NOID Tolumnia: Free to a good home

[Reeses]

Hi all,

I have been working with this poor plant for a year, and I am sad to have to realize that I just don't have the right conditions for this little guy. Tolumnias fascinate me, but I just haven't been able to keep it moist enough.

I don't want to throw it away, because I've seen the beginnings of new growth, but the leaves are all quite wrinkly and I don't want to see it continue to deteriorate under my "care."

When in bloom, the flowers are a beautiful mauve-pink, and it kind of looks like Genting Pink. For me it bloomed around Easter last year, so I called it "Easter Island."

Unless anyone has any magic cure ideas for a grad student with limited time to water every week, I'm looking to rehome. Please message me with advice or offers!

[Subrosa]

Can you get an ultrasonic humidifier and have it discharge on to the plant? If not, I'd be interested in the plant and would be happy to offer something in trade. I have a lot of Paphs........

[Reeses]

Thank you!! I am researching ultrasonic humidifiers now. That's not something I had considered. Do you think that would help it with the "quick drying" that happens in the Caribbean, or would it be too moist?

[Subrosa]

Run the humidifier at night, and let the plant dry out during the day.

[fudJy23]

Not sure how you're watering but I'll chime in with what I do with my Tolumnia Red Berry. It may work for you, it may not.

Mine sits in a south facing window and is mounted on a piece of cork. It has a mason jar bath tub Every morning, when I get up to make breakfast (boil water for tea, start hard boiled eggs), I grab him, put him and the cork in the mason jar and fill the mason jar to the bottom of the pseudobulbs. Then I walk away to go brush my teeth, change, etc. When I come back about 10 minutes later, I take him out of the water, sit him on the counter on a piece of paper towel for a few minutes to let excess water drip off, and return it to its place on my window sill. I try to keep to this schedule every morning but there may be the periodic day every couple of weeks or so when I don't get around to it in the morning and so I skip a day.

My home environment is one where I keep the AC on and the humidity is probably on the lower side. The little guy has been growing and flowering well for the two years I've had it.