Newbie struggling w/Tolumnias

[got ants]

Prolly just too much rain, but I have new growth, but the plants themselves look worse for the wear...

Tolumina Puchella (2 weeks to me)

Ruebens Orchids

Tolumnia Bahamanese (10 weeks)

St Johns USVI

Tolumnia unknown (8 weeks)

Pop's Nursery

Tolumnia unknown (4 months)

Mid branch left
Close up of new florescense

Came from a palm tree being cut down for a driveway, Pem Pines, FL

Should I use more fungicide? Bring inside? Leave alone?

I fungicide all plants once a month, combo of Thiomyl/Dithane M-45. Fert once a week w/ 13-213 6Ca 3Mg. Rarely water because of all the rain we get.

[quiltergal]

These guys don't seem to mind daily watering but they absolutely must be bone dry by nightfall. I would take the potted ones out of the pot and mount them right away. I'd also look for a somewhat drier location like under the eaves or somewhere sheltered but still very bright.

[Ray]

Terri nailed it.

Tolumnias come from Caribbean islands where they see occasional rains, but more-or-less constant breezes that dry them out quickly. The triangular shape of the leaves is an adaptation to store water but provide edges that buffer the breezes in a way to retain moisture.

[got ants]

Ray, the top Tol is toast. Of all my Tols, this had the best medium, tree fern in an airy basket. Well, it's dropping leaves fast. I think it's at a point of no return.

The one in the wooden basket is still struggling. Obviously I didn't pot it right. I pulled out the wood bark chips leaving the clay balls. I didn't want to pull it apart and do a stick mount for fear of too much shock, though I may regret this down the road.

What bothers me is these are carib chids and should do well in my environment. The first I am assuming is due to going from an enclosed greenhouse to my open environment.

The basket one is obviously m fault. It sat 2 days wrapped in paper towels, and then the wrong potting technique.

Well, it's a learning experience.

[Ray]

I would recommend getting them out of any medium - even tree fern. Mounted on tree fern is better.

Many growers put them in little clay "thumb pots" that are hung on a wall (drill a small hole in the lip and stick a wire hook through it) - with no medium whatsoever. The clay absorbs water without surrounding the roots, and dries fairly rapidly.

My best ones are on branches.

[boytjie]

Mine thrive in terms of growth, mounted on branches a few inches under T5 lights, nice reddish color to the leaves, tons of new growths in all directions. However, two years and no sight of a flower. Any tips to get them to actually bloom, Ray? I mean plants are nice, but they are actually orchids...

[Ray]

What are you feeding them? What concentration/formula? How often?

What are the temperature extremes they see?

[got ants]

Originally Posted by Ray

What are you feeding them? What concentration/formula? How often?

What are the temperature extremes they see?

Fert is noted above, 1 tsp per GAL.

Extreme temps are no higher than 95%. Should be about the same from their native lands. I'm coming to believe it was doomed before I got it. It is totally toast now. All leaves dropped off while attempting to stick mount it. (Tolumina Puchella )

What bothers me is the Tol Bahamanese had the same fate. It was just putting out new shoots when it started it's decline. Fotunately, it is still alive, but barely.

I think it's a combination of too much sun, and too much rain. I'll need to build a g/h to continue growing them.That's a shame because I really wanted to go towards the direction of orchids from my close area.. native to Florida, Bahamas, Cuba, PR, Virgin Islands, etc.. Just not sure I want to put that much effort into it just yet.

[boytjie]

Originally Posted by Ray

What are you feeding them? What concentration/formula? How often?

What are the temperature extremes they see?

Temps are average, 80s during the day under the lights, down to as low as 60 at night. Humidity is fairly constant at 55%. I feed once a week with diluted MSU, sprayed on leaves and roots.

[Ross]

Just to chime in, some of the hybrid Tolumnias can, and often do, bloom sequentially. When the flowers fall, new spikes form. Others (usually species) bloom at the start of your rainy season (usually late spring into summer). Mine don't really get a rest period, per se, but are kept colder in winter. Mine always bloom at least once in spring when the room gets warmer. One of the large hybrids is still blooming on sequential spikes.

Mine are either in large charcoal chunks (the large-growing hybrids) or bare root in thumb pots (as Ray described above). I don't have any mounted.

The wetness, per se, of your summer should not bother them (as you suggest), but not letting the roots dry out completely (like tinder, crispy) is a death nell. They tend to be rather quick to recover with new roots and most of the time new fans, once you correct the watering situation. Fertilizer is not the trigger (I don't fertilize mine very much - 125ppm Nitrogen in RO water) for bloom so much as the light rest period co-inciding with your dry season (winter). Cool them down, and make sure they dry out overnight. This is all the rest they need. Be sure you provide enough light - to the point of the leaves turning maroon colored. Hope this helps. I have lots of pics in my gallery but this one shows the growth habit This one is a hybrid growing in large chunk charcoal.