# Beginner... asking for general advise



## Geek_it (Nov 1, 2020)

Any advice on culture for the following?
I believe the first 3 are maudiae hybrids. 

Paph (Makuli-Curtisii)-Maudiae x Maudiae 'Napa Valley' HCC/AOS , orchid plant

Paph. Hilo Magic Shift '#1' x Paph. Hsyinying Carlos '#1'. 

Paph. Pitchweb '#2' x Paph. Hsinying Glory 'HOF' AM/AOS. 

Paph. Hilo Citron 'Giant Dorsal' x Paph. Spring Wolf 'New Horizon'


Paphiopedilum barbatum var nigritum x sib

Also,

Paph delenatii 'Tiffany' x delenatii 'Big One', orchid species


here is my growing condition:

I under grow lights

Temp variation 

Ac setting: 61-71

Relative room temp 70F upwards to 78F

Relative humidity

-area without humidifier

40%-60%

-with humidifier up to 80%

Suggestion for media mix? Fertilizer? Routine and care guide?


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## Ray (Nov 1, 2020)

There are _many _ways paphs can be grown. Some folks like medium bark with perlite and maybe a bit of sphagnum. I have grown paphs in semi-hydroponic culture using LECA for decades, and lately have been playing with a mix of LECA and rock wool cubes, and straight rock wool cubes. Nobody can say what is “right” for you, as your overall conditions and watering habits must be included in your choice.

Fertilizer is an even broader and more individual-specific choice. I have used K-Lite exclusively for the last 8 years, and am pleased with the results.


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## SouthPark (Nov 2, 2020)

True! I grow my paphs in 100% scoria, and they do just fine in scoria (in the tropics here). Eg. my Saint Swithin 'Jill', and a couple of vietnamense, and a couple of Wossner Black Wings, and a callosum, all in 100% scoria.


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## Geek_it (Nov 2, 2020)




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## Geek_it (Nov 2, 2020)

Are scoria you are referring to like those?


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## SouthPark (Nov 2, 2020)

G.I. ------ I use good drainage plastic pots (non-see-through/opaque). My scoria pieces for the big paphs are approx 10 to 15 mm average diameter. I use smaller size scoria for my smaller (juvenile) paphs. I water them each morning.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 3, 2020)

i would use bark/charcoal/perlite and then branch out when you have more experience. I think 'in-organic' mixes can be more challenging for beginners.


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## southernbelle (Nov 3, 2020)

You may want to use a space heater to get your day temps up. I run 84 hi in growing season down to 70 hi in winter with a 10+ degree lower night temps (with hrs of light decreasing from 14 to 11) and my Paphs are very happy. I grow in Orchiata/perlite/charcoal mix.


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## Geek_it (Nov 4, 2020)

southernbelle said:


> You may want to use a space heater to get your day temps up. I run 84 hi in growing season down to 70 hi in winter with a 10+ degree lower night temps (with hrs of light decreasing from 14 to 11) and my Paphs are very happy. I grow in Orchiata/perlite/charcoal mix.



I do have a seedling heat mat i can use... i dont really use charcoal. I have orchiata, perlite, pumice, lava rock and leca...


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## Geek_it (Nov 4, 2020)

Would crushed eggshell be a valid replacement for crushed seashells?


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## Ray (Nov 5, 2020)

Either one can be used to supplement calcium, although neither is particularly soluble. However, before you start supplementing stuff, do you really know you need to?


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## Guldal (Nov 5, 2020)

Ray said:


> Either one can be used to supplement calcium, although neither is particularly soluble. However, before you start supplementing stuff, do you really know you need to?


I'm with Ray on this one - unless you have really good and compelling reasons for supplementing with calcium, it's a garden path I wouldn't go up. I think the Idea that a calcium supplement is needed, because so many Paphs grow on top of calceolous cliffs, is nothing but a myth, not taking into consideration, that most of them grow on the rock as humus epiphytes, f.ex. in cracks where leaves and other decomposable matter gathers and contributes to the micro-environment of the roots of the plants.
And if, don't ever use highly soluble calcium - Baker, Baker and Braem f.ex. clearly warns against this, as it negatively affects the PH-value of the growth medium.

