Questions for some species!!!!!

[biothanasis]

Hello all,

Firstly I would like to ask you what potting mix should I use for my epidendrum ibaguense ballerina plants and my epidendrum ciliare. Oh, and how much light do they require. Pretty much like catts or less?

Secondly, I would like to know what to do with the dendrobiums I have (D. ceasar stripe/ red bull/ two tones/ sakal blue). I used to spray & water them spraringly till the biggining of May, but now new growths emerge from old ones! Should I start to water them regularly (like the other orchids I have) so as to make them flower or not yet? Does water supply affect the blooming mood of the plant? Is it only the light intensity, or both?

Additionally, my Pleione plants have grown enough and actually have started to create new growths from everywhere (even from the spot where the last years leaf has fallen), but they haven't flowered yet! What should I do?

Lastly, my Catts seem inactive and somehow not happy (or dry)! Should I put them to more light and water them a little bit more?

Well, that is all.... Any tip is welcomed!!!! Thank you in advance...

 

[Candace]

What's your routine for your catts? What kind of light are they getting? Color of leaves?

What kind of dens are they? Nobiles? Caned?

 

[biothanasis]

My dendrobiums are mostly of non nobile types (I guess) judging from the flowers the should produce!!! they are hybrids and their name is mentioned in between the brackets above... (I somehow haven't realised which ones are of nobile type and which not!!!)

My catts are receiving artificial light of one gro-lux t8 18W and a philipls t8 18W simutaneously, so totally they approximatelly get 36W, for 10 hours per day. I water them every 2-4 days now that the weather has become hotter. In winter I used to water every 4-5 days, with a little fertiliser added in water. The fact is that from one plant 3-4 leaves have dropped throuought the year and in general only minimal growth had started, but has remained so for many months...

I hope it helps!!!!

 

[SlipperKing]

epis mount them and cat light...water often. Mine grow like weeds. keep them plump with water/fert

Rick H

 

[Candace]

I don't grow under lights but 10 hrs. seems a little short. When have you last changed your bulbs? They lose their output after a while so even if the bulb is working, it may not be putting out optimum light. If you've got catts that aren't growing and blooming, usually the culprit is not enough light. The epis, like Rick said can be grown with the catts in the same lighting.

If you've got den. hybrids that are the cane type, there's really no need to be giving them a special rest. They are hybrids so are easier to grow than species and depending on what hybrid they are, don't need any special care.

 

[Rick]

I don't grow under lights but 10 hrs. seems a little short. When have you last changed your bulbs? They lose their output after a while so even if the bulb is working, it may not be putting out optimum light. If you've got catts that aren't growing and blooming, usually the culprit is not enough light.

Ten hours is real short for anything under artificial lighting (unless you are hibernating snakes). Go to 16 hours on 8 hours off. Also you need about 2000 foot candles (I think that's about 20,000 lux) for Catts so you may need to move the light fixtures to just a few inches away from the plants to get that much intensity with those bulbs. It's good to invest in a light meter to determine the bulb to plant distance required.

Also without good reflectors you can loose allot of scattered light. You will be surprised how much intensity you gain by adding strategically placed sheets of aluminum foil around your plant growing area (but then it looks like a pot growing setup).

 

[paphioboy]

Thanasis, I don't know about you but I grow Epi ibaguense in a pot in full sun. I think its a bit messy when mounted because the canes are rather tall... They can grow in both epiphyte or terrestrial media, depending on your conditions... I think your dends are common (ceratobium x phalaenopsis) type hybrids. These usually produce flowers on long spikes and don't lose leaves. They can be grown like Catts. Nobile type dends produce flowers straight from the pseudobulbs, 1or 2 at each node only. These are seasonal and lose leaves when the canes are mature...

 

[JeanLux]

epis mount them and cat light...water often. Mine grow like weeds. keep them plump with water/fert

Rick H

Kalispera Thanasis ( just returned from a week on the island of Crete ).
I agree with Rick: mount and full light!! Jean

 

[Pete]

man you live in greece grow those things outside!!!
honestly, if your in between 55-90 they'll do fine. i have found orchids to be extremely adaptable. furthermore cattleyas are very hardy plants. i grow most of my cattleya plants in the same conditions, bright, warm and on the dry side. i dont know wattage but 36 watts sounds like really really really low. some of these things can take full sun in certain instances.. just be sure not to put them directly into a location so much brighter.. do it slowly..

also my epi. cilliare's have the climbing habit so that plant is good on a mount of some sort.

 

[Rick]

man you live in greece grow those things outside!!!
honestly, if your in between 55-90 they'll do fine. i have found orchids to be extremely adaptable. furthermore cattleyas are very hardy plants.

The light levels and temps are good, but I'd be concerned on how dry it is. The weather is more like Southern California rather than Hawaii, and dry as a bone in most places.

I know Cymbidiums do well outside in SoCal, but they are under shade cloth with heavy water and frequent misting, and despite all the great temps and free sunshine most orchids are still grown in green houses to keep them from drying out there.

 

[cnycharles]

sounds like a prime candidate for a big bucket of semi-hydro pellets!

 

[biothanasis]

Kalispera Thanasis ( just returned from a week on the island of Crete ).

I hope you liked it!!!! I see that you have learned some greek, too!!!!! Nice...

Thank you all for the advice... I am planning to move my plants outside in a couple of days. I am making the case now that will have features of a gh (perhaps) so that the plants can get more light and air!!!! Should I use cloth first and then smth more transparent so as not to shock the plants? THere is shade in my balcony for many hours though!!!! But much more light than inside! Depending on the species any plant will be sitting in a special seat, according to its needs!! Anyway... I will be adjusting conditions when necessary... Thank you all again

Best regards,
Thanasis