Laelia purpurata var. virginalis 'Campeã'

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Akewataru

Unfortunately, I have had ZERO experience growing orchid community pots (compot). Can you help me?

Do I remove the sphagnum moss they are growing in immediately, when they reach the size of being in their own individual pot, or sometime in between?
If they stay in the sphagnum, how do I determine when they need to be watered?
How do their lighting conditions differ from adult laelia purpuratas? (I live in the Northern Central Florida area)

In Central Florida you won't have any issues as to the light, on the contrary. While they are small seedlings, it would be a good choice keeping them in a place with a little less light (not much!) than the desirable for adult plants.
The moss is the most recommended medium for small plants in this Alliance, you should keep them as they are.
You will need to check the substrate up almost on a daily basis to decide when it is time to water again. A rule of thumb is to not let the medium completely dry, as well as do not keep it excessively damp. So, you will have to determine for yourself how the moss behaves in your specific growing condition. You can test how quickly the moss dry by simulating the pot where the seedlings are. You can make up a second pot that reproduces the way the seedlings pot is (only that the copy pot won't have plants). Water both the same way and observe what happens to the copy pot moss... you can see and feel what happens inside the moss because this pot does not have plants. This will give you important guide lines as to the time needed for the moss to dry to the point of a new watering.
Later, when the plants are taller, keeping them in moss or not is a grower choice, you will have to decide how comfortable you feel using it, because no matter what the substrate is, it is the water which makes all the difference and this is more up to you, than to the substrate. It would be important to ask around and check what substrate is commonly used in your area to have a better idea on what to do.
Mauro Rosim

[Akewataru]

Thanks for getting back to me, and so fast! In the meantime I have been entertