Disa uniflora

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Dandrobium

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This one I've had for a couple years and has done really well, throwing out new growths everywhere. Happy with the outcome, but the stem is rather short, likely from growing in higher light.

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Well done! Bravo! I'm always interested in learning new things about Disas. So can you tell us how you grow it.....especially: what potting mix and what fertilizer?
 
I never get tired of Disa uniflora. A lovely species which will propagate quickly under the right conditions. I had a big tray of them for a time, and it was lovely when they all flowered at once.

I grow them like Sarracenia in many respects, using a 50/50 peat/perlite media. Once its above freezing they are in the cold frame greenhouse in a sunny spot, but are protected on the sunniest days, and will put them outside on hot days, as I found they suffer when it gets close to 30 celsius. Copious amounts of rain water (I stand them in trays with minimum 5cm depth) helps to keep them cool. I fertilise sparingly during the growth season.
 
Thanks all!

Well done! Bravo! I'm always interested in learning new things about Disas. So can you tell us how you grow it.....especially: what potting mix and what fertilizer?

I got most of my info from your posts here John! I grow in similar mix to you, around 50:50 sphag/perlite and sometimes I'll mix in some charcoal. I predominantly use 4" clay pots and put LECA in the bottom. The pots only have 1 drainage hole, so after potting up, I make sure the leca doesn't block that hole. The pot will sit in a small saucer and when watering in the summer, there is usually water in the saucer or if not, I'll water if the media is medium moist. If I let it go just slightly moist in summer, the plant can start to wilt.
For water, I use RO in winter and rain water in summer. To that, I either add only Cal-Mag, or weekly in spring/fall I'll mix to around 80ppm of 12-4-8 fert or fish fert. Flushing every couple weeks. I feel like I'm starving the disas, but they do very well with this regimen. There is always some airflow, so the root zone is cooled from evaporation. I grow them under a 4 bulb T8 fixture, maybe 12" or so to leaves. These don't need very bright light, but it seems to boost the flower count. We'll see, I'm going to play around with conditions now that I've got some test subjects :evil:

Here's some repotting pics from earlier this spring

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Thanks David!

Awesome! I heard they are quite finicky.

I've heard this too, but since following John's growing advice, and sticking to it, I've found Disas to be the most prolific grower in my collection. So long as they do not dry out nor overheat, they grow like weeds. Knowing this, they do not like being forgotten about. I keep them next to my highland nepenthes, which also do well there, but they sulk a bit from the summer heat.

I'll have more to post next year, as I've bought a few different colour varieties and hybrids.

I don't know that I could get tired of these either Tom! The colour and form are just too nice!
 
Thanks very much, Dan. I've not tried Leca....and I tend to fill the pots right to the bottom with my mix (no drainage material). However, your roots look wonderful and your "UNI"flora sure is happy, as is in evidence by the high flower count and multiple growths! Congrats!
 
Dandrobium, what about the growing temperature?

I grow these with the highland nepenthes and some masdevallia and Draculas. They sit on a shelf at near floor level and it will get to the upper 20s Celsius and occasionally above 30 in summer. As long as they're kept moist and there is air movement, the clay pots cool the root zone to keep them happy. In winter, they will get down to 10C and up to maybe 17C during the day.
 

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