# Paph. Sanderianum advice



## Tanner. C (Feb 1, 2018)

Well I gave the best girlfriend! Told me today she knew it's my dream orchid and she got me one for Valentine's day. 

Any advice on care?


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## ehanes7612 (Feb 1, 2018)

They do not like to dry out..keep them on the wetter side


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## Tom-DE (Feb 1, 2018)

My own experience for this species, lower light(~800-1000fc), seedlings maybe like a little bit more moisture but BS/NBS plants should be treated as normal paphs--approach dry before watering again. Some air movement is necessary.


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## Tanner. C (Feb 1, 2018)

Sounds like my growing conditions should be perfect as I water approaching dryness and my light level is 800-2000 fc depending on spacing.


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## ehanes7612 (Feb 1, 2018)

be aware...if you give them 2000 fc consistently and you let them approach drying before watering , you will have a lot less room for error

I keep all my roths (species and hybrids), adductum and anitum hybrids, lowiis, gigantifoliums, sanderianums (and hybrids) fairly wet and don't let approach dryness..but I also have a mix that doesnt break down..the only multi I have that drys out a little is parishii...so a lot depends on other issues..humidity, air flow, mix , available light, water quality, fertilizing schedule and genetics...it all takes developing a sense for your plant...grow with less light and you have more room for error , but not too little light...I have heard lots of different scenarios from successful growers so figuring out how your individual plant will grow optimally may be different than mine or others...good luck!


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## Wamboozi (Feb 2, 2018)

ehanes7612 said:


> be aware...if you give them 2000 fc consistently and you let them approach drying before watering , you will have a lot less room for error
> 
> I keep all my roths (species and hybrids), adductum and anitum hybrids, lowiis, gigantifoliums, sanderianums (and hybrids) fairly wet and don't let approach dryness..but I also have a mix that doesnt break down..the only multi I have that drys out a little is parishii...so a lot depends on other issues..humidity, air flow, mix , available light, water quality, fertilizing schedule and genetics...it all takes developing a sense for your plant...grow with less light and you have more room for error , but not too little light...I have heard lots of different scenarios from successful growers so figuring out how your individual plant will grow optimally may be different than mine or others...good luck!



What mix do you use that doesn't break down?


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## ehanes7612 (Feb 2, 2018)

rock wool cubes and perlite


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## Tom Reddick (Feb 2, 2018)

With the caveat that I have a history of growing them from flask to seedling size- as documented in various Chronicles posted online over the past decade- and then selling the seedlings (and little history with mature plants), I have not found sanderianum to be a difficult plant. On the contrary- it is almost as "easy" as rothschildianum.

Looking back at history, I suspect a lot of sanderianum's reputation for being difficult has to do with the fact it took so long for a number of sibling crosses to be produced in captivity and get a cultivated population going that was removed from jungle collected plants. As such, much collective knowledge out there deals with attempting to manage jungle collected plants, or those occasional situations where a sib cross was successful that was only 1 generation removed from wild plants. Topper and Rands certainly did very well with collected plants- Topper had many huge specimens that had been in his care for years, but back in the 80s and 90s even many well regarded growers found the plants difficult and extremely slow growing.

Generally speaking, I think lower levels of light when they are young are ideal- something along the lines of what you might do with bellatulum, or slightly higher.

I also agree with not letting them dry out too much. Adductum and adductum anitum in compot like to be watered at least every other day- drying near the surface but essentially "sopping wet" in the middle of the compot. Sanderianum a bit less- say perhaps watering 3 times per week at that age.

Good air movement is essential as well- especially if you are in an environment where you need to add humidity via a humidifier.

As for the mix, I have been happy with my homemade mix of fir bark, charcoal, perlite and Pro-Mix. I have several seedlings and larger plants I have purchased from Ed- the edhanes7612 posting in this thread- and the plants have been happy staying in that mix. Only difference is I water- I would say- 1 less time per week on average since the rock wool provides more water retention than my own mix.

When sanderianum is unhappy, it will slow down- but it will not die quickly. When it is happy, the plants will grow with quite a bit of vigor. So the good news is that, unless you are underwatering which can do the roots in pretty quickly, you usually have plenty of advance warning if growing conditions need to change.


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## Linus_Cello (Feb 2, 2018)

My $0.02- get a greenhouse


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## Tanner. C (Feb 2, 2018)

Linus_Cello said:


> My $0.02- get a greenhouse



You gonna pay for it??? 

Fresh out of college saving for a house, paying bills and the rest. Greenhouse will have to wait for a while lol. 

I've done my best to get a my set up the best I can. Digital humidifier so hummidity is 55-80% depending on weather. Temps run 57-85 depending on year. Light 800-2000 fc. Air I got two fans in the set up moving air. 

Hopefully I can afford a greenhouse some day! But gotta be able to afford an actual house first


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## Tanner. C (Feb 2, 2018)

Thank you everyone for the tips an advice!! I'll post pics of my set up sometime soon


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## ehanes7612 (Feb 2, 2018)

Tanner. C said:


> You gonna pay for it???
> 
> Fresh out of college saving for a house, paying bills and the rest. Greenhouse will have to wait for a while lol.
> 
> ...



Greenhouses bring an entire new set of problems and a lot more expense..you can do just fine with your setup.


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## xiphius (Feb 6, 2018)

My sandie does great without a greenhouse... that said, for indoor house/apartment growing, I would mist it quite regularly and/or put it under a partially lifted (don't want to cut off the air circulation!) dome/cloche for extra humidity.

Advice given already looks solid! Keep it on the wetter side. Sandies and roths both really seem to LOVE live moss around their base (mine lagged a lot until I added some moss and then put out a lot of new growth).


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## NYEric (Feb 6, 2018)

Hmmm, I may have mine in too much light. Thanks.


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## OrchidAmy (Jun 28, 2021)

I have mine in a wardian case (mini greenhouse) that is next to a sheer curtain and has a blurple grow light. I was shocked when mine started to form a spike and then buds. This is where it is now in the process. It had a VERY low bud in the middle that looks like a squashed bug but it is moving higher every day bit by bit. Any day my buds will open!

it has been happy since I got it and it grew a spike and buds so fast I was shocked. I expected to wait a few more years before it bloomed but here it is! Updates when I have them. It is a great little orchid and I am really thrilled with mine despite the dead cockroach of a bud in her center lol


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## OrchidAmy (Jun 28, 2021)

Oh and there is a fan in there and a cool mist humidifier which I rarely need but is helps on super hot days to keep the orchids happy and cool


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## Paphman910 (Jun 28, 2021)

They like warm temperatures and nights should be 65F minimum would be great. The grow well with Phal. bellina conditions. Water twice a week during summer and make sure you have to fertilize with Cal-Mag solution and quarter strength fertilizer. If you use moss make sure it approaches approaches dryness on the surface before watering. You want it to almost dry out so fungus gnats do not develop.


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