Fortie off and "running"

[mayres]

Thought I would start my own thread for Fortie.
First the same three pics that I posted when I got him......
Next two pics are of what he looks like today!

[myorchid]

Wow! I can hardly believe how fast he is growing!! My little Finnigan needs to catch up!

Are you growing in straight sphag? How often do you need to water?

[solay]

Looking good. Mine is getting bigger by the week. I will update later on my Fabio.

[mayres]

At this point planted in straight sphag - until last week watered once per week - twice last week - anticipate probably twice weekly during the next few hot months (?). He is sitting on an east window ledge.........

[myorchid]

I planted Finnigan in a mix of bark, hydroton, and perilite. He sits under lights in a south window.
We have had some hot weather lately, so I think I may be watering daily.

Fortie looks great!

[articuno75]

Okay, everyone is off to the races and got these awesome growths. Mine seems to have fallen off the chuck wagon and rolled into the dust. What gives? Mine's just sitting and doing nothing.

[PhalPal]

Jenny that's what they do and then the next thing you know you are chasing them around the kitchen! When they get off and running they are off and running big time!

[Danelady]

Fortie looks great. I'm watering Fritz twice weekly right now and he is sitting in an East window.
I will be updating his pic soon.

[jay]

Very nice Mike. These are really fun to grow. I have been warning everyone who got one. . . careful they are addictive.

[patticake]

Nice!! Fortie seems to be kicking some serious butt!

[myorchid]

Originally Posted by jay

Very nice Mike. These are really fun to grow. I have been warning everyone who got one. . . careful they are addictive.

Boy, is that right! I started with none, now I have 6 and I am looking at more!!!!!

[syndywindy]

OK, someone fill me in. What exactly is this and any significance to all the "F" names? I didn't see them mentioned but are all these related to Frick and Frack also?

[myorchid]

All of the Fdk seedlings that we all have are from Jay's flask of the Fredclarkeara After Dark that he got from Sunset Valley Orchids.

So....we all have named our little seedlings with F names for Fredclarkeara! I know it is silly but we are "orchidgeeks"!!!

[PhalPal]

April the F-names go back a bit farthur than Jay's flask. Jay, ArlendG and I were the three original buyers of Fdk 'After Dark' bulbs from the San Diego Show 2008 and we picked three 'F' names.

Things just sort of snowballed from there.

[Tarad]

Whoa Fortie is doing some super growing! Tara

[myorchid]

Originally Posted by PhalPal

April the F-names go back a bit farthur than Jay's flask. Jay, ArlendG and I were the three original buyers of Fdk 'After Dark' bulbs from the San Diego Show 2008 and we picked three 'F' names.

Things just sort of snowballed from there.

Connie, you are right! You guys got the original F names! We all had to keep with the tradition....LOL!

[syndywindy]

I think you all need a group name- F Troop!

[myorchid]

Originally Posted by syndywindy

I think you all need a group name- F Troop!

[Plucky Purcell]

Dag, I need to post pics of mine. She doesn't have a name yet, have to look it up, but she's been slow. I think it's because of how cloudy and cool SD has been the last month and a half. Soooooon! (maniacal laugh...)

[myorchid]

Lots of F names on Google!!! Fauna, Flora, Felicity, Frances, Fannie........

[norris]

Mike, Forty looks Great! I'm hoping Felix will catch up very soon. I just started watering it last week, and in that time the growth is amazing. I guess I should start a thread just for Felix too.

[mayres]

Yep - go for it Norris! You know we are all going to want to watch and compare!

[okianer]

Congrats!!!

[patticake]

Originally Posted by syndywindy

OK, someone fill me in. What exactly is this and any significance to all the "F" names? I didn't see them mentioned but are all these related to Frick and Frack also?

Frick and frack are the siblings to Fortie, and to all the other "F" flasklings from Jay!

[mayres]

Visual Update - Still looking good!
(This baby sure bends to the light!)

[exasperatus2002]

Ahh and here I thought someone was either turning forty or was really thirsty.

[patticake]

Wow, Mike! Yours looks really great! A lot stronger than Frick and Frack. What light are you giving it?

[dtje2000]

Amazing. I can't believe that shriveled up tiny bulb in the very first photo has produced such a vibrant pbulb! Clearly Fortie and you are a great team!

[mayres]

Patti - it has been sitting on a wire shelf/stand about 12 inches from a large patio sized east facing window during its entire stay with me - planted in sphag. It hasn't been getting too much light the past month or so - was actually considering placing it under my T5 fixture but so far have not. The dark dreary rainy days are well entrenched now in Oregon.......

[PhalPal]

You DO have the magic touch, Mike!!

[patticake]

Mine have been in S/H under lights. I may have to give them a new location in the spring. I don't want to shock them now. Great growing!

[Danelady]

Has Fortie lost his leaves, yet?
Aren't these guys supposed to go dormant for the winter?
I stopped watering Fritz a few weeks ago (thought he'd start loosing leaves and then I'd know it was time to stop), but he still has his leaves.

[mayres]

Fortie has now lost his bottom two smaller leaves - it appears to be a slow gradual process?

[Danelady]

Are you still watering?

[mayres]

Don't know if I should be or not, but yes - weekly.

[Danelady]

Hmmmm, I cut Fritz down to once a week awhile back. Then, when he wasn't loosing leaves I started thinking I was keeping him from going into dormancy, so I stopped watering at all a couple of weeks ago. Not sure if I'm doing the right thing! I also stopped watering my other catasetum at the same time. They haven't lost their leaves yet, either!

[mayres]

We'll have to check in on Jay and find out what "we" should be doing!
I'll try sending him a pm.....
note - I just did a search and see that Jay gave us some tips about a month ago already!

From Jay's Thread......................

"If the plant has "plumped" and still has all of the leaves, keep watering like normal.

When it starts to lose some leaves you will cut the fertilizer and just use plain water. Keep watering like normal until it gets down to about 2-3 leaves. At this point you can cut back on the watering. When you get down to about 3 leaves, stop using fertilizer. You will water for about a month until you quit watering all together. When it gets down to 1-2 leaves left you will stop watering all together. I know this is hard, but you can do it.

You will not want to water for the rest of the winter unless the bulb shrivels up A LOT. A little wrinkling is fine and to be expected. They generally plump back up when they resume watering in the spring. If you add water over the winter do it early in the day and only enough to re-plump the bulb. I rarely water any of the dormant bulbs and I live in an extremely warm and dry climate.

This is where you begin the waiting game. Try not to check it everyday because you will drive yourself crazy. In the spring it will start a new growth. Remember not to water until the new roots are a couple of inches long. You will want to wait just for the roots to get a little longer this year since the plants are now bigger."

[Danelady]

Thanks!!