Bulbophyllum Veitchianum care

[daveinca]

I just received a pair of Bulb Veitchianum yesterday (my very first Bulbophyllum orchids) and was wondering what kinds of growing conditions they need. In general, most bulbos like high humidity conditions which is pretty hard to achieve here in northern California without a green house. But, I need to try and do my best since I don't have a green house and I'll be growing them inside. Can anyone give me some advice on how best to get my new bulbos to thrive?

[estación seca]

Nobody's answered... I've only had my bulbos for a few weeks, since Andy's sale. They're in an area with 50% - 70% humidity. No damage so far but no growth either. Put a lot of large thirsty leafy plants in your growing area; they will boost the humidity for you.

[Brooke]

I have a Veitchianum and grow it in Catt light, clay pot and Growstones as the media, sitting in a shallow tray of water. I flush the pot every couple of days. It is getting spikes now and blooms in midwinter.

Good luck - Brooke

[estación seca]

Thanks, Brooke. I read some earlier posts by you when my Bulbophyllum lepidum and B. masdevalliaceum arrived and did the same. I mounted the Masdevallia nicaraguae and it still looks good.

[daveinca]

Thanks Brooke. Mine came in plastic pots and growing in spag moss. It sounds like you are growing it semi hydroponically. Is that the case? I do have a lot of the clay pellets and that might work as well. Do you also fertilize it on a regular basis?

[Optimist]

I got a Lepidum and a Blumei at the same Andy's sale. They are both low light 500-1500 fc range. I mounted them immedietly with spag on top and between the mounts. I dip them in water every day. They are doing awesome. Lepedum is putting out flower spikes, and the Blumei is not doing much, but it is not going down hill and is still a happy camper. I know these guys are going to travel all over. I will be putting them in a tall "dish" type pot as per Ricardo Vatentin in Costa Rica, and pour water in the bowl, and have the water "wick" onto the sphagham. I am doing this with a Dend Taylorii and a few others. In other words they are on mounts, but have wicks like cotton thread feeding the spagham moss. This is done a lot with your African violets.

My orchid area is at about 70% humidity. It is all a matter of a few cool air humidifiers. Many of my super small orchids will be going into a terrarium environment. I have a terrarium made with a fish tank for now, and all the orchids really like it. I am in mid-eastern New Mexico, in a desert.

[estación seca]

I got Bulbophyllum masdevalliaceae, Cirrhopetalum lepidum and Masdevallia nicaraguae at the same sale. I mounted the M. nicaraguae on a piece of cedar with sphagnum. The other two went into LECA in clay pots, with a thin layer of sphagnum on top, and are sitting in bowls of water.

It was still quite warm when they arrived. They went into the sunroom, with humidity 40%-50% by day and 70% by night. Temperatures were higher then, never over 95 F / 35C but are now 80-90 F / 25-32C by day and 60-65 F / 15-18C at night.

They have not grown at all. The bulbo came with two new growths, the leaves just emerging from the sheaths. Neither grew further. One rotted this week, but the rest of the plant looks fine.

All three have good roots. Maybe it's just the wrong season.