About to become a 2nd time Paph Daddy, help me

[dbarron]

Yes, I need help. I have previously obtained a parvi hybrid of some lineage, some years back, I quickly sent the poor thing to paph heaven.

My culture (and environment) has changed and improved much since then, and after visiting a local orchid show, I felt the disease take hold (*cough*) and knew that I had to accquire a paph and try to not be the immediate cause of it's demise.

I did some research and found a likely looking vendor who offered some paphs I was interested in at a good price. After correspondence (and depending on the weather), hopefully I'll see the new kids next week.

NBS on both that I decided on, and I kinda like that. I mean it's great to see an immediate flower, but I always found slightly less mature plants to settle in better for me. Probably no scientific fact on that...but..a general observation on my part of plant species of all types.

I found I preferred mottled leaves and rounded flowers with no dangly bits...so I settled on (with advise from grower) Magic Lantern and a Vanda M Pearman.

I've read up as best I can...but advise will be much appreciated. This will be windowsill culture, in an east window, with room ambient humidity levels between 35 and 55%. I have quite a few other plants, and it'll be a full windowsill, so the local microclime might be a few degrees of humidity greater. The indoor temps for the room are 68F in winter (though it is colder on the windowsill) and 73F in summer.

I know that Magic Lantern will probably prefer a somewhat cooler winter rest..and I can provide that by moving the plant to a west window in a mostly unheated room (which does stay above freezing), if that's advisable.

My estimation is that these paphs will in general mesh well with my Latouria dendrobiums, with active growth year round and not wanting to become fully dry.

Thank you for any advise you tender.

[dbarron]

Ok, noone has any advise to offer ? I am sure I could benefit by experience.
Today I went to repotme.com and ordered appropriate mixes for paphs, dendrobiums, and oncidiums (costly to have different genera with different media needs, isn't it) and some of those neat looking oxygen core dual pots. I've seen phals in them and thought they looked like a good idea.
I had previously tried at Lowe's..but no way was I going to use their general purpose orchid mix by Ortho. I couldn't see it..but I didn't like what I felt/read on the package.
I'm told my Vanda Pearson could use a repot job, so I figured as long as I need to get media, might as well get more (same shipping pretty much). I should be ok for repotting needs (if hobby doesn't grow any more) for a couple of years.
Ok, question, I believe I've gathered that paphs should have all media removed (if possible) during repotting. I assume ideal repotting time should be just before new roots on a new growth occur ?

[Jenn4a]

I'll try to help as much as I can.. But there's members who are more experienced than I am. (I'm new, but I love slippers.)

About repotting, unless it's a picky plant you should trust your gut feeling. I usually repot all my orchids before I move them into my normal setups. Most the time the plants I get come in old bark, with bugs, or it's not what I want to use. Unless you know what the grower used (throughout the whole pot), you may want to unpot it and check the media and roots.
I thought my paph Ho Chi Minh was potted in just bark, but I unpotted and found a lot of sphag! I could have rotted the roots, or I almost did.


I like the classic paph and phrag mix, from Repotme. I haven't used it with a paph yet, but I can already tell that it's better than store bark. I used it with a phrag.
45% Repotme mix/ 40% LECA/ 15% sphag. I water it every 2-3 days. (Phrags require different care than paphs though.)
If you're using pots with several slots in it, just remember it will probably dry out faster. Some of the Repotme paph mix will fall through the slots too.
I repotted my paph sukhakulii and HCM in a mix with more sphag, but in slotted clear pots.

ETA: the owner of the greenhouse I go to said that paphs love to be repotted. (This might be an opinion, or could be true based on the growing conditions.) I've also read that some do not like to be repotted; I'm not sure which ones. My sukhakullii has new roots and a new growth now, I repotted it over a month ago. It seems happy My HCM (delenatii x vietnamense) got mad at me when I didn't water it in time, but it's happy and grows when I keep it moist enough.

[dbarron]

Yes, I opted for the classic mix for the paphs (vs imperial)...due to what I perceived as more water holding capacity. Ditto for the dendrobium mix, but the reverse on the oncidium blend (imperial there), based on the plants I am currently growing.
My winter watering regime tends to be every 3 to 4 days based on pot weight and inspection, and I'm comfortable with that. I will see what summer time brings for watering needs, of course.
I haven't managed to get a good answer on what the paphs are currently potted in, but I do know the grower/hybridizer has confidence in his media, so I'll inspect when they arrive and decide if I need to repot or I can live with what they're in for now.
The indication I got on the VMP was that it was just ready for a pot step up from 2.5 inch to something a bit larger. I'm planning to use a 3.75 oxygen core pot on it, if/when I repot, but also ordered a 2.75 in case I felt the 3.75 was too big for one step.
Oh, and I'm just making this up as I go (lol) and hoping it all comes out well in the wash.

[WhiteRabbit]

I know some Paphs might habe somewhat differing requirements, and I'm not familiar with these ...

I have been told that Paphs should be repotted annually (unless in inorganic media), and aren't especially fussy about the time of year.

I pot mine in fine bark fir bark and perlite.

[Jenn4a]

Sounds like you're prepared. I wouldn't stress too much about the materials needed. You'll probably know what to do once you receive it.

If you don't have the right size pots, you can go to the grocery store and either find a food container or water bottle.. Roughly in the sizes that you need. You may even be able to cut the inner one up into slots, and then place it into a bigger container, if you want.