I
IdahoOrchid
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So, is crushed coral "better" than oyster shell for orchids or is it too difficult to remove the salt? What might one add to the soak water to break down the sodium cloride?
Growing paphs au naturel..?
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paphioboy
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Thanks for the replies, everyone.. 
ok, now to answer some of the questions posed to me... my growing area is in fact inside my house. i grow my paphs under a small rack with shade netting (as many growers in the tropics do).. In terms of 'naturalness' i try to provide as much air and light as possible for the brachys, parvis and multifloras. so, i hang them! u can see pics at the growing areas megathread. i don't mind insects, creepy-crawlies etc... In Malaysia, all you have to do if you want moss is to leave a brick in the open... a few weeks later moss will have grown on it. I do put some mosses in my paph pots, near the surface of the medium. They grow on the moist sphagnum...
I am not willing to try converting to pure leaf mould as a medium because of the various reasons mentioned above.. furthermore, I'm studying away from home, so my dad has to water them for me... But yesterday, i tried putting dried leaves on the surface of all my paph pots, just as a way to give them fertiliser. I use the dried leaves of the false chinese juniper (thuja sp.) Well, I think that growing plants in a way that is as natural as possible will make them grow hardier and better, but may not as beautiful... I believe that in conventional growing methods, the plants are easily subjected to shock and distress.. So, they may not even cope with several days of dryness.
I am not willing yet to try mounting any of my paphs, in case of casualties when I'm away... :sob: I know that paphs can be mounted, but only the ones that can establish properly to the growing conditions provided. For example, if i were to mount paph villosum (which is epiphytic), it may not have adequate moisture as villosum grows in naturally dripping-wet conditions. I may try with lowii, but since i have only 1 lowii...
I agree with terrestrial man. I tried the same method with my ludisia. So i hope i can see some improvement soon. I also tried it on sum of my small bulbos and coelogynes, cos they have such thin roots that burn easily, and I'm too lazy to foliar feed them. But I am curious with terrestrial man's choice of paph to mount. Why delenatii? Why not a naturally epiphytic species like lowii, parishii or villosum? A general question to everyone: Won't any of you be able to provide conditions for mounting in greenhouses? If anybody can grow phals mounted, i'm sure they can do satisfactorily with paphs too...
I agree that soil is a very unsuitable potting medium. Most growers in Malaysia use burnt earth to pot paphs, but the drainage tends to deteriorate and roots often rot. I know of a grower who uses pure perlite, but he is using the semi-hydroponic technique...It is rather a challenge to create the perfect medium for these fussy (and temperamental) plants...
Lastly, someone commented that growing paphs in bark, or whatever else, is not considered as potting them as epiphytes. I have to disagree on this. If truly epiphytic orchids like vandas, cattleyas etc are potted in bark, and paphs are also treated the same way, then why the exception for paphs? Aren't the other orchids also potted as epiphytes?
ok, now to answer some of the questions posed to me... my growing area is in fact inside my house. i grow my paphs under a small rack with shade netting (as many growers in the tropics do).. In terms of 'naturalness' i try to provide as much air and light as possible for the brachys, parvis and multifloras. so, i hang them! u can see pics at the growing areas megathread. i don't mind insects, creepy-crawlies etc... In Malaysia, all you have to do if you want moss is to leave a brick in the open... a few weeks later moss will have grown on it. I do put some mosses in my paph pots, near the surface of the medium. They grow on the moist sphagnum... I am not willing to try converting to pure leaf mould as a medium because of the various reasons mentioned above.. furthermore, I'm studying away from home, so my dad has to water them for me... But yesterday, i tried putting dried leaves on the surface of all my paph pots, just as a way to give them fertiliser. I use the dried leaves of the false chinese juniper (thuja sp.) Well, I think that growing plants in a way that is as natural as possible will make them grow hardier and better, but may not as beautiful... I believe that in conventional growing methods, the plants are easily subjected to shock and distress.. So, they may not even cope with several days of dryness.
I am not willing yet to try mounting any of my paphs, in case of casualties when I'm away... :sob: I know that paphs can be mounted, but only the ones that can establish properly to the growing conditions provided. For example, if i were to mount paph villosum (which is epiphytic), it may not have adequate moisture as villosum grows in naturally dripping-wet conditions. I may try with lowii, but since i have only 1 lowii...
