Masdevallia tip

[Paul Mc]

Well , I got a fan to put on it so hopefully that will Solve my issues. I used a mix of cinnamon extract, water, and dish soap. Will that work?

[Paul Mc]

And thank you so much in advance for your advice!

[ryrycochinco]

Sure that should work, but I recommend rubbing alcohal for its strength. The fan is a good idea.

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Paul Mc

So what do you think is the issue with this one? It's not mites as I've tested over and over. I had some minor leaf drop, but it keeps getting these more like looking marks. Still growing new leaves though. It's a Nancy hybrid which is supposed to be more heat tolerant.

I've had something like that on Masdies before. I was told it was heat stress, and I've not had it re-occur since moving them into a cooler environment and potting in clay (which cools as water evaporates).

Personally I grow mine always damp (not wet) but don't control humidity (it can go from very high to very low. They don't seem to mind the humidity if they don't dry out. Also the clay pots will get warmer than plastic if they dry out so keeping always damp helps keep them cool as well.

My big tip for growing Masdies would be just that... use clay pots and sphag to pot them, then keep them moist (not wet). It seems to give them the coolness that means they keep growing well through the summer as well (all put on lots of growth this summer). When I've looked at the roots of some of them that have been growing that way for a couple of years they are incredible

[RosieC]

I DO use fertiliser, but weaker or less often than my other orchids. They get plenty of plain rain water most of the time.

I admit my ones with live moss on the medium are growing best. I had not thought of that giving nutrients but it could be. I think Orchids need nutrients from somewhere but if they are getting it from one source you might not need to add more. I don't think they can survive long term without anything though

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by Vanda lover

It is in a clay pot in sphag, which sits in a larger clay pot with clay pellets in the bottom. This sits in a shallow clay dish of water.I have had the window cracked for good air flow. I have closed it now though, because it is becoming pretty cool at night.

I do something similar. Ray has recommendations of something similar for allowing you to grow cooler loving orchids. The pellets increase evaporation, which increases cooling of the root zone, and they seem happy in warmer conditions if the roots are kept cool. The dish of water stops the clay drying, which would then overheat.

I only do this at the moment on my two largest masdies, but it's worked so well I plan to get the others set up that way next year.

This is part of what I was saying above, keep the roots cool, and moist but not wet, in clay & spag. Adding the extra layer of pellets increases the effect and the water ensures they don't dry out.

I think this principle is why mine grow well all summer, not just in cold summers like this year. My greenhouse gets pretty warm anyway, even this year, but they still keep growing, even veitchianna which is a real cool lover has grown huge amounts and produced 15 buds which started opening in August and are all still open

[Vanda lover]

I find this works very well. Our summers are very dry, so it really helps with the humidity as well as evaporation for cooling. I used to have a dendrobium cuthbersonii years ago and it really love growing this way.

[Discus]

Originally Posted by RosieC

I admit my ones with live moss on the medium are growing best. I had not thought of that giving nutrients but it could be.

My theory (and it's completely speculative) is that mosses produce various anti-fungal and anti-bacterial chemicals that happen to pay off for other plants that grow near them, particularly when you keep things on the damper side. It sort of makes sense seeing as mosses generally live in places that are damp, somewhat stagnant with airflow, which for most plants == trouble, but mosses thrive.

My masdevallias have the same problems with their leaves in the summer - they hate it!

[Bolero]

I agree completely, sphagnum moss is the only way to go. It seems there is a bit of a revolution in popularity with these and it's great to see!

[silken]

I get a similar spotting on my leaves and it seems to occur in summer when it is warmer than they like. I gave them ample humidity this summer but they got extra sun and heat for a while and it happened again. I will see if those that survive grow nice green leaves over winter as they did last year.

I have all of mine in pure sphagnum moss and some in clay pots. The ones in plastic pots are then placed in clay. even tho the plants are suffering, the roots are going crazy of the ones I can see in clear pots! Hope that helps them pull thru.