ABOUT US
Nado Lenkic
 'Lee'(2).JPG)
I love what I do.
Springfield Orchids is a small one person operation that I started in 1985 in Kalamunda, Western Australia - some 25 km east of Perth.
The nursery specialises in the breeding, growing and selling of cymbidium orchids to the public and enthusiasts.
Why cymbidiums? Because I believe cymbidiums are the best performing outdoor orchids in Perth and are very long lasting when in flower. With just a little knowledge, they are easy to grow and bloom and anyone can have success with them.
My aim has always been to produce well grown quality plants and to provide excellent service.
Hybridising results over the last decade have been very gratifying and some of the more pleasing recent crossings include:
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Attractive (floribundum x Crater) Bonny (Dream Temple x Valley Vapour) Bossanova (Cronulla x Crater) Butterfly Kisses (floribundum x Bold Move) Butterfly Magic (Bold Move x Royal Rose) Captivating (Crater x Royal Rose) Charming (floribundum x Ruby Eyes) Coastline (Khan Flame x South Coast) Elusive Butterfly (Crater x Cleo’s Melody) |
Fiery (Fireworks x Ruby Eyes) Glendale (Cronulla x Royal Rose) Royalty (Khan Flame x Royal Rose) Standout (Royal Rose x Valley Splash) Striking (Willunga Royal x Ruby Pendant) Successful (Khan Flame x Vieux Rose) Sungold (Pharaoh's Gold x Tracey Reddaway) Supreme (Pure x Alexandra Beauty) Toltrice (Sarah Jean x Owzat) Visionary (Khan Flame x Real Vision) |
At Springfield Orchids, plants are grown year round (with the exception of several species which are put under a solid roof during the winter months only) in a shade house under 70% black knitted shade cloth. They are not mollycoddled in any way.
Kalamunda experiences temperatures as low as zero degrees Celsius in winter, up to about 45 degrees on exceptionally hot summer days. The plants are grown in black plastic pots on 50cm high steel mesh benches. The potting mix consists of 85% small grade (10mm) pine bark and 15% blue metal (i.e.10 mm size granite).
Plants planted out of flask are grown in sphagnum moss for 6 to 9 months.
Watering is done by hand, usually every second day in summer and once or twice a week in autumn and spring. Plants are rarely treated with pesticides or fungicides.
Fertilising is mainly reliant on 12 -14 month slow release Macracote applied once a year in spring. Smaller plants are liquid fed in their first 12 months.
The main changes that I have made to my culture over the past ten years or so, include
(1) the use of Seagold after dividing and when transplanting.
(2) reducing the size of the pine bark that I use with very pleasing results.
(3) reverting to hand watering all my plants and
(4) cooling my plants around sunset during the hot summer months. This has consistently resulted in much greater flowering.
Probably, the most surprising aspect of my involvement with cymbidiums over the years is that my enthusiasm for them has not waned, but has continued to increase over time. Being very “hands on” and doing everything apart from the laboratory work, means that I see plants from conception right through to when they are sold - and then often on the show bench after that. It’s a lot like watching your children grow, with the exception that ultimately their looks will largely determine their value.
Happy growing and feel free to contact me or pop in to the nursery for any assistance.
Nado
Fertilising is mainly reliant on 12 -14 month slow release Macracote applied once a year in spring. Smaller plants are liquid fed in their first 12 months.
The main changes that I have made to my culture over the past ten years or so, include
(1) the use of Seagold after dividing and when transplanting.
(2) reducing the size of the pine bark that I use with very pleasing results.
(3) reverting to hand watering all my plants and
(4) cooling my plants around sunset during the hot summer months. This has consistently resulted in much greater flowering.
Probably, the most surprising aspect of my involvement with cymbidiums over the years is that my enthusiasm for them has not waned, but has continued to increase over time. Being very “hands on” and doing everything apart from the laboratory work, means that I see plants from conception right through to when they are sold - and then often on the show bench after that. It’s a lot like watching your children grow, with the exception that ultimately their looks will largely determine their value.
Happy growing and feel free to contact me or pop in to the nursery for any assistance.
Nado