Maxillaria Care. Help Please!!! - Orchid Board

Shiffdaddy · #1 08-28-2011, 04:20 PM

Hi guys,

I always start of my posts with a story and then ask the question lol so here it goes..

So i was at Green Thumb nursery just carousing through their orchids and i looked on the wall and saw a mounted maxillaria "Coconut Cream Pie" (tenuifolia???)and just had to have it! This is my first mounted orchid so i honestly have no idea how to water this thing. I chose the best specimen they had. Smooth plump bulbs, nice green leaves and some good roots protruding out of the sphag.

So i got it home and hung it up outside in a semi shady spot. The next morning i go outside to check on my new baby and see the bulbs are slightly starting to wrinkle. So i have a moment of panic and take the hose and soak all the sphag and roots and board until water is pouring off of it. It is in about 3/4 shade with morning sun. Its been about mid 80's during the day time and mid 60's at night. Ive misted the sphag and plant every morning the last few days.

So my question is: Am i doing it right? How often should i soak the plant? How do i know when this plant needs to be soaked? Should i be misting it every morning? Does maxillaria need any special care to spike/flower? (cooling period? or humidity?) Any other general advise?

Thanks everybody!
Ben

peeper · #2 08-28-2011, 08:01 PM

I only have one mounted Orchid and I actually dunk mine in a bucket just over the roots once, sometimes twice a day. I have a Max. tunfollia, not mounted, and I water her often... I don't let her get dry, so I would guess maybe 2 a day to water a mounted one.

Where are you abouts? My Dad used to own the Green Thumb nurseries in So Cal.... *curious*

Shiffdaddy · #3 08-28-2011, 09:39 PM

Yeah it was the green thumb nursery on El Toro

. I'll water her daily then. See how that goes!

Zoi2 · #4 08-28-2011, 10:12 PM

Depending on your climate, watering 2x a week is probably normal. These are pretty easy to grow, when the bulbs start wrinkling you know you need to water and they usually plump back up. They need pretty good light-I have mine (not mounted) outside on the south side of a porch, shade screen from about 11:00am to 5:00PM.
Joann

Merlyn · #5 08-28-2011, 10:45 PM

I have mine outside in a filtered but bright sunny area and it sits in a saucer so water stays with it a while. I try and keep it wet and don't mist but DO spray all the upper grown pbulbs. Mine blooms between Feb and June, this season was Feb to April.

peeper · #6 08-28-2011, 11:29 PM

Wow, I guess that shows how hot it is here!!! I have to water any outside plants I have DAILY! Lots of work! Y'all are lucky! My indoor plants are once or twice a week... but then I always forget not everywhere is 105!

*facepalm*

Merlyn · #7 08-28-2011, 11:46 PM

Oh yeh, NOW I remember San Antonio ! Lackland Air Force training base there ! You're right, it was outrageously hot !!!

Shiffdaddy · #8 08-29-2011, 12:23 AM

Alright thanks everyone for the responses! I think i'm gonna try watering it every other morning (drenching).. at least while its hot out. (85 haha, super hot)

Call_Me_Bob · #9 08-29-2011, 12:42 AM

you've probably already heard this. but max tenuifolia likes to stay pretty moist. more so than a phal. but not soggy. if its mounted you probably will be watering this guy 1-2 times a day. i just dunk my mounts in water for 5 minutes if i have time

Shiffdaddy · #10 08-29-2011, 12:46 AM

Thanks Help. Ya i read that in my research. That's good to know though. I will soak it every morning then. See how that goes and I'll keep u guys updated.