Stanhopea culture help

[SaraJean]

So I would love to try my hand at a stanhopea ( tigrina and wardii seem to be the most available). I have found info on winter temps, which I can provide, but little to no info on summer temps. A little about my climate- summer days are typically between 85-100 degrees F, humidity is typically between 65% and 85%. Summer nights are typically only 10-15 degrees cooler with humidity levels around 80%-90%. These temperatures will stay this high from late May through the end of September.

I grow my orchids outdoors under a shade cloth and a few banana trees, there is good air circulation and I also have a fan to help on those super hot days. So do any of you have any experience growing stanhopeas in these conditions? Any advice for a species or hybrid that is more tolerant than the two I listed above?

[rbarata]

What about your winter temp?

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by rbarata

What about your winter temp?

Average winter temps are:
November is mild: days 65-75, nights 55-65
December still mild, slightly cooler 50-70 degree days, 45-60 degree nights
January through mid February can be quite cold with days in the low 40s and 50s, night temps at 34-40s degrees


I have two pop up green houses that I set up for mid December till late March. One I keep the low night time temps at 60, the other I keep slightly cooler. Some of my orchids I just leave out all winter next to my house, I just throw a cover over them if it gets close to freezing

[rbarata]

I have a wardii (you can find some recent threads in these forums about it) and your temps are similar to mine (except the low 40's, but I think they can handle it if protected from frost).
The humidity values you have are perfect, most of the time above 70%.

[DeaC]

The Stanhopea Pages by Nina Rach, edited November 2011 is good reading. I have 3 but the experts are more worth your attention. Good growing.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by DeaC

The Stanhopea Pages by Nina Rach, edited November 2011 is good reading. I have 3 but the experts are more worth your attention. Good growing.

Thank you!

---------- Post added at 01:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:33 PM ----------

Originally Posted by rbarata

I have a wardii (you can find some recent threads in these forums about it) and your temps are similar to mine (except the low 40's, but I think they can handle it if protected from frost).
The humidity values you have are perfect, most of the time above 70%.

Good to know about the frost and humidity. I am really concerned about the daytime summer temps being too high. I have about 3 solid months of 90+ degree days with only the slight 10 degree drop at night. But I think I am going to read a little more about them, see if anyone grows any stanhopeas in my local society, order one and hope for the best!

[isurus79]

I'd say those are perfect conditions for these guys. Enjoy!

[estación seca]

A lot of these come from areas with steamy summers just like NO. Some get cooler summer nights than yours. You should be able to grow them better than many other people. Spider mite attack is a big problem with them; in a very humid climate, like yours, this is almost not a problem.

[rbarata]

About diurnal temp ranges, Orchidwiz says:

For tigrina, in summer there's a diurnal range of 19~20 F (11ºC) and in spring, the warmest season, it increases to 23~24 F (13ºC)
For wardii, throughout the year this range is, in average, 17~25 F (10~14ºC).

My wardii is growing without a noticieable range between day and night, between 25 and 30ºC (77~86 F). It's growing fine but I don't know if it will affect flowering because:

1 - I don't know if Stanhopeas need a temp drop to bloom

2 - The diurnal temp range in my growing room, considering the whole year, is of 32 F (18ºC)

[Manfred Busche]

'Just do it' (just grow them); no need for much thinking.
Isurus79 (see above) is right.

I might add ::
S. tigrina is gorgeous, S. wardii and S. jenischiana are probably the most beautiful in the genus.
Place plants in a basket filled with moss, and water frequently.
When plants are growing (i.e. making shoots), spray fertilizer every day : 150 ppm in good-quality water.