Calanthe & Cypripedium Orchids planting & feeding info is below. They are orchids for cold climate gardens & prefer to be planted in the ground in well drained open (not cloggy soil) in semi-shade & mulched. If your soil is not suitable you can change it by digging in for example river sand & pearlite. They will grow in pots but you have to be careful of the sun shining on the sides of the pots in summer as this will kill them by creating a sauna effect inside the pot. When they are dormant they do not like too much water. Mine grow well here in the normal garden & have done so for many years. Remember they are cold climate orchids which means they need cold, frosty winters, so if you don't have these you will have to use an area in a fridge to create winter.....& if your summers are constantly 40 degrees don't bother trying. They will take a few hot days but not all summer long.
CYPRIPEDIUM & CALANTHE ORCHIDS PLANTING ADVICE.
Planting site
Semi-shade, no direct summer sun after about 9am. Just use your sense about the summer sun. It’s best to have it dappled through trees. If planting in pots make sure no sun hits the side of the pots.
Cypripediums & Calanthe are woodland plants and therefore prefer cool sites, which do not become too dry and hot during summer. Places where ferns thrive are also suitable for lady’s slipper orchids. Don’t plant your Cypripediums close to trees or big shrubs because the roots are effective competition for water and nutrients! If you do plant them under trees you will need to dig them up every autumn after they have gone dormant & re-dig the area to chop up any tree roots & re-plant them.
Soil
Basically Cypripedium hybrids grow well in most well drained open (not cloggy) garden soils in areas where the winters are cold & frosty. If you have warm winters you will need to put them in the fridge from May to August. (Phone me about this before doing it). Lady’s slipper orchids prefer a well-aerated, crumbly soil structure (12cm deep) and medium moisture conditions. Dense and loamy soils have to be improved with mineral materials such as crushed clay pebbles or lava. If the planting site is too wet, a drainage layer with crushed clay pebbles or lava should be added. In sandy soils, which dry out rapidly, it is recommended to increase water retention by mixing in perlite. Covering the soil with a layer of beech leaves or conifer needles has a favourable effect on structure and moisture. Lady’s slipper orchids are completely hardy - no separate protection during winter is required.
Planting
Spread out the roots in the upper 10cm of the soil, the rhizome one inch below the surface, with shoot buds upwards. Fill in the remaining substrate without compressing it, and water thoroughly.
Plant care
Fertilize your lady’s slipper orchids regularly in spring, necessary for strong growth. Use any granulated commercial garden fertilizer regularly in spring at half measure; best are those with a long-term effect (Osmocote). After flowering the need for nutrients is low, but at the beginning of the growth season the need is high. Leaf coloration is a good indicator; leaves should always be bright green. A yellowish green indicates nutrient deficiency or too much sun. The soil should never dry out completely, therefore in dry summers careful watering is recommended, but during winter they can just be very slightly moist, not wet. The flower stems die back in autumn and should then be cut of at ground level.
Combination with other plants
Lady’s slipper orchids look best in combination with slow-growing ferns, some epimediums and small Hosta species. They cannot compete with vigorously-growing perennials, shrubs or trees. So always look after these delicate plants!
Protecting your lady’s slipper orchids
Slugs can wreak havoc within one night. Particularly during springtime special protection is a must.