From what you describe, in my view you seem very much on the right track. What concerns growth medium, I'll just issue a fair warning: nothing - and I mean NOTHING, but this topic can among orchid growers elicit, what is akin to religious warfare! 
I, myself, swear to a non-organic growth medium, but the maxime I've developed over the years is that it might not be the choice of growth medium in itself, that matters the most (unless of course your choice is completely of the mark or whacky) - what is important is that you get to know the growth medium, you choose really good, as you gather your experience (how is it working under a heatwave; what does it mean for the watering schedule with this mix, if there is a slight drop in temperature for s period of time;, if and when to repot, etc. etc.).
My friend and mentor in all things orchidiadic, Hans Christiansen, is, after 50+ years of being nursery owner in the absolute top end, still refining his growth methods, and even sometimes learning from cultural mistakes or from experiments that didn't have the outcome, he hoped for. His example is at the same time very inspirational and teaches one a certain lesson in humility!

Kind regards, Jens (Copenhagen, Denmark)


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## SouthPark (Nov 5, 2020)

I just follow the old and good saying of 'in moderation'. For a long time now, I learned all I pretty much need to know to grow my orchids extremely well for my tropical conditions from one particular person who owned and ran an orchid nursery (and who is no longer with us), and also some new beneficial things from books and internet. Some of the nice knowledge came from people like yourselves - sharing your knowledge and experience. And at the end of it, it comes down to ourselves to apply appropriately what we know.

In moderation is good. We know that too much of something can become like poison. Obviously there are ways to compensate, such as pot flushing etc. But interestingly, I don't flush my pots - and my orchids are fine. That's probably due to 'in moderation'. I use relatively weak fertiliser for all my orchids at the beginning of a month. Then 2 weeks later, relatively weak cal-mag application (ie. in the middle of the month). All other times is just regular watering - no fertiliser or anything. In moderation.

A very nice thing I've seen is growers do what they need to ensure very long term health for their orchids. They have their ways of doing things.

What drove me (and probably most others) to get their growing methods working reliably and effectively ----- is we can't let our beautiful orchids die, not even a single one. Not if we can help it that is (eg. at the moment, growers probably can't do much against say some terminal uncurable virus). But what is within our control ...... we have to get control. Just have to know what is most important for the particular orchids (we're growing) to stay long term healthy. Those aspects are covered so much all the time on the forums. It's then really up to the growers to just follow through and make sure things are done appropriately. Over-doing things (eg. like putting too much of something) ------- we generally know what can happen.

I can understand orchid nurseries aiming for optimisation ...... as they need to get great quality --- and as quick as possible.


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## SouthPark (Nov 6, 2020)

G.I. ----- I just use a product called B.A.M. (buds a million --- corny name but I guess it has to have a name hehe)--- readily available in my part of the world. For my limited number of orchids and my once-a-month weak application, it's going to last me for ages.


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## Linus_Cello (Nov 6, 2020)

One could easily later add calcium with a top dressing of crushed oyster shell.


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## Geek_it (Nov 8, 2020)

I finally repotted my paph (Makuli-Curtisii)-Maudiae x Maudiae 'Napa Valley' HCC/AOS , orchid plant in small lava rock + coarse/medium pumice.... with just a topping of spag ....

Can i ask what i should look out for to determine im underwatering?


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## Guldal (Nov 9, 2020)

Geek_it said:


> Can i ask what i should look out for to determine im underwatering?


Apart from stating that the risk generally tends to veer in the direction of overwatering, I will leave the floor to those who grow in a like medium!


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## Djthomp28 (Nov 11, 2020)

I grow in a bark based media and fertilize with K-lite. Regarding under watering, keep an eye on the leaves. Once turgid and smooth leaves may become slightly wrinkled and limp. The tricky part is that the leaf symptoms of under watering and over watering are the same. If you need to investigate further to figure out which is happening, look at the roots. If the root are mushy and rotting, you are dealing with over watering. If the roots are dehydrated, you are dealing with under watering.


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## Geek_it (Nov 11, 2020)

Djthomp28 said:


> I grow in a bark based media and fertilize with K-lite. Regarding under watering, keep an eye on the leaves. Once turgid and smooth leaves may become slightly wrinkled and limp. The tricky part is that the leaf symptoms of under watering and over watering are the same. If you need to investigate further to figure out which is happening, look at the roots. If the root are mushy and rotting, you are dealing with over watering. If the roots are dehydrated, you are dealing with under watering.


Thank you


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