Watering Colmanara

[antoland]

I have a Colmanara Jungle Monarch Everglades
which is completely top-heavy. In full flower, the first spike has about 60 blooms with a second spike starting to branch. This will only make thigs worse.The only way I can get the plant to stay upright is to sink the pot 3" deep in gravel. Can I keep it flourishing by spraying the gravel and air roots (about 50 of them) in the morning and mid-day and not watering the pot at all ?
Any help will be welcome.
antoland.

[Vina]

I have Jungle Monarch too and it is completely overgrown out of the pot and still in bloom. I tried just misting, but new leaves came crumpled. As I undersatnd this was a sign of underwatering.
Than I put my Monarch in a big heavy clay pot (using it both for decorative purposes and stability of the plant), I water every 5-7 days in bathroom, soaking for some 10-15 min.

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[JennS]

I wish I had the same problem as you two. Mine looks pathetic and has not flowered in over 2 years. Going on 3. I didn't have it all that time, but it still looks pretty bad since I have gotten it. I have the crumpled leaves too. At first I thought that was normal, but then I read that it wasn't. If anyone has any additional advice, I would be interested in it. Thanks for the great question.

[Vina]

Jenn,
There is an inerestin method I read in another forum - hot showers. Saying this I mean really HOT (109-116 F). The idea is to stimulate plants metabolism.
1) water plant as usual, soak it for 10 min in lukewarm water
2) let it stad in bathtube to drain off the excess water
3) adjust water to 109-116 F and shower the whole plant thoroughly; large plants for 6-7 sec, smaller abot 5 secs.
4) drain
5) feed thaeplant
6) let it stand in bathroom to drain and get back to its normal temperature for ~ 2-3 h
7) repeat once in two weeks

This should be done on healthy plants with no signs of rot!

[antoland]

Thanks Vina,
Have put the orchid and it's pot into a heavy pot slightly bigger than its own pot. This pot has a drainage hole in the bottom so I can soak the whole thing once a week or so in the hot weather ( that's not very often in England ) without disturbing anything. I read somewhere that Colmanara like to be kept damp, but not wet ,so perhaps this will solve the problem.
antoland

[JennS]

The hot shower idea is a very intersting one. At this point anything is worth a try. I will try it this weekend and report back.

I hope the pot in a pot works out for anchoring your monster orchids. Maybe you can post a picture for me to show to mine to give it a boost!

[antoland]

JennS
It was a growers tip I read that said that Colmanara needed a slightly more moist environment than most, but it also said that having water in the leaf joint would kill it in days.Sounds like a politicians answer, whichever way the cookie crumbles they're right.
antoland.