Miltonia

[Edwin Reffell]

My daughter has a Miltonia which has not bloomed since the first time. Though the 3 spikes have dried up it looks healthy enough. The water runs out immediately when you water it though. This evening we fertilized it with commercial orchid fertilizer all in accordance with the instructions on the bottle. The Miltonia often has water in the pot the transparent pot stands in. I empty it and let it drain away completely whenever I visit. Does it need to be watered through every day and fertilized every week or would it be enough to spray the top of the bark mixture it is in daily and fertilize it every 2 weeks?

[Tim C.]

I've never grown Miltonias (but I have grown Oncidiums, of which they are relatives), so I did a quick Google search, and here's the consensus of what they need:

Watering - medium should be moist, not soggy, and the potting mix should be of a small grade bark, as Miltonias' roots are fine (like Oncidiums).

There was no mention (I didn't spend a lot of time researching this, so you may be able to find more info than I) of whether or not to allow the potting mix to dry completely between waterings. I would say let it get just dry enough not to feel moist when you put your finger in the top 2 inches (about 50mm, I believe).

The only orchids I've ever heard of people letting sit in a pan of water are certain Phragmipediums. I'd play it safe, and make sure the Miltonia's pot doesn't sit in water, as this could cause the mix to rot and kill off the roots.

As for the water leaving the pot quickly when you water the plant - that's exactly what you want, unless you're growing in sphagnum moss. The potting mix should be airy to a degree, and that's what's being shown by the water exiting quickly.

How and when to fertilize your orchids is a highly debated topic. I say find a schedule you can remember and work with, and stick with that. I've fertilized my plants anywhere from once a month, to every watering, depending on what potting mix they're growing in (and whether or not I remember to fertilize them).

[silken]

I don't think the plant needs to be watered daily and it shouldn't be sitting in water. How are the roots? I would be concerned about root rot. Most Oncidiums including Miltonia don't like to be bone dry but should be only slightly damp or close to dry before watering. Then water it well and drain well. Usually approximately weekly unless in warm dry air or when bark is brand new since new bark does not absorb as much water.

Most epyphitic orchids need an open well draining potting mix so it is normal for the water to all run out. Either soak in water with weak fertilizer in it for 20 mins and drain well, or run under a tap flushing lots of water thru, then use fert. water and drain well. Fertilizing weakly weekly is often followed by orchid growers.

[NYCorchidman]

Watering everyday will soon kill your orchid unless it is mounted.
You can water when the mix is approaching dry.
Until then, misting the top portion of mix everyday is fine and that is actually what I do with mine. I take this is miltoniopsis?

I really have to watch out with watering during the summer when things dry out so fast.
but I guess you don't have to worry much about that in Sweden.
If you like watering a lot, pot the plant in very open mix like large bark chips with a little bit of perlite or moss. then water everyday and that shouldn't cause problem.
Good luck!

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[greengarden]

How much light does it get? I find my milts flower better with a good amount of light.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

A true Miltonia is grown a little differently from a Miltoniopsis, (aka Pansy Orchids). Miltoniopsis are often sold under it's old genus name Miltonia.

Miltoniopsis are for the most part, cool to intermediate growing. It is preferred to not grow Miltoniopsis warmer than 85 F.

A large proportion of true Miltonias are intermediate to warm growing.

If you're referring to Pansy Orchids, otherwise known as Miltoniopsis and often labeled as Miltonia, then, it does require even moisture, but can dry out very briefly between waterings just fine.

Grow Miltoniopsis under moderately bright indirect light.

Moderate humidity will work for it (60% - 70%).

Also, grow them a bit on the pot bound side. Too spacious a pot will not allow the porting media to dry out fast enough, which will eventually lead to root rot.

Hopefully these conditions will help induce blooming.

[Edwin Reffell]

Thank you everyone for all your help. My daughter and her fiancé say they cannot empty the water and let the orchid stand and drain off everyday before going to work. That is why I suggested that they spray the top of the bark compost it is in instead. I shall ask them if they cannot give it a thorough watering and let it drain off every Saturday or Sunday and hope that will be acceptable for them. Otherwise I shall do that each fortnight when I visit them. I gave them a bottle of special orchid fertilizer as they are repelled at the thought of using diluted urine.From what my daughter has told me, the picture on the label and the images I have seen on the web I think it must be a Miltonia and not a Mitoniopsis. My daughter said it was blue and the label shows a light violet flower which does not resemble a Pansy. Also I imagine Miltoniopsis must be much more difficult to grow in Sweden where it is never humid and hot. Only very rarely have we had 30 degrees centigrade in the summer and then it is a heatwave. Are the leaves of Mitonias and Miltoniopsis the same and do the plants look identical or can you distinguish between them? If anyone could post pictures they have or internet links showing the differences in the plants I would be much obliged. When do Miltonias need repotting? She has had it several years now. Perhaps she will give me a part when she repots it. If she does I shall look after it in accordance with your advice and post an image if it flowers for me. What is the best compost for it?

[silken]

I don't know why they want to water it every day when it likely isn't the best for it. The Miltniopsis (pansy) orchids are the ones that need cooler temps and suffer in prolonged warm temps. Miltonias are from a warmer area and prefer intermediate to warm temps. The leaves of both are similar but Miltonias are more 'normal' green or yellow green and their growths can be more spread out on the rhizome whereas Miltoniopsis have fairly thin, almost greyish green leaves and the growths are very close together. Does the tag show a name? If so it can be determined if its a Miltonia or Miltoniopsis. Miltoniopsis are particularly sensitive to stale potting media and should be re-potted every year. Miltonias may be a bit more tolerant. Most potting medias of bark break down by 2 years, but you can tell just from looking at it, feeling and smelling it. If it is always that wet from daily watering and sitting in water it must be pretty broken down I would think. They should be re-potted when new growths have started and there are some new roots starting. Fine fir bark with some perlite, or charcoal are commonly used but there are other options too depending on what works for each person.

There are lots of threads with both types of Milts on here. Just do a search for Miltoniopsis or Miltonia and you should find photos of them.

[Edwin Reffell]

Thank you. They have watered it every day because they did not know what it needed. Though the pot has stood in water so much the bark looks okey. I have not smelt it. Despite the hot, humid conditions it prefers which it does not get here I still think my daughter's orchid is a Miltonia. I searched the forums on Orchid Board and found a picture of a Miltonia moreliana and wonder if that is not the one she has though it only had 3 spikes. The label just says Miltonia.When she bought it my daughter was told it would not flower again. I hope that is wrong.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by Edwin Reffell

...When she bought it my daughter was told it would not flower again. I hope that is wrong.

Wow...whoever made that label is, so, very wrong!

If it is grown right, and if it is still healthy and alive, it will, without a doubt, bloom again!

If it is really a Miltonia, then a temperature of 55 F - 95 F, (12.8 C - 35 C), is best for these. Should your daughter really have a Miltonia regnelii, it needs the temperature to rise to at least 85 F, (29.4 C), during the day in the spring and summer months in order for it to bloom again.

It doesn't need to be watered everyday. Watering once every 2 days is fine. Don't let it sit in standing water. There will be problems later down the line. These plants grow on trees in the wild, and Miltonias grow drier than Miltoniopsis do.

These are links to pics of how they grow in the wild:

Miltonia spectabilis | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Miltonia regnelli no habitat - 3 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Miltonia regnelii is sometimes labeled as Miltonia spectabilis var. regnelii, btw.