Phragmipedium schroderae!!

[biothanasis]

Hello all,

This is my newest aquisition!! It has 3 new growths and nice root system!

The seller has springled the roots with something woody (sawdust perhaps...)! I was thinking in putting it in s/h! Is it a good idea??? I know it needs warmer and drier conditions... but I need your advice! Should I clean the roots?

Please I need immediate help! Any tip is welcomed and appreciated!!!

 

[likespaphs]

i'd rinse the roots then keep going.
it may be vermiculite?

 

[NYEric]

I'd be carefull! Although they grow like weeds, a lot get fungal issues and rot!

 

[biothanasis]

Please tell me what culture to use??? What is better??? Does s/h work or not? Should I use bark or they root easily???

 

[SlipperFan]

I personally wouldn't use S/H for this right now.

 

[Clark]

i like bark, and a bowl of fresh water,and KLN,and if it rains...

 

[cnycharles]

Clan Orchids (camp lot a noise) has a web page with a good general culture page for phrags. http://www.clanorchids.com/culture/nanphrag.htm
If you aren't sure about the stuff on the roots, wash it all off and start with all new. That way you know exactly what's on there. There are lots of recipes for phrag potting media, from complicated to very simple. If you like to water a lot then an open, airy mix maybe with lots of chunky perlite and medium-sized bark would be good, but if you don't like to watch every day then maybe more medium to small bark, small (not tiny dusty) charcoal and small (again not tiny) chunky perlite and also maybe some fine chopped sphagnum might be good. Good thing is to find some web pages of vendors who sell high quality phrags, and see how they do it. Even if you put your plant is some general potting mix now and look around on the internet, it isn't going to hurt anything if you change the media in a few months. If you keep your plant just damp and don't let it dry out, and give it lots of humidity and air movement, it would be hard to go wrong in that period of time. I have problems when I don't pay attention and let them dry out in between waterings (dry = crispy brown leaves)
good luck!

oh, forgot to add that a very good rule of thumb that ray b. says about putting a plant in s/h conditions, is to wait until there are new roots starting to come out of the plant. if there are old roots, and especially not-so-hot roots but no new ones, the old roots may rot off before any new ones come out, and the excess water but no uptake could lead to rot issues. I think that's why some of my plants didn't take to s/h culture is because I just plopped them into it without checking to see if there were any new roots. and since one of the parents of schroderae is caudatum, being more cautious about not giving it too much water I think is a good thing

 

[biothanasis]

Hello,

I put it last night in s/h (and I found this[--> 2nd pic] on one piece of the leca)! I had not read any of the posts...

I will transfer it in bark and perlite. Sounds more convenient for my watering habbit! TY all for the tips

 

[Clark]

Gasp! Is that a dicot amongst the monocots???

 

[biothanasis]

Gasp! Is that a dicot amongst the monocots???

:rollhappy: I think it is...

 

[Ron-NY]

I grow mine in S/H without problems

 

[etex]

The plant looks great and very healthy roots! Share pics when it blooms please!