Miltonia and backbulbs.

[Mikeg]

WAIT!!! If it really is a miltoniopsis does it need cooler temps than what I have it at?(between 80-85, on a ledge in our saltwater aquarium with cfl's and a metal halide) IS that too much light too?

[silken]

Hi Michael, That is great news that there is a new sprout. All is not lost. KLN is a rooting hormone and Super Thrive is another that is more easily found in the states than here in Canada. Any good sized orchid place, greenhouse or hydroponics place would likely have one of them. Even some Walmarts or Home Depot have Super Thrive. It might get the roots going. Miltoniopsis like fairly high humidity and don't tolerate high heat so if you sphag and bag and keep it out of the heat, you just may succeed in bringing it back. And if the worse happens, well, you learned something new. I certainly have lost my fair share but try to figure out what I did wrong and go from there. Good luck with it and keep us posted.

[silken]

I just noticed your last post. 80-85F is pushing it and likely too warm, especially if it is struggling. It will be stressed out. Mine get a fair bit of light but they are considered to be in the medium not high light category. Your lights sound powerful. The best way to tell if it is the right amount is by the colour of the leaves. If they are dark green, it is not enough. They are usually a paler greyish green compared to many plants. If yellow green or lots of red tinging, it is too much.

[Mikeg]

It has no more leaves to tell :'(.... I will look for some superthrive and dive into it and get it. Is it relatively cheap?

[Mikeg]

Originally Posted by beanluc

Not to hijack, this may be just a little offtopic but very interesting I hope.

I had a miltassia backbulb push up a keiki last summer!

Unfortunately it was eaten by pests. But a big backbulb on a plant that had been aggressively divided and was otherwise growing fine, had a tiny sprout of leaf-fan on its top! It was growing out of where the bulb's original leaves had fallen off the year before. The sprout didn't survive long enough for me to see whether it would make roots.

Thank you! This has given me more hope!!!!!

[silken]

Superthrive and KLN usually come in small bottles so I guess they aren't too expensive. We always pay more in Canada so I don't know what you would pay there. Likely not more than $10.00 or $12.00 for a small bottle. Maybe someone who busy it in your area will comment.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

How high up are the metal halides? What's the wattage? What's the Kelvin temperature?

The reason I ask is because the halides might be a bit too much.

The heat that halides give off is quite warm too. Maybe not something that Miltoniopsis will necessarily agree with.

I think 80 F to 85 F day is okay. Even 90 F to 95 F day is just fine.

But the night temperatures must drop to around 50 F to 60 F.

[silken]

Below is the culture sheet from the American Orchid Society. They discuss both Miltonias and Miltoniopsis here so keep in mind yours is the cool growing Miltoniopsis. 90 to 95F is too warm for any extended period for Miltoniopsis. 80 - 85F is acceptable for days so long as they can have a cool rest in the evening.


Miltonia including Miltoniopsis (AOS culture sheet)
mil-TOH-nee-ah (mil-toh-nee-OP-siss)

These striking orchids, which are also known as pansy orchids, owing to their similarity to garden pansies, are enjoying increasing popularity. Miltoniopsis are cool-growing orchids that originate in the higher elevations of the Andes in Colombia, Panama and Ecuador. The warmer-growing species, properly miltonias, originate from the Minas Gerais area of Brazil and more closely resemble large-flowered oncidiums. Their flowers can be brilliantly patterned.
Light should be relatively shaded. Direct sunlight burns the thin leaves within a short period of time. However, the warmer growing types prefer more light than their cooler-growing relatives. The cool-growing species need approximately 1,200 foot-candles, while the warmer-growing species require closer to 2,000 foot-candles.
Temperature is critical for the cool-growing plants. Unless temperatures are kept under 80 F, they may not flower. The minimum temperature is 50 to 55 F. Thus, these are really better thought of as intermediate growers because they need intermediate temperatures throughout the year - not too hot, not too cold. The warmer growers will take temperatures over 90 F as long as humidity levels of 70 to 75 percent, or higher, are maintained. The minimum temperature is 60 F.
Water must be plentiful and the medium must drain perfectly. In their native habitat, the plants are drenched almost daily and, because of this, they are intolerant of salt buildup, so leaching every fourth or fifth watering is important when growing in pots. When they are not getting enough water or humidity, the leaves have a tendency to grow with accordion-like pleats. The warmer-growing miltonias should be grown like cattleyas; allow them to approach dryness between waterings. They also tend to be slightly more tolerant of salt buildup than their Colombian cousins so they can dry more between waterings.
Humidity must be at least 70 percent because of the plants' need for abundant water. Less humidity will stress the plants and can lead to susceptibility to disease, though too much humidity is worse than too little.
Fertilize at the same level as other orchids: half-strength, balanced fertilizer every two weeks. This can be reduced by half during overcast weather or in winter. A 10-30-20 blossom-booster formulation is beneficial in early spring when plants approach their flowering period.
Potting should be done after flowering when the new growth is starting. Miltoniopsis should be repotted every year as they are intolerant of stale conditions. The cool growers (miltoniopsis) do well in small pots. The warmer growers (miltonias) tend to have a relatively elongated creeping habit and, therefore, do better mounted. Any potting mix suitable for fine roots such as 70 percent seedling bark with charcoal and perlite or a mix of 70 percent tree fern and 30 percent chopped sphagnum is adequate. Mounts may be cork, tree fern or other hard wood. They should be longer than wide. For some reason, shallow pans work better than deep pots.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I had Mltps phalaenopsis outdoors in heat as high as over 100 F (they didn't do too well when it went over 95 F though) during the summer. It's still alive and doing fairly well. Several new growths coming along strong, with new roots starting to fill the pot up.

I'm not fudging this, I have a thermometer hanging outdoors 24/7, 365 days a year. I can check this anytime I want - it's easy to access.

95 F is tops, no more, or leaves get toasted.

I guess I neglected to say - outdoors 95 F is different from indoors 95 F. I apologize.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Right now Arctic winds are keeping things very cool around here. It is getting as cold as 36 F at night.