II.          Claw 

As the name suggests, the stalks curved like claws from the bulb. This is the advanced way to handle a WF, & is fundamental for all creative styles or shapes of WF.

Click the diagram below to play the Video (11M, 7:30min)

 Steps (refer to diagram - Claw):

• 1. Take away the dried mud, dead brown skins & dead roots from the bulb
• 2. Check the shape of the bulb (everyone is unique).
• 3. Remove some buds on either side to make it a half circle (lay-flat), if necessary.
• 4. Make sure they are look even & have the right shape you desired. Remove the dead roots with the other end of WF cutting knife like we did for Upright.
• 5. Lay the bulb flat, & remove the white scales on top, layer by layer.
• 6. Remove about 1/2 of the white scales of the bulb.
• 7. Craving: remove at least 1/2 of the scales of all individual buds.
• Make the leaves & calyxes (stalks) curved by cutting:
• Leaves: peel 1/3 of every leaves of the buds, cutting from top (leaving about half inch from top) to the bottom. And you will see the pale yellowish calyx lying in the centre of each bud.
• Calyxes: keep your knife flat (horizontal to the lay flat bulb), and peel a very thin layer off the handle of the calyx, and the stalk will grow curved instead of upright.
• 8. Put the bulb in water for 1-2 days, raise thoroughly under tap water.
• 9. Use a screwdriver (cross-head) or any hard tools to make two 1.5cm deep holes on the base on each bulb
• 10. Push 2 wooden/bamboo stick in the holes.
• 11. Combine the 2 bulbs with the wooden sticks, leaving a gap for the roots.
• 12. Lay the bulbs flat on a plate with sallow water. Water should not touch the wounds. Cover the bases with cotton & make sure part of the cotton soaked in the water. Avoid sunlight for 1 day, and remove it to out-door or sunshine place.
• 13. 1 week later the roots will grow from the centre and makes the 2 bulbs look like one big bulbs. Don't forget to change water everyday & leave no sticky fluid behind.
• 14. 1 more week later, the calyxes grow toward the centre (what we called little piggy resting on a big pillow). When the leaves grow long enough, we can start to ‘direct' the leaves goes outward (away from the centre), leave the centre for the flowers only.
• 15. When little green flower buds bust out from the thin membranes, remove the bulbs in-door & place it in a nice low, flat based plate with some rocks at the bottom to keep it in position.
• 16. It takes about 6 more days to blossom. Let some leaves hanging on the rim of the container, so they will look more natural.

Reminder:

• 1. All reminders in Upright above still apply. Except it take few less days to blossom.
• 2. The diagram show twin bulbs arrangement (Chinese people believe good things comes in 2). But any number of bulbs can be combined with simply way & give very different appearances. Single bulb may also look very gorgeous (Granny's favorite)
• 3. Avoid the calyxes stay in water for a long time (or get in touch with the wet cotton). If so, there will have no flower or rotten.
• 4. Claws can be shaped in very different form & let the WF display various shape when blossom.
• 5. Cutting make it curve (leaf or handle of the calyx - stalk). The more you cut, a more degree of curve will result. But never go too far.