll keep pondering this...

[trinigirl]

They look great! They sure arrived fast! Cant wait to see how well Frick and Frack do.

[Danelady]

Congrats!
I look forward to keeping up with your growing babies. I will be posting an update pic of Fritz soon. I think he has already doubled in size!!!

[davetheorchidaddict]

They look good and healthy ready to grow. I guess I have missed something along the line, what are they?? When I first grew one of these type of plants I really did not care for them, now I have about 20 different types and love watching them grow each spring.

[myorchid]

So, do you take these guys out of the pot during dormancy? Or, leave them in and no water?

I was thinking I would do a mix of larger bark, perilite and hydroton for my blooming size callosum. Does that sound OK?

[snowballsarebad]

Woohoo!
DOesn't somebody on here have a pair of cats named Frick and Frack? Or is that from a book that I'm thinking about? Anyhow, I think they are excellent nicknames.

[jay]

I leave mine in the pot for the winter and just don't water them. My large Fdk. After Dark got quite wrinkled in the winter so I did a light watering. It plumped back up after one watering and was fine for the rest of the winter. Guess it wasn't fully dormant.

I have heard of people taking them out of the pot, bare root, and setting them on the shelf so they would not get watered. I have mine all in one place so that it is easy to remember not to water them.

[patticake]

Originally Posted by davetheorchidaddict

They look good and healthy ready to grow. I guess I have missed something along the line, what are they?? When I first grew one of these type of plants I really did not care for them, now I have about 20 different types and love watching them grow each spring.

Fdk After Dark. that has about a 25% chance of blooming with a solid black bloom.

I'm going from memory, (which isn't the greatest these days!) Is that correct, Jay? Jay grew these little babies from a flask last year, and he's been auctioning them off to raise money for OrchidGeeks!
Here's a link to one from this cross- Sunset Valley Orchids - Grower and hybridizer of quality orchids, Vista CA

[jay]

Patticake - you are very close. It is in the Catasetinae sub-tribe, which also include Catasetums.

Fdk. or Fredclarkeara, is a complex hybrid that includes the genera of Mormodes x Clowesia x Catasetum. Fred Clarke created the mix and thus the name of the mix.

Fdk. After Dark was created by combining Mormodia Painted Desert (Mormodes sinuata x Clowesia Rebecca Northen) x Catasetum Donna Wise. Fred knew that this would be a dark hybrid, he just didn't know how dark it would be until it bloomed. About 50% of the blooms have been coming out black, with the other 50% coming out with reds to yellows.

If you follow the link that Patticake put up, you can click on the Catasetinae photos to see quite a variety of outcome for the Fdk. After Dark. I believe they are on pages 5-7.

[patticake]

Thanks, Jay! It would have been nice if I had researched this a little better myself, eh? Thanks for the info! I like it even more, now!

[jay]

No problem. It took me a little while to wrap my head around all of this. It is such a unique group of orchids with so many different rules. I find that I still have to do frequent google searches to help myself clarify some of the information.

[patticake]

I have done a lot of reading on Catasetinae , but you just cleared up so much for me! I also like the fact that they shoot their pollinia! An orchid that does tricks! How cool! Of course if you want to show this trick off to folks, you have to remember that the bloom will die afterward.

[patticake]

Frick on the left,...and...Frack on the right. With a rainbow from yesterday in between!

[jay]

Won't be long before Frack will need watering. When that root gets about an inch long you will begin watering.

[patticake]

Jay, do you think I should try to separate them this year?

[jay]

Patticake, I would separate them this year. When you go to pot them up you can separate them into their own pots. If you lose some of the old roots that is not a big problem. I try to keep about half to use as an anchor.

The best way I have found to separate them is to soak the plug for a few minutes in water. The sphag will come off pretty easily. Don't worry about being super gentle. I cut off all of the old roots on one Mormodes and potted it up with only the new roots and it did fine.

[norris]

Nice rainbow shot

[patticake]

I'm going to get some LECA this week. That way they'll be ready to move in to their new homes when the time is right. I have some translucent plastic cups in different colors that I got at the dollar store. This way, Frick and Frack can be color coded! I did that with my daughters when they were little. I could tell them apart, but with the color coding, it made it easier.

[patticake]

I got some Hydroton today! Yay! I'm getting ready. Now all I need is for them to grow a little first!

[jay]

When potting up in S/H you can do it now. Place the new growth towards the center so it has room to grow. Rinse and soak the hydroton over night. Then pot it up into the hydroton without watering. When the roots get into the hydroton you will begin watering.

[patticake]

Oh, cool! I've been itching to do it, but didn't want to jump the gun! Tomorrow after my Dr.'s checkup! Something to look forward to!!

[Tarad]

Ok does anyone have pics of the S/h or hydroponic way to pot? I have the aliflor, but what do you put it in, certainly not a regular clear plastic pot? They fall out the bottom? Tara

[myorchid]

Patti

How are Frick and Frack doing? Much growth? I am getting my Fdk (Finnigan) this week and also 4 new Catasetinae from SVO.

I would love to see some updated pictures!

[patticake]

Originally Posted by Tarad

Ok does anyone have pics of the S/h or hydroponic way to pot? I have the aliflor, but what do you put it in, certainly not a regular clear plastic pot? They fall out the bottom? Tara

That's why you get deli containers or plastic drinking glasses. Drill or melt holes about 1-2 inches up from the bottom. That holds the medium and the water reserve.
April...O.k.- It's been a month, but I was trying to get my pictures sized from the trip, and forgot about Frick and Frack! Here they are...Not much bigger, but they're doing o.k.!

Frack is the bigger one in the blue cup (he's showing off!)
Frick is smaller, but he's still larger than Frack was when I got them, so there's hope!

[syndywindy]

They look beautiful in their colorful cups. Looks great so far!!

[myorchid]

They look great! I can't believe how fast they grow....soon they will be all grown up and want their own apartment!!! LOL!!!

Great growing, Patti

[patticake]

You're gonna make me cry! Actually, my daughters are coming here for a few days, as their refrigerator broke, and they need to come here with their cat, so the landlord doesn't find out they have a cat! (When they come replace the fridge...) I cried when they left, now I'm saying oh, no!

I used to color code them sometimes when they were little. That's what I did with Frick and Frack! Just like my daughters, I can tell them apart, but the color coding makes it easier!

[articuno75]

Oh Patti they look great! I can't believe the growth on them. They're growing so fast.

[patticake]

Thanks, Jenny! At first they just sat there, and I got a little nervous, but they finally perked up!

[LouisW]

Looking good Patti!

[norris]

They both look good I potted Felix last week and started watering, and the growth has taken off! I will have to give an update with pics when I get a chance tomorrow.