A question for windowsill growers

[Carkin]

Okay, maybe two questions...what do you have your Paphs potted in (medium & type of pot) and how often do you water?

 

[ALToronto]

All of mine are in plastic pots. Some are in fine bark/perlite/charcoal mix, and some are in sphagnum on top, fine lava rock in the bottom. The ones in sphag are growing a little faster. I water them all when the sphagnum dries out.

 

[NYEric]

I kind of grow in windowsill. Any pot, any media modified depending on where the plant sits, i.e. how quickly it dries out. We water every other day and I mist all plants w/ aerial roots 2 times a day.

 

[TyroneGenade]

I use Prime Agra (aka LECA) and I pot in the little semi-hydroponic pots that Ray sells (http://www.firstrays.com). I even use the K-lite fertilizer he sells... So far so good. I find it keeps the humidity high enough in winter and the plants moist enough in summer. All the plants that survived winter are sending out new root and leaves. I grow on a south facing windowsill in front of a window with some mosquito netting in front which acts kind of like shade cloth. I am growing a C&B roth, some Hauserman complexes and some other Paphs off ebay and then the Catts & Dendrobium I won on the slippertalk auction. All seem happy for now.

The plants are in large plastic trays over more LECA to ensure high humidity and when I water I don't get water all over the 'sill and floor.

 

[Carkin]

Thanks guys, that's very helpful!

 

[wonderlen3000]

Depends on what kind of paph you have. Maudiae type tolerate fine bark mix w/ moss and like moist all the time. Parvi/Brachy type like more open mix with w/ perlite/lava rock and like slight drying between watering. Multi type are like latter . all paph likes to be pot bounded, and i normally use slight longer pot for Parvi/Brachy since they tent to have massive roots. Other should be fine with regular pot. Also the amount/ size of the drainage holes will also determine what medium should be, also how often you water and which exposure they sit.

 

[Carkin]

Thank you for including details about the different types! I really appreciate it.

 

[Leo Schordje]

Windows sills & under lights, all Paphs of mine are in a bark mix, roughly 60% bark, 20% horticultural charcoal, and 20% perlite. Fine bark (1/8 inch to 3/8 inch) for 3 inch pots and smaller, medium grade (1/4 to 1/2 inch) for larger pots. When a plant is on the windowsill usually I nest the plastic pot inside a larger, empty clay pot to keep the sun off the plastic. Sun will heat up plastic pots beyond the comfort zone for most Paphs fairly quickly. I have used cachepots for years to good results.

 

[Carkin]

Thank you Leo, and how often do you water yours plants on the windowsill?