Is bathroom OK for growing "Paphiopedilum" orchid? - Orchid Board

Paphiophile · #1 08-14-2016, 07:08 AM

Hi everybody,

I need help! I walked into an orchid exhibition and impulsively bought a very big "Paphiopedilum" orchid with 2 flowers and 2 buds on the one very tall stem. I have put it in my bathroom. The bathroom is bright and white with lots of mirrors. In the morning, the sun shines in through the window onto the white tiled wall opposite where my "Paphiopedilum" orchid is placed. The white tiles then reflect the light onto my "Paphiopedilum" orchid and the large mirror behind it.

I am in Sydney (Australia), so it is the end of winter now. The temperatures in my bathroom are around 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) in the daytime and around 18 degrees Celsius (64 degrees Fahrenheit) at night. In the summer, on extremely hot days when it is above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) outside, the temperature indoors can get up to the mid 30's Celsius (mid 90's Fahrenheit).

The main dilemma I have is with getting the humidity and watering right. I thought that the bathroom would have high humidity but now I'm not so sure. I've even tried pulling the shower hose out of the shower to flood the entire bathroom floor, but the floor pretty much dries up completely in 45 minutes to 1 hour. The seller told me to water my "Paphiopedilum" orchid once every 5 days - but after just one day, I poked my finger into the potting mix to about 2 cm deep and it was dry! The potting mix is made up of composted pine bark and shell grit. The seller said that he had only re-potted this "Paphiopedilum" orchid this year, so he said I will not need to re-pot it for 2 years.

I need some guidance on how to grow this "Paphiopedilum" orchid, please. I don't want to kill it because it came to me really big and strong, and the flowers are weird but very stunning in stature and coloration.

Thanks,
Andrew

bil · #2 08-14-2016, 09:06 AM

Don't know what your conditions are there, mine are outside and they get watered 3 times a week at the moment (it's hot and dry) - they are in fine bark with a couple of balls of S moss in there to act as a water reservoir.
You need to google the name of your orchid and see just how wet it likes it. There is quite a difference between types. Good luck with it.

Paphiophile · #3 08-14-2016, 09:34 AM

Hi bil,

There are 2 plastic labels inserted into the potting mix with something scribbled in pencil but it doesn't make any sense. One of them says Vongala or Yongala or Vongola or Yongola and the other one says Transyaal or Transyaol or Transvaal or Transvaol x chamberlainianum or chamberlainionum or chamberlainianam or chamberlainionam.

Does this make any sense to you?

Thanks,
Andrew

---------- Post added at 10:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:29 PM ----------

What are balls of S moss?

bil · #4 08-14-2016, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paphiophile

Hi bil,

There are 2 plastic labels inserted into the potting mix with something scribbled in pencil but it doesn't make any sense. One of them says Vongala or Yongala or Vongola or Yongola and the other one says Transyaal or Transyaol or Transvaal or Transvaol x chamberlainianum or chamberlainionum or chamberlainianam or chamberlainionam.

Does this make any sense to you?

Thanks,
Andrew
What are balls of S moss?

Nope no sense at all. Try googling them and see what you get.
If I have an orchid that needs a bit more moisture, I put three balls of Sphagnum moss around the rim, then put the orchid in the middle and fill the pot with fine bark.

I do use wide shallow pots that I make myself.

Paphiophile · #5 08-14-2016, 10:15 AM

Ok thanks, I have sphagnum moss for the fuchsia hanging baskets.

PaphMadMan · #6 08-14-2016, 10:17 AM

Orchid tags can get pretty complicated and so can be easily miscopied and hard to interpret, but yours is easy to figure out with a little experience and knowing where to look it up. Paphiopedilum Yongala is a registered hybrid. That is the name of your plant. The tag also lists the parents of Yongala as (Transvaal x chamberlainianum), which is correct.

The temperature range you described is fine for this Paphiopedilum, and the light is probably adequate as well. Keeping humidity up is always a challenge growing in the house, but plants can usually tolerate less than ideal humidity. It doesn't need to stay high all the time. With a boost of humidity after running the shower (no need to wet the whole floor), close the bathroom door to keep the humidity in as long as possible and it will probably be fine. This will be better than most indoor orchids get.

When you water make sure the mix gets completely soaked (in the shower perhaps), then wait until it is dry a few centimeters in before watering again. Don't rely on a schedule. Timing will vary depending on temperature, humidity and other factors. More orchids are killed (fast) by over-watering than under-watering.

Two years before repotting is probably about right, but I would encourage you to repot in spring next year, then every 2 years after that. Spring is usually best.

You should plan on using a water soluble fertilizer at half strength about once a month.

S moss is sphagnum moss, a common part orchid potting mix.

Paphiophile · #7 08-14-2016, 11:02 AM

Thanks, PaphMadMan, for the info!

---------- Post added 08-15-2016 at 12:02 AM ---------- Previous post was 08-14-2016 at 11:29 PM ----------

The labels make sense now. It even has a cultivar name 'Corroboree'!

bil · #8 08-14-2016, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paphiophile

Ok thanks, I have sphagnum moss for the fuchsia hanging baskets.

I like to keep the moss in distinct balls, and not spread it all over the pot as that allows the pot as a whole to breathe.

Paphiophile · #9 08-14-2016, 11:49 AM

Thanks, bil, I will add a couple of balls of sphagnum moss but not all over pot.

estación seca · #10 08-14-2016, 12:44 PM

Many people grow Paphs in the house where humidity is not too high. You don't live that far from the sea, so you probably have adequate humidity, especially in your bathroom. I might suggest you go to a pet shop or reptile shop and buy an inexpensive hygrometer/thermometer combination, intended to be put into a reptile terrarium.

Your bathroom sounds great for plants. Another way to increase humidity is to have large, water-thirsty house plants in there, the kind that go through lots of water.

I personally would not repot now. I would leave it alone. If you decide you need the sphagnum balls, do it when you repot.