For those of us who grow epies, there is nothing quite like a bloom. For the past 3 years, for various reasons, my plants haven't bloomed. I have been watching 1 bud for what seems like forever and yesterday it opened for me.! I am so excited.I hope it is the start of many blooms this year. It is marked ackermannii .


This 1 plant has been hanging where 1 florescent light bulb hangs almost in the center of the plant. So far I have 2 that look like they may be setting buds. It is all I can do not to start feeding them now. I know it would be best to wait a couple more weeks, but I get so eager to see flowers. They will stay in the greenhouse for about another 3-4 weeks. What do you think? Feed now, or wait?

What a pretty bloom! I am bad at fertilizers...but my understanding is to do the fertilizing after the blooms have faded.

Nice bloom Linda,

I usually fertilize twice a year, once after blooming and then around Feb. March. I would probably wait and keep to your schedule.

February has been slow for me. I had one bud droop and die, there is one that will open tomorrow and three other buds that I know of. Blooming time is getting closer and there is plenty of new growth

Last year, I fed them about every 2 months trying so hard to get them to bloom. This year, I will definitely feed them in March ( if I can wait that long). After March, I will see what the growth and bloom season is like. it shouldn't be long before I can take them out of the greenhouse for the spring. It was so pretty today, I wanted to do it now. I resisted the urge though. I have lots of new growth and many babies to pot up in June.

I might have to find time to give mine some Bloom Food this coming week. I'm getting buds on some about a month early. I have one that has been half open for two days now, but our temps keep bouncing from summer to winter on a weekly basis.

Beautiful bloom, Linda !

Linda, are your "babies" cuttings from last year or this year or are you planning to take cuttings in June.
I'm afraid I went crazy again with new cuttings. My neighbor invited me to his greenhouse last weekend (he started Epis a few years ago when we did a joint purchase of cuttings) to thin out his tangle of epi branches so ended up with 78 cuttings from about 12 varieties now laid out for 2 wks prior to potting. Labels, pots and soil already to go.
They should be ready to move up to hanging pots in October and hopefully bloom next year. As they are mature branch cuttings a few might give me some blooms this year.
Weather sure is crazy, Carol. We just finished a six week period of almost no rain and lots of sun, Catchment tanks are really low. I was dipping the watering can in our fishponds to get water for the Epis. This morning we had a water lily in bloom - in February!

Mike, The "babies" are cuttings I started last year and some the year before that never got potted up. I am certain I will take more cuttings in June, even though I whine about not having enough space, some of my older epies really need to be trimmed and re-potted. I have found that starting them in little plastic cups ( think small translucent solo cups) works really well for me. Now of course, they need to come out of their little cups and be potted into regular pots. I will pot a few directly into hanging baskets as well.
We have had very little cold weather this winter and the next 2 weeks is forecasted to be in the 60's with the coolest night only going to 40°. It is bright and sunny, so you can see why I am "itchy" to pull them out of their winter rest.
I have put quite a few varieties on a wish list this winter, so anything I can do to make room for them is definitely a plus. I just can never seem to say I have enough now. LOL There's got to be room for 1 more.
Water lilies are so beautiful. Enjoy it.

German Empress is beginning to bloom again and a noid that hasn't ever bloomed now has a bud. I am doing a happy dance.