I agree with terrestrial man. I tried the same method with my ludisia. So i hope i can see some improvement soon.
I also tried it on sum of my small bulbos and coelogynes, cos they have such thin roots that burn easily, and I'm too lazy to foliar feed them. But I am curious with terrestrial man's choice of paph to mount. Why delenatii? Why not a naturally epiphytic species like lowii, parishii or villosum? A general question to everyone: Won't any of you be able to provide conditions for mounting in greenhouses? If anybody can grow phals mounted, i'm sure they can do satisfactorily with paphs too... I agree that soil is a very unsuitable potting medium. Most growers in Malaysia use burnt earth to pot paphs, but the drainage tends to deteriorate and roots often rot. I know of a grower who uses pure perlite, but he is using the semi-hydroponic technique...It is rather a challenge to create the perfect medium for these fussy (and temperamental) plants...
Lastly, someone commented that growing paphs in bark, or whatever else, is not considered as potting them as epiphytes. I have to disagree on this. If truly epiphytic orchids like vandas, cattleyas etc are potted in bark, and paphs are also treated the same way, then why the exception for paphs? Aren't the other orchids also potted as epiphytes?
terrestrial_man
Well-Known Member
Phragmipedium culture
As a follow up here is a link to a jpeg sheet on how I grow Phrags. I had to generalize as my culture is as much interaction as it is reaction. Also I have not determined the best foot candles for the plants for flowering. Got the meter. Just haven't gotten around to it!!!:rollhappy:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=3892
NOTE: once there you can click on the image to enlarge it!
As a follow up here is a link to a jpeg sheet on how I grow Phrags. I had to generalize as my culture is as much interaction as it is reaction. Also I have not determined the best foot candles for the plants for flowering. Got the meter. Just haven't gotten around to it!!!:rollhappy:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=3892
NOTE: once there you can click on the image to enlarge it!
terrestrial_man
Well-Known Member
PaphioBoy,
I mounted P. delenatii because they had these great looking plants at the local OSH store and at only $10USD each. Got 3 and decided to mount one for fun. One is in flower now. It is in more light than the other potted one that is not flowering. The mounted one is growing but prob. too much shade. Will change this soon!
As for how to grow a plant.
Whether or not it is terrestrial, epiphytic, lithophytic, or aquatic what matters is not how it grows naturally but whether or not you can provide conditions that will allow it to grow for you. This is the lesson I am learning with my tests with temperate Goodyera species. Terrestrial in nature but what do we really know? What may appear as terrestrial may not in fact be reflected in a manmade culture. Too much presumption is occurring in defining the nature of growth based upon the flimsiest of observations. Perhaps the only real teacher is trial and error at the individual level. This is what makes the standardization of culture vague unless precise conditions are defined upon which subsequent culture can be recommended!
Check my jpeg on Phrags culture. It is more radical and perhaps daring than most since I spray my plants. A big no-no for some but then I make sure my green house runs into the 80s F everyday even if I have to heat it on a nice warm sunny day!! My basic philosophy has to be this: if your glasses don't steam up when you walk into your greenhouse than the plants are unhappy! Keep them happy!!
I mounted P. delenatii because they had these great looking plants at the local OSH store and at only $10USD each. Got 3 and decided to mount one for fun. One is in flower now. It is in more light than the other potted one that is not flowering. The mounted one is growing but prob. too much shade. Will change this soon!
As for how to grow a plant.
Whether or not it is terrestrial, epiphytic, lithophytic, or aquatic what matters is not how it grows naturally but whether or not you can provide conditions that will allow it to grow for you. This is the lesson I am learning with my tests with temperate Goodyera species. Terrestrial in nature but what do we really know? What may appear as terrestrial may not in fact be reflected in a manmade culture. Too much presumption is occurring in defining the nature of growth based upon the flimsiest of observations. Perhaps the only real teacher is trial and error at the individual level. This is what makes the standardization of culture vague unless precise conditions are defined upon which subsequent culture can be recommended!
Check my jpeg on Phrags culture. It is more radical and perhaps daring than most since I spray my plants. A big no-no for some but then I make sure my green house runs into the 80s F everyday even if I have to heat it on a nice warm sunny day!! My basic philosophy has to be this: if your glasses don't steam up when you walk into your greenhouse than the plants are unhappy! Keep them happy!!
SlipperFan
Addicted
Interesting. Thanks!
