Micranthum

[dodidoki]

Dear All!
I need help, my mic doesn't get well at all, does nothing for one year (1 leaf/ year....). I need infos about potting mix, watering, fertilizing, light, humidity.

 

[NYEric]

If you're growing inside and can keep them warm try straight sphagnum.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Maybe try cool to cold temps during the winter months. I'm going to watch this thread a lot because I want to know how to grow one too.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Welcome to the wonderful world of micranthum! Sounds like you are describing mine...and they get a long season outdoors and a winter in a cool room.

 

[The Orchid Boy]

What are your winter/summer temperatures?

 

[Rick]

Over the years mine have gone through boom and bust cycles. Sometimes bust all the way to death after a few years.

I have a few now that seem to be recovering. The less fert I use the better they seem to do.

Low K / high Ca/Mg for sure, but it seems like they've been doing their best to make a comeback since I cut total N per feeding down to around 25-40 ppm (no more than weekly).

They don't like high temps in the high 80's, but they don't seem to require temps below 50 to get them happy either.

Look up some of Leo's (many) posts on growing them in his basement.

 

[dodidoki]

Many thanks for reply, I keep it under light tube (fluora), distance about 80 cm, humidity about 80% constantla, temperature 1618 celsius. Potting media is bark with some chopped shell, watering with rain water, RO if rain water get empty, watering once per 8-10 days ( if water drops disappear from inside of pot).

My vittatum did this for 2 years,too, this winter something happened, two new leaves and 3 new roots started.I changed many things in my geenhouse, all of plants get well, I'm glad, only micranthum is standing.

 

[Cheyenne]

Many thanks for reply, I keep it under light tube (fluora), distance about 80 cm, humidity about 80% constantla, temperature 1618 celsius. Potting media is bark with some chopped shell, watering with rain water, RO if rain water get empty, watering once per 8-10 days ( if water drops disappear from inside of pot).

My vittatum did this for 2 years,too, this winter something happened, two new leaves and 3 new roots started.I changed many things in my geenhouse, all of plants get well, I'm glad, only micranthum is standing.

I think its your temp 1618 celcius is pretty dam hot. I am surprised they lasted that long. I think they would be dead in about 1 minute. oke:

 

[dodidoki]

I think its your temp 1618 celcius is pretty dam hot. I am surprised they lasted that long. I think they would be dead in about 1 minute. oke:

Oh, I mean 16-18 celsius.

 

[Dido]

micranthum dont like calcium too much.

They do well in pure bark and in kanuma for me, now I mix the both, they like to be humid all the time.
Keep them even cooler in winter time.

 

[dodidoki]

micranthum dont like calcium too much.

They do well in pure bark and in kanuma for me, now I mix the both, they like to be humid all the time.
Keep them even cooler in winter time.

Interesting. Other says that mic loves calcium. Kanuma is a little acidic, isn't it?

 

[Dido]

Not sure,

but at 2 of the best growers in germany you see them liek that.
One have the bad one in pure Kanuma the others are in a mix of abrk and kanuma.
Mine do better in this mix, for armenacums I add a kind of limestone to this mix

 

[goldenrose]

..... watering once per 8-10 days ( if water drops disappear from inside of pot).

My vittatum did this for 2 years,too, this winter something happened, two new leaves and 3 new roots started.I changed many things in my geenhouse, all of plants get well, I'm glad, only micranthum is standing.

what size pot? Is this your watering schedule in the summer months as well? How are the roots?

 

[dodidoki]

6 cm across pot, roots are okay but no any new root for 1 year.

Something is not clear for me after that: does mic like lime or not?

 

[dodidoki]

what size pot? Is this your watering schedule in the summer months as well? How are the roots?

Watering in summer was more frequent because of hot summer, nowadays I try to go on mostly arteficial conditions independently from weather.

 

[Rick]

Not sure,

but at 2 of the best growers in germany you see them liek that.
One have the bad one in pure Kanuma the others are in a mix of abrk and kanuma.
Mine do better in this mix, for armenacums I add a kind of limestone to this mix

Given that they grow on limestone cliffs, they can't be too alergic to Ca.

However, I keep hearing that much of the water available for irrigation in Europe is very hard (full of soluble Ca/Mg). So even if you don't have any calcareous materials supplemented in the potting mix, they get plenty in the irrigation water.

Leo's plants also get plenty of soluble Ca since the water he generally uses has very high hardness also. This seems to be able to offset potassium toxicity from fertilizers with high potassium concentrations.

In the future I understand he will be using a low K fert and reduce the hardness of his irrigation water (using more RO).

However,

 

[The Orchid Boy]

Normal paph temps in summer? What kind of temps in winter? Do you grow micranthums and armeniacums the same or similar?

 

[SlipperKing]

I don't know about lime or not but apparently it doesn't like to dry between waterings. A friend in Calif. grows a number of clones in straight sphagnum and does very well. I have one he gave me in sphagnum and it fine so far (6 weeks) Others I have are in Orchiata and are kept damp to wet..never dry. All are doing fine so far. I do use the K Lite fert 1 out of every 4 times watering. Strong sun in the winter.

 

[Rick]

I don't know about lime or not but apparently it doesn't like to dry between waterings. A friend in Calif. grows a number of clones in straight sphagnum and does very well. I have one he gave me in sphagnum and it fine so far (6 weeks) Others I have are in Orchiata and are kept damp to wet..never dry. All are doing fine so far. I do use the K Lite fert 1 out of every 4 times watering. Strong sun in the winter.

Keep in mind that Orchiata bark is lime impregnated, and K lite fert has more Ca than K (even if you use it in straight RO or rain water).

There's not a plant on earth that doesn't require Ca, but it's not worth arguing whether micranthum has a special Ca need greater than other species.

Remember the whole premise of the K-lite program was that excess K blocks the uptake of Ca/Mg, which is needed in all plants.

 

[Stone]

Interesting. Other says that mic loves calcium. Kanuma is a little acidic, isn't it?

Its not the Calcium thats the problem. Its the carbonate, anything over pH 6.5 to 7 and you will start to get problems with nutrient avaiability-especially Iron. I think you would do well to start off micranthum at pH 6 and add a little dolomite if your pH drifts down too much. Say to 5.5. You should check media pH every six months or so until you get a ''feel'' for what going on in the mix. You should totally forget the ''Limestone Factor'' and try duplicating thier habitat conditions by adding lots of lime. Its obvious that if they can do well in sphagnum, they need ACIDIC conditions at the roots. Alkalinity always causes trouble. For example cactus growers are well aware that trying to grow Ariocarpus species (which grow in nothing but limestone chips in Mexico) in an alkaline media (greater than pH 6.5), they just won't grow! And its the same with all other ''lime loving plants''- in the pot at least, they need slightly acid conditions if they are to prosper. As dido has said micranthum does well in Kanuma pH 5.5 and bark. Calcium is very important but you can easily over do it with the lime or dolomite or other forms of Calcium carbonate.
If you use Calcium nitrate for your N you should not need to add any other Ca. If you use Ammonium or Urea as your N, your pH will drift down and eventually you will need to add lime. If you look at the ''Limestone Paphs'', they often grow in moss or the remains of moss along with a little clay and humus etc. Moss simply will not grow with more than fractional amounts of carbonate so I believe it should be slightly acid for ALL paphs but with a source of Calcium always present from Calnitrate or bone or Gypsum or whatever.