Masdevallia tip

[ryrycochinco]

Hi guys! Lately, I've noticed alot of people having trouble with their masdevallias. I love Masdevallias ( I have 8 ) they grow/bloom great for me. Below I'm going to list some situations with solutions that have worked for me in the past.

1. Sudden loss of green healthy leaves. Caused by stress. Usually this happens quickly, so you have a small window of opportunity to react. First, stop watering, keep temp/light low. If Leaves continue to fall, take the plant out of medium, and into glass with a little water. No Sphag n' bag method, it'll rot.

2. Leaves rot at the base. This usually happens when plant is potted to deep in medium. Stop watering and pull plant half way out of medium.

3. Plant isn't doing anthing. Transfer into smaller pot.

Seasonal Care: Don't exspect masdevallias to thrive during warm months. I let mine go almost dormant. I water less and put them in shade.

Potting: I think underpotting in clay pots, with 100% sphag moss is best. Allow medium to dry out between each watering.

Temp/light: Unless plant variety is especially sensitive to high temp, room temp is fine. But when temp goes over 80 degrees F. Stop watering and put in shade. Moisture + heat = rot.

If anyone else has some tips PLEASE SHARE!
Hope this is helpful. Good Luck!

[silken]

Thanks for the tips. Mine did suffer this summer in a heat wave that we had. I lost one little guy that I am choked about. I hope the rest recover over the winter as I can grow them nice and cool for about the next 5 months.

I'm always afraid to let them dry out but maybe that is better than too damp in heat based on what you are saying.

[ryrycochinco]

I know letting them dry out is strange, and goes against their natural habitat, but it really works! Most problems occur when their is to much water and envirnment is wrong. Unless you have your masdevallias in a terrarium, you shouldn't keep them wet all the time, they will eventually run into trouble.

I have a masdevallia Constricta that wasn't doing anthing for months. I stopped watering it for two weeks, now it has 3 new growths ( I started watering again ) Try this method on one of your masdevallias, I promise you won't be dissapointed!

[Vanda lover]

Thanks for the advice. Mine has recently been going down hill.

[31drew31]

I almost always let my Masdevallias (and Draculas) sphagnum moss get pretty much crispy dry before watering again. Humidity is always between 70% and 90%.

One must remember though, what works for one person may be death for others.

[ryrycochinco]

What problems are you having Vanda Lover? Maybe I could help.

[Paul Mc]

This has been very interesting! Please keep the info coming!

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by 31drew31

I almost always let my Masdevallias (and Draculas) sphagnum moss get pretty much crispy dry before watering again. Humidity is always between 70% and 90%.

One must remember though, what works for one person may be death for others.

I think the masd is doing reasonably well, but it recently started losing the odd leaf. Last year I kept it in a large North window for the summer but it was spindly with only a few blooms, so this year I moved it to a smaller, cool, screened South facing window in the basement and reduced fertilizer. I give it mostly rain water, though it doesn't seem to mind our tap water.It is in a clay pot in sphag, inside another clay pot that has clay pellets in the bottom. This sits in a shallow dish with a little water.

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by ryrycochinco

What problems are you having Vanda Lover? Maybe I could help.

My masd is starting to lose the odd leaf but has done well up to now. Thinking that it was a low light plant, last year I had it in a North window for the summer and fed it like my phals. It became spindly with only 2 flowers, so this year I have had it in the basement in a cool, screened south facing window and I reduced fertilizer a little. 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.

[ryrycochinco]

Your potting method sounds interesting, I'd like to try it out. I wouldn't use any fertilizer, as you may know, masdevallias have very fragile roots and could be damaged. Personally I think fertilizer causes more problems than growth. Other than that, your plant seems fine.