Growing the native Australian ground orchid Diuris: a naturall hybrid Diuris pardina X Diuris behrii

[@brigitteweich3534]

Wow Matthew, such a beauty! (And I’m talking about the orchid 😉) Thank you so much for your weekly inspirational and educational videos. I watch religiously every week.

[@helloplantlovers]

Thank you for watching....religiously!

[@gardengirl1848]

I must say Matthew’s outfit slay did outshine Diuris a little

[@helloplantlovers]

Oops!

[@patsfreund9164]

WOW! That is a really beautiful orchid. So nice that you are able to grow this one. Well done! Thanks for sharing.

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching!

[@renatecormick7399]

The minute I saw this orchid I knew it was a donkey orchid. Some years ago ( before KZbin etc) I did a watercolour painting of Diuris sulphurea. I’ve often wondered if they would be available for home growing so you’ve answered my question. I will save the link and put a reminder on my calendar to see what’s on offer in autumn. Thanks for sharing this orchid with us, it’s quite beautiful.

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching - and good luck finding some bulbs!

[@suethompson6497]

That’s a very pretty and colourful donkey! 😀. I am in the U.K. and have four pots with native terrestrial orchids planted with small Hosta and other perennials. They do self seed into nearby pots strategically placed, I hope yours does that soon for you too. It would be stunning to see a whole colony of donkeys flowering. Thank you for introducing me this species.🌸

[@helloplantlovers]

Oh that sounds like a great combination! I hope mine self seed too! Thanks for watching!

[@wandashaw3551]

She's lovely!!

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching - isn't it!

Muito boa a sua explicação parabéns..👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[@helloplantlovers]

Obrigado por assistir!

[@ironwoodification]

You got me thinking about putting some in the yard if I can. I've seen them on hikes, but never considered buying some for the yard.

[@helloplantlovers]

Orchid groups and specialist growers would be the place to find them - good luck!

[@carolesykes7955]

What a lovely idea 😊 I'm in Wales UK and we do have some lovely natural orchids so I will go hunting before next Spring to try and buy some 👌

[@helloplantlovers]

Excellent plan! I've seen some UK species grown here as massive clumped specimens in pots.

[@RareRootsOfJoyMelbourne]

I’ve never heard of this genus before so thank you so much for introducing me to her. She’s so pretty!! Are you using the Osmocote orchid mix (regular, not coarse) for this one? Or are you using just the regular terrestrial potting mix?

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching! A mix of regular potting mix, sand, grit and clay; a similar mix you'd use for bulbs but with the addition of a little clay which the grower recommended.

[@yevgeniythomas9605]

Hi. Great info. I lucky and have diuris longifolia. But not much information about pot growing, and im in UK. So season reverse. But i managed to grow it for 3rd season now. Its dormant in summer here, and start growing now, but i dont think its big enough to flower. But its doubled now, this season i have 4 growth. Any advice on diuris longifolia culture 🙏

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching! I just looked it up in 'Orchids of Australia' which says it has a pretty wide range including Victoria - where I am. So I would give it basically the same conditions as my hybrid. The book does mention it has the best flowers in 'sheltered places in fairly heavily timbered country' so I would perhaps treat it more like a woodland plant with dappled light rather than full sun. Depends where exactly you are though! If you've managed to grow it well for three years you must be on to something! I've not grown longifolia but these wold be my suggestions: use regular potting mixture with maybe a tablespoon of course sand and clay on the mix; don't over fertilise! A little slow release fertiliser once a year; I wouldn't repot it often at all, don't allow it to dry out COMPLETELY in summer....but don't keep it too wet or it will rot. I'd imagine the bulbs would take a few years to mature and bloom so Good luck!

[@adriannasorchids]

Hello Matthew! Thank you so much for your Australian terrestrial care guide! I recently obtained some thelymitra bulbs (my absolute favorite orchids of all time!) and was wondering if diuris culture can be applied to thelymitra as well? I know they’re both Australian! 😊

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching - I couldn't comment on Thelymitra care as I haven't grown them. But a quick glance through Orchids of Australia shows that a) there are a LOT of species from very different habitats, and b) most of them seem to favour similar open sunny spots, but some come from much wetter parts of the country, some are tropical and some are temperate. So....depends which one you have! If it were me I'd follow a similar path as I have with Diuris if it were a species from southern Australia as it will have a relatively dry summer....unless it's one from a high rain fall area! So that's not much help I'm afraid! Good luck!

[@adriannasorchids]

@@helloplantlovers no problem! I appreciate the advice!!! I’m looking into getting your book it seems super handy! 😁 thank you!

[@helloplantlovers]

@@adriannasorchids It really is!

[@nicoleb2261]

@@adriannasorchids don’t plant as deep as Diuris - 2.5-3cm beneath top of pot. Most of the thelys in cultivation require a medium which doesn’t maintain too much moisture - they’re very prone to rotting off sadly. ANOS Vic sells a cheap and very useful book called cultivation of native Australian orchids which goes through terrestrial cultivation in detail 😊

[@alessioloiudice3789]

hi Matthew, i wanted to know how much time does it takes to a cattleya or an oncidium seedling to mature.

[@helloplantlovers]

Hi there....depends! Some hybrid Oncidiums could flower in the second year. But I think a good general rule is thee years...again, depends entirely upon the hybrid and it's ancestors though! But a lot of commercial hybrids are bred to flower quickly. Good luck with yours!

[@billlumberg5746]

Do you know where to get sun orchids?

[@helloplantlovers]

This seller has them seasonally on Ebay: www.ebay.com.au/usr/lesorc80 and some now actually!