Masdevallia culture, cool growers outdoor culture and Kool logs

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by u bada

Yeah, makes sense as the glandulosa i think is what made the hybrid i grew handle heat ok. thanks for clarifying...

wintergirl, now your masdies you're growing attached to kool logs or potted in them?

The ones growing on a Kool-log are attached to the side with a small amount of s. moss. I don't think it would be a good idea to place a plant inside as they are narrow, ect. I do have a couple in clay pots with clay beds in the bottom and s. moss on top.

[u bada]

I apologize I think you said that already and I forgot... tend to be on here sporadically and don't go through entire threads and remember things properly, apologies to everyone!

"No problem, I'm becoming a sink or swim orchid keeper. I have certain conditions I can provide, and an orchid will thrive in them or it won't. I do as much research as I can to keep from making truly poor choices, but once I pull the trigger the plant is going into the rotation with other plants that like the same conditions." - subrosa

Exactly my same sentiments! I've had enough changing my life for certain difficult orchids!

[Paphy]

Originally Posted by u bada

...but I always think masdies would do well in s/h...

Can someone help me refresh this senioritis prone mind of mine and tell me what s/h is? haha

Originally Posted by u bada

i'm sick of using bark, but I've seen happy masdies in bark, and a grower up near, as another friend/grower told me, claims it's one of the best for masdies (hawkin hill?)

I'm with you there u bada. Bark breaks down too easily.. and I think it takes a kind of finesse to match it up well size-wise with what the roots prefer.

I thought Hawk Hill was back east.. like, New England area..

Originally Posted by u bada

paphy, yeah, I'll keep you posted if I go down, it'll be sunday..

Okay!

Originally Posted by u bada

Infracta is probably of the most warm and adaptable masdies, if you like the look of it, and it's a sequential bloomer, it's hybrids are probably just as adaptable. I'll probably finally get a wendlandiana and herradurae either at sboe show or andy's, both small growers that are warm growing.

Oh, I like infracta. Thanks for pointing me to it. Nice compact flower. Search says from Brazil area and about 3" tall top-to-bottom. C/I grower. Seems there are natural color varieties? I'm guessing the red to be most popular? Including pix, one shows it growing on tree.

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by Paphy

Can someone help me refresh this senioritis prone mind of mine and tell me what s/h is? haha

s/h = semi hydroponic

[Paphy]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

s/h = semi hydroponic

Thnx wintergirl.

I found this link showing what the fellow is calling 'HydroLog'.

https://www.orchidsforum.com/threads...nidifica.9757/

If you scroll down to bottom it shows how he makes a kind of 'kool-log' out of foam! The same kind a florist uses. He hot glues sides all up, makes a wire hanger. Then wraps the 'log' (which is hollowed out) with some sphag moss. The moss is then overlaid with coconut husk. He explains he sticks the roots through the coconut husk so that they can grow in the sphag.

What do you guys think?? Certainly the nidifica looks happy..

[wintergirl]

Not too keen on coconut husk but that plant looked great.

[Paphy]

Originally Posted by wintergirl

Not too keen on coconut husk but that plant looked great.

I know. ALL this guys plants look picture perfect. He has highly specialized grow rooms. Anyway, I don't think you need so much husk, maybe none at all?

[u bada]

Yeah me don't like coco fiber, breaks down fast and doesn't hold that much moisture... The florist stuff hold too much moisture I'd think... Like rock wool and eventually compacts... But good for this guy!

[Subrosa]

M. veitchiana is the species that got me interested in the genus, but I quickly figured out I'd cook it. Then I saw M. Cheryl Shohan 'Red Hot Mama' at a bargain price on EBay and took a shot. It thrived all summer and bloomed this past January. I don't know how to post a link on my phone, but you can see a pic in the December entry to my Bloom of the Month 2015 thread. Sadly the pic got mistakenly deleted from my phone.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Well I guess I will see how I like the tree fern. I have enough to last a life time I believe. J&L used it and I'm always kind of nervous about straight spagh. I also didn't get mine re-potted in time. I'm thinking these should probably be re-potted every year with as much water as they need. I also really think my problem is humidity as well. I do have a humidifier that runs right over the top of them. It is molding the window but mine all have black spots on them.

Some grow not so bad and I know my space is cool enough most of the time. It's 65 degrees at the moment even though it is 71 in the house. I don't think last summer they ever got higher than 76 degrees. But I think humidity and then when that sun shines in.

Here's some I have re-bloomed. See the dark tips on the leaves, do you think this is humidity or heat?