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Spring assessment

31/3/2016

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With the beginning of Spring we have to make time to assess the state of the nursery and this includes our pot and containers. It is surprising thinking back to how mild the Winter was just how much damage was done. This I suspect was as much to do with the wet as with the cold. Record rainfall in December seems to have worked its way into all manner of places which we normally expect to be resistant. Like, for example the rim of this venerable pot, that has stood outside for years through winters much colder, but in retrospect, drier. It is after all the inclusion of water in ceramic pots and bricks that causes the damage when it freezes, if the pot is dry no low temperature will make it crack, it is only the freezing of water that does that. Interestingly water is unusual, being the only liquid at room temperature which expands upon freezing. All the others contract.

This wet followed by lo temperatures seems to have had an adverse affect upon our Winter green species as well. They seem to have suffered more than any of the other species we have with the exception of Green Winged orchids. The Green Winged orchids would appear, least ways at the moment, to be sulking. They are very definitely being very slow, especially since by now they should be well on their way. We will have to wait and see how they turnout along with the Winter green species.

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Spring and hidden orchids

13/3/2016

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As Spring arrives our shady glade, which you can see in the photograph starts to produce the lovely green of Bluebells under what is a rather splendid Acer palmatum which has superb red leaves throughout the year. In among these bluebells are some of our earliest orchids to appear, the Early Purple, Orchis mascula. We are not entirely sure where they are, but we do know they are in there somewhere. They hide well at this early stage of growth, even though they share the same purple spotting of the leaves with the Common Spotted Orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii. It would be possible to wade in and find them, but that would damage the bluebells, so with a great deal of patience we wait. When the bluebells flower we will spot the Early Purples sticking their head up with a distinctly different shade to the flower. Then we will know that the wet winter has been survived and our other naturalised orchids will start to appear, ensuring our seed supplies for this year. In the same way, unknown to us until they flowered we had a little patch of Snow Drops appear, completely hidden in among the bluebells.

Along with the bluebells you can see another plant which is far less welcome, Ivy. A splendid plant in its own right, it has taken to blanketing the ground, almost attaining the status of a weed. Control is by pulling it out by hand, which is a backbreaking activity. But for as long as we leave it on the trees and fence for the Holly Blue butterflies, we will accept a little ground cover.

We are now starting on a big repotting exercise for the show season, many of the plants now ready for sale are four years old and the compost is starting to compact. By repotting the plants we can be sure you get the best plants possible.

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    Author

    Dr Wilson Wall, grower of orchids. A scientist by inclination and training.

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