Odd orchid bulbs.

[NYEric]

I'm always trying to grow different orchids so, again, I got come Corybas bulbs, plus some Orchis, Nervilia, and Anacampis bulbs. Since we are serial over-waterers we used different medias. The Corybas went into a mix of sphagnum and perlite which we tried not to water (too much) - failed. The Orchis bulbs in a mix of Bonsai type small stones and a little bark did 50:50. The Nervilia in organic mix is OK. And the Orchis and Anacampis in the sandy (VERY DRY) mix is 100% survival. My question is, since the plants in the sand mix survived the hibernation phase, should I change the media, now that they are coming up?

 

[Pleurothallidan]

(my first year growing these kinds of things so take my response with a grain of salt)

I personally don't see the need to change the media. I have some Ophryus beginning to emerge now and the only difference now is that I'm watering it. I think as long as the mix drains well enough to not rot the tubers when watering them I think you should be ok. Your mix looks much more fine than what I am using. I'm using 1:1:1:1, perlite: vermiculite: small pumice: seed starter soil.

 

[SelectOrchids]

strangely enough, rockwool will give you great results, the rockwool cubes. There is a lot of air space. That's how I grow all my terrestrials, including corybas and pterostylis, but others too

 

[Ray]

strangely enough, rockwool will give you great results, the rockwool cubes. There is a lot of air space. That's how I grow all my terrestrials, including corybas and pterostylis, but others too

Do you pretreat the cubes (if so, how) or just rely on fertilizer choice for pH control?

 

[SelectOrchids]

Do you pretreat the cubes (if so, how) or just rely on fertilizer choice for pH control?

Well, I don't pretreat them at all. I flood them with water, repot, water heavily, some dolomitic limestone powder on top, and done. Then I rely on the feeding for the remaining.

What some people do as well is to put a top layer of other potting mixes on top ( I have to put bark on plants for export, to prevent the moss, since a couple of months). The benefits are that the cubes still do not lose their structure or qualities. I know of someone who does that for carnivorous plants, a layer of 1-2 cm of peat on top of the cubes, and it works great as well.

The only critical point is to be careful with sciara when growing Corybas. The larvae love to eat the bulbs. Insecticide drenches, or BT drenches work well.

 

[NYEric]

Update. When I get back from Chicago next week I think I will increase the feed.

 

[Pleurothallidan]

Nice progress shot! What kind of fertilizer are you giving them? I haven’t fertilized mine yet but want to start soon.

 

[NYEric]

Whatever she is feeding the rest, I hope. MSU w/ Epsom salt.