Tankervillea propagation question

[lmartiny]

I recently read that you could take a spent, green stalk and cut it into pieces(an eye in each cutting) and lay them in wet spag and they would possibly produce a new growth. I happened to have a green stalk from my Joan Hart, so I am experimenting. I cut it up and have laid it on a bed of wet spag.
Does anyone have any input?

[tansyflower]

Good luck. I want a tankervillea, so will be interested if this works.

I tried something similar with den canes. However the canes didn't sprout when cut up, only when left whole. Not that this is probably relevant...

[kmarch]

Tankervillea? Do you mean Phaius tankervilleae? I've not heard this. But then again I have never grown one so don't know as much about these as other orchids.

[Stitz]

I successfully did this procedure using Phaius tankervilleae (aka,grandifolius) several years ago. I selected choice, strong, fresh spikes after the flowers were spent in early spring. I cut the spikes into manageable pieces. The original spikes were in excess of 4 feet (well over 1 metre). I laid the pieces onto a bed of damp, coarse sand in a shallow plastic box and lightly pressed the pieces onto the sand so that they were partially visible. The box was lightly covered with plastic (Saran) wrap to help maintain warmth and humidity. It doesn't need to be "air-tight".

It is important to check daily for "damping off" fungus. I had a fungicide available, in advance, to lightly spray at the FIRST sign of "damping off". It will happen!! I kept the box out of direct sunlight and never cooler than 60°F (16°C), warmer is better.

Eventually, I was rewarded with many li'l plantlets. I "culled" for the B-E-S-T and trashed the rest. When the plantlets were strong enough when it was even warmer, I treated them like any other strong, young plant and potted 'em up into individual containers!

Good Luck!!

--Stitz--

[lmartiny]

Yes, a Phaius Tankervillea. What do you mean by "damping off" fungus?
I've got them in a shallow plastic "take out" container that has a clear lid. Didn't know whether to use the lid. Maybe poke some holes in the top and put it on?
Also, does the eye go up? Or does it go down against the spag?
Thanks.

[kmarch]

Lower case "t" on tankervilleae. It's a species and species names are not capitalized.

[Brooke]

Lynn watch for little tiny white "strings" on it - that is the damping off fungus, which has a technical name but I forget what it is. A pinch of cinnamon the minute you see it will stop it.

I would use the lid with holes in it for additional humidity and keep it out of direct sunlight.

Brooke

[FLBob]

Won't the anti-fungal properties of the sphagnum help to eliminate the "damping off fungus"?

[Stitz]

I didn't realize that "damping off" fungus was a complicated topic! My treatment has always been Captan.

Here's more than everything that I wanted to know:
OD14 - ORNAMENTAL DISEASE NOTE NO. 14 DAMPING-OFF IN SEED BEDS FLOWER AND VEGETABLE SEEDLINGS

--Stitz--

[Danelady]

I tried this with my tankervilleae this past spring. I let mine dry out too much, though, and had no success. I had read about the process and wanted to try. I will try again this spring, though I don't know why! My plant was very crowded in the pot, I repotted and now have 3 pots of tankervilleae even after giving a friend one pot!!! I guess I will try for the novelty of it!!
Good luck!!

[lmartiny]

Thanks for that extra info Stitz.
Danelady, I didn't dry them out at all. If I should have, too late now i guess. Did you use spag? I note bruising at the cuts. But no white threads. I took a picture when I did it and can't find it now. So does anyone know if it's eye up or eye down? Or does it matter?

[lmartiny]

I found the picture. (looks like a strange serving of asparagus)

Maybe I should dust the cut ends with cinnamon?

[Stitz]

Imartiny,

After reviewing your foto above, I would like to add that I used a plastic box with an interior length of 16" for this procedure. The Phaius pieces were cut into the longest possible lengths to minimize whacking/trauma/chances for bacterial attack. Does that make a difference? I don't know.

I have no opinion on using cinnamon after you cut. My technique is to use sterile instruments before I begin "surgery". I use a brush to treat the "wounds" with a high percentage of alcohol.

--Stitz--

[lmartiny]

Oops. Well, I just clipped between each eye. I think maybe I'll seal the edges with cinnamon.

[Danelady]

Originally Posted by lmartiny

Danelady, I didn't dry them out at all. If I should have, too late now i guess. Did you use spag? I note bruising at the cuts. But no white threads. I took a picture when I did it and can't find it now. So does anyone know if it's eye up or eye down? Or does it matter?

I put mine in dirt since I read in warm climates they can be planted in the ground and a spike is just layed over, covered and will grow from there. It's the dirt that I had them in that I let get too dry. Also, if it matters eye up or down that could have been my problem, too!! I am very interested to know how this turns out for you!!