Brassavola nodosa S/H or bark culture?

[Conjuration]

Hello, this is literally my first post here, so

I just bought this very cute Brassavola nodosa 'Panama Soire'. It's still somewhere in the post so no pictures for now.

Have no experience with Cattleya or its subspecies/hybrids/whatevers, I've been researching ahead of her arrival. The grower I bought from told me the Brassavola would arrive potted in bark. Now I'm trying to decide which medium to repot her in once she's settled in and growing new roots (which I assume would be the ideal time to repot Cattleya and its subspecies/hybrids/whatevers).

I'd like to repot into S/H culture, mostly because I happen to have unused leca on hand (and no bark). What experience I have with leca/semihydro is gotten from sprouting and growing grocery store fruit seeds in leca/semihydro. Some of them are still alive, more than half a year later. So I'm not completely inexperienced with this culture.

My reservations with S/H are,

1) The leca I have on hand is on the large side, with diameters around 0.4 to 0.6 inches. I think the large size and extra space between pellets might cause problems with very fine rooted plants, because the fruit seedling grown in a mixture of leca and crushed lava rocks does better than the one in pure leca. I don't know how large the Brassavola roots are and how (or whether) the extra space between pellets might affect her roots.

2) I read that Brassavola nodosa are warm-growing epiphytic orchids. With S/H culture, she'll get 'cold feet'. And I'm not sure how well she'll like it.

3) I also read that Brassavola nodosa prefer drying out between waterings. With S/H culture, I can't provide that 'dry period' unless I let the reservoir dry out completely before watering again. But isn't it bad for roots to be exposed to bone dry leca?

After S/H, the obvious next choice would be bark as medium. I suppose transition would be shorter since I would be replacing bark with bark. With a phal potted in bark, I also have experience watering this medium. The downsides would be, well... buying it.

And a question about Brassavola nodosa light requirement. They're said to be bright-light loving orchids, living outside in many places. Mine is going to be grown indoors in front of a south facing window. In winter, that window gets full sun when sun deigns to show. But in summer, she's not going to get any sun whatsoever. Is the light enough for her to grow and flower?

Please advise.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

I don't have time to write more now... but wait to repot until you get more responses here. You will.

[Ray]

The LECA you have is great for almost everything.

As to the choice of S/H or not, focus on temperature and humidity in your typical growing conditions, and how it will interact with the technique.

In my experience, B. nodosa likes it pretty hot, so unless your growing conditions never drop below about 72°F/22°C, with reasonable humidity. I wouldn't go with S/H.

[Roberta]

I have found B. nodosa to be quite forgiving. It likes some warmth, but I got away with growing it outside (winter night temperatures down to 4 deg C or lower sometimes), it didn't do much (a few flowers per year) but survived. I moved it into the greenhouse when I got one, and it has grown rapidly (and bloomed very well) since. Winter night temperatures get down to 15 deg C (60 deg F) at night and it doesn't seem to mind. Days are much warmer, of course. I now have two, one mounted and one in a pot that I put in a basket when it outgrew the pot, but the roots are mostly outside. So that one is growing like a mounted plant too. (They move outside in the spring once night temperatures get up to 15 deg C or so, then move back to the GH in the fall when blooming is mostly over, they do like the outdoor light and air when it's warm enough) My conclusion, it does like some drying. SH should be fine for it.

[Conjuration]

Thanks to everyone for your replies!

Originally Posted by Ray

As to the choice of S/H or not, focus on temperature and humidity in your typical growing conditions, and how it will interact with the technique.

In my experience, B. nodosa likes it pretty hot, so unless your growing conditions never drop below about 72°F/22°C, with reasonable humidity. I wouldn't go with S/H.

Ah, well, I suppose my growing condition is a bit too cold.

Winter temperature at my windowsill growing area drops as low as 13C/55F at night, with humidity around 60%. During the day, due to a combination of sunlight and heaters, temperature can get as high as 30C/86F, with humidity as low as 40%.

Originally Posted by Roberta

I have found B. nodosa to be quite forgiving. It likes some warmth, but I got away with growing it outside (winter night temperatures down to 4 deg C or lower sometimes), it didn't do much (a few flowers per year) but survived. I moved it into the greenhouse when I got one, and it has grown rapidly (and bloomed very well) since. Winter night temperatures get down to 15 deg C (60 deg F) at night and it doesn't seem to mind. Days are much warmer, of course. I now have two, one mounted and one in a pot that I put in a basket when it outgrew the pot, but the roots are mostly outside. So that one is growing like a mounted plant too. (They move outside in the spring once night temperatures get up to 15 deg C or so, then move back to the GH in the fall when blooming is mostly over, they do like the outdoor light and air when it's warm enough) My conclusion, it does like some drying. SH should be fine for it.

Do B. nodosas attract bugs when placed outside? I have a south-facing open balcony. If B. nodosas prefer being outdoors (and won't become ground zero for a pest outbreak), I'd consider keeping mine in the balcony.

My latitude is equivalent to Fort Lauderdale, FL. So balcony or not, she's not going to get sun in summer, just light reflected off surfaces. Should I supplement with a grow light?

And great news! My B. nodosa has arrived!

[Roberta]

I have never had a bug problem with my B. nodosa outside (in summer). But I don't have big bug problems where I live, perhaps other members who live in "buggy" environments have a different experience. B. nodosa I think is pretty bug resistant, though, with those tough, terete leaves. There really isn't much surface for pests to chew on. The plant will be happier outside, I think, if the weather is warm enough. The reflected light looks pretty bright, I think it will be adequate. My plants grow in filtered sun (some shade especially in the middle of the day), not full direct sun.

[Louis_W]

I grow mine in SH and I get down to about 45 in the winter. Seems pretty happy! Very bright conditions

Also if you can keep it hydrated through the roots I wouldnt worry too much about low humidity.

[Conjuration]

Interesting! Do you let your reservoir dry out completely before refilling again?

[Louis_W]

Not intwntionally but the dry climate and weekly watering usually leads to a dry resevoir ya. I can only grow orchids that can handle that. Cattleyas mostly.