My first ever set of miniatures arrived today - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Brooke · #11 08-25-2013, 08:37 AM

I had the ambrosia and got it to encircle a 6" net pot, grew it wet, what I call medium light (Catt light until about 2 p.m. and then total shade) and after three years zero blooms. I gave it away.

The macranthum I grow in Catt light, 10" net pot, wet and blooms in the summer. This is another Bulbo that needed to be huge to bloom before it bloomed for me.

Bulb macranthum JCL_0167 by kentucky4, on Flickr

I had Rosary Beads and restarted it twice because the middle would die out and I ended up with two clumps of pbulbs separated by several inches. I never bloomed it and it went somewhere else.

I do have a couple of medusae and I grow them in Catt light and wet. They are starting to spike now.

I use the term Catt light because I grow in a g/h in the midwest and you have to interpret that to your area. In the warm months I have two shade cloths on the g/h and then remove them for the winter. You are in Miami so you know what it takes to blooms Catts in your conditions.

The pardolatum blooms starting in the spring and is still putting out blooms but it is starting to wind down now.

I always try to be polite

Brooke

Leafmite · #12 08-25-2013, 09:35 AM

I have only had bulbo ambrosia since last autumn but it grows like crazy, constantly putting out new growths. I haven't seen any blooms, though. :|

TOMMYMIAMI · #13 08-25-2013, 01:42 PM

Thanks Brook so much
First, whenever you have any other suggestions for me, give it to me in full speed:-) I would rather get smashed with a hammer over my head to do something GOOD for my orchid, than not to do it and they will die! Ok, so update, today when misting the vase vivarium I of course TOOK Bulbophyllum Pardalotum and mounted it on the tree fern and it is outside now:-) DONE, many thanks for the tip. As for the rest, I totally do not get and understand the light measure's and suggestions from nowhere. You know, I was trying to Google and search what exactly means that full shade, shade, partial shade, half shade, intermediate light, strong light etc, so many terms, so so many explanations, and what's worst what works for one does not work for others. So this is the thing, funny to say, yes, Cattleya's are SUPPOSEDLY so easy to grow in Florida - so many people say this! - however, these babies were my nightmare for past 3 years. Till last year I killed them all, over watering and never blooming! I know what I did wrong, wrong growing medium, too much water, and too little sun. This year there is huge improvement, because I just love them, I must learn how to grow them and bloom them. Now, all my cattleyas are in Hydroton, or mounted on tree fern, and on the other side of the balcony. They seem to do great so far, strong, healthy roots, and lot of new growth, so fingers crossed. This being said, as little success as I had so far with blooming cattleya's, there is opposite for all my Bulbos! They LOVE the spot they had, which I would definitely call half shade, or intermediate, or whatever you wanna call it, they are at the same spot for 3 years, and they grow like crazy, and bloom every single year!!! I keep them moist every day, less during the winter time! So my Bulbos definitely do not get any cattleya light for sure, but they do amazing things for me. With this knowledge, I think I will put even Bulbophyllum Pardalotum into the same spot as my other bulbos, because it seems like that's what they like here at my balcony! I am actually crazy about Bulbophyllums, and have another order for many new ones, different than I have, I should get Bulbophyllum dearei, another much bigger Bulbophyllum pardalotum , Bulbophyllum patens , Bulbophyllum smitinandii, Bulbophyllum macranthum, all these should be here next month, and all say blooming size, and I have the Rosary Beads and Ambrosia on the way next week. So I will have my true Bulbophyllum section this year:-) Once more Brook, many many thanks, I do value and appreciate all the tips, hints etc! This is why I am here, to learn and improve