Restrepia probs....

[biothanasis]

Helo all,

I recently received 3 restrepias (contorta, cuprea and a puprurea hybrid). I keep them in the tank with around 80% humidity, 30(d)-26(n)oC, there is a pc fan for ventilation, they are potted in sphagnum moss in small plastic pots and watered a bit after the moss seems to have dried.

The problem I have is that, they start 1-2 growths, which grow at the point of the same height as the old ones in sheath form and when the leaf is going to expand and mature they dehydrate and die.

Is there any tip for this? I thought it could be the air, but they seem to not like the absence of air movement. Also I thought of high temps, but they did it before the heat started and there is nothing I can do to cool them now anyway....

Any help is appreciated... Thanks!

 

[John Boy]

All Restrepias (in Europe) seem to be suffering right now. I'm pretty certain, that your problem too, is heat related. I'm going to shift my Restrepias and Draculas into the basement over the weekend. My Draculas are even worse than my Restrepias. Not much you can do but to keep them wet, and ventilated....

 

[TyroneGenade]

Your withering young leaves occur to me as a sign of 1) too much heat, 2) too much air movement and 3) not enough water.

Repot into a clay pot with gravel and some rockwool or a few shred of sphag and stand them in a dish of water so they NEVER dry out but the roots can still breath. That is how I keep mine going in in Cape Town summers (average daily temp, 80 deg F with some days at 90 deg F).

 

[Shiva]

I have two restrepias, several draculas and masdevallias and a few pleuros. I keep them all outside under shade, hosing them down whenever the temperature gets too high. Most of them are flowering, including the cold ones like Masd. coccinea, barleana...etc.

 

[biothanasis]

Thank you all for th info!

Tyrone your suggestion sounds ok and possible for my standards / materials etc....!

Thank you all again!

(Shiva unfortunatelly I cannot keep them outside....)

 

[Rick]

I've been keeping a cuprea now since about 2002.

Your humidity is great, but the temp is towards the high side (but not totally a problem).

I keep mine in moss in some type of basket, and keep water to them almost all the time. My oldest plant is in a small net basket in a very shallow tray of water so the moss is always pretty damp.

Small computer fans nearby keep the airflow pretty high. If you have artificial light, then you might try reducing this a bit (by setting the bulbs farther away) while it is as warm as it is.

The clay pot trick has helped in warmer climates so that may be worth a try too.

 

[biothanasis]

Thank you Rick...