Stanhopea wardii-Help needed...and more - Orchid Board

Sandy4453 · #1 01-22-2009, 04:30 PM

I've been reading all the threads for the Stanhopea wardii and received some great advice a while back but now I need 'specifics' on what I need to do and I need all you gurus to help me, please! I just received this today and want to get the conditions right.

1. I've read it needs a dry rest in winter....how long between watering?

2. I've got the net baskets. It's now in a 3" pot. Does this need tight conditions or should I pot up a size or 2, now? Not sure how fast these grow but they like it wet, so the optimist in me is saying, pot up....right? wrong?

3. I plan to line the pot with coco fiber and use a mix of spaghnum, tree fern, CHC, perlite, charcoal. Is this o.k. or, is there something else I should use? (I've got most every growing medium out there.)

4. And, what about light and temps?

I need you guys to help before I go any further with these.

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And, instead of starting another thread with the same questions, I also need the same hand-holding, specifics with the Angraecum magdalenae I just received too.

THANK YOU ALL!

Frdemetr · #2 01-22-2009, 05:31 PM

Hi Sandy,

The dry period in the winter is "relative", ie, the plant usually stop to grow and needs less water and less fertilization. But Stans (even Stan wardii and lietzei, the most demanding in this aspect) don't like to be completely dry, you can spray water (with no fertilizer) in leaves and medium during fall/winter, and soak the medium at least one time per month. Of course, it depends the medium you are using! I prefer pure tree-fern fiber for Stans, 'cause it remains relatively wet and almost never drenched. Another good option is sphagnum, but in this case I mix it with little pieces of carcoal (to prevent compactation). I use wooden or wire baskets big in relation to plant size (I like to leave at least the same space occupied by the plant in front of it), these 'big-sized' baskets are useful in the spring/summer to retains humidity (I spray every other day - with a little of 10-30-20 fertilizer - and soak every week in spring/summer). About light and heat, we have a lot of both here - fortunately! - and I grow Stans under 50% "aluminet" screen, at middle-ground height. Our temps are ~15-22°C in the fall/winter (seldom bellow 10ºC) and 24-32°C in the spring/summer (often above 33°). You need to wait the Stan begins to growing to rebasket it. Finaly, I don't know nothing about Angraecum, sorry!

Sandy4453 · #3 01-22-2009, 09:56 PM

Thank you, Frdemetr. So, I need to wait for new growth before potting up into a new basket, didn't know this. In the meantime, misting and once/month watering....got it! I've read they need very low light, lower than Phals?

isurus79 · #4 01-23-2009, 04:32 AM

Fred is the Stan man and I have nothing to add to his expert advice! But to your question Sandy, Stans need more light than seem to be recommended. I would give low moderate Cattleya light or something less you are giving your Cycnoches and Catasetums. Basically you can give em light somewhere above Phals and below full Catt light, atleast from my growing experience.

Frdemetr · #5 01-23-2009, 06:13 AM

I agree with Steve about light; Catt light or a little bit less is ideal (Phal light or less is not enough for many species, they grow but never bloom!)

Bruno De Toni · #6 01-23-2009, 07:04 AM

I have mine in a full brigth sun untill midday and it grows fantastically. I have it in a basquet with fern tree medium and I keep a look at it every day, because they don´t like to have the medium very wet or very dry. I guess if you grows yours with cattleyas is ok. I would not worry to much about the size of the basquet since it is not to big, but it is important to have it on a basquet and not in a pot. Mine now is still developing some new leaves and I hope after that it begins to bloomm near by april or may, that´s the blooming time. After blooming is right to rebasquet. Your temperatures are OK.

Sandy4453 · #7 01-23-2009, 07:21 AM

Thanks for all this advice. I plan to use a plastic, very opened, basket and line it with coco fibers to keep the medium in place. The only thing I'm a little nervous about is the size of the basket (more than 3X the size of the plant) but with tree fern, I'll have better control of moist vs. wet than with spaghnum...if I'm thinking correctly. I'll plan to keep it in bright a.m. light, indirect/high the rest of the day. Now, all I need is patience in waiting for new growth before transplanting it.

Thanks again everyone.

Sandy4453 · #8 03-07-2009, 09:53 PM

I decided that today was the day to re-pot my Stanhopea wardii. I've had it several months now and took the gurus' advice here and left it in its original pot and to wait till new growth, warmer temps first. This little plant has been getting bigger, the weather has been cooperating and is now, warmer and very balmy so I took the plunge today with this, my first Stanhopea. It's in bark, moss, sponge rock, charcoal and CHC mix. I'm thinking now that I should have put it in tree fern like Bruno does. Too late though. I hope I didn't do wrong, here. Will up the light from everything I've also read, Steve!

How'd I do?

isurus79 · #9 03-07-2009, 10:36 PM

Looks good! I just want to make sure though that the lining of the basket is pretty thin. I would hate for your plant to 'not bloom' for years cause the spike kept bouncing off the lining!!

Sandy4453 · #10 03-07-2009, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isurus79

Looks good! I just want to make sure though that the lining of the basket is pretty thin. I would hate for your plant to 'not bloom' for years cause the spike kept bouncing off the lining!!

UH-OH! I thought about that too Steve but I remember another poster asking about the lining and the reply was something like, not to worry, the spikes will find their way.... I don't want to un-pot/re-pot it now??? Do you think I should try pulling some of the husk out carefully, through the holes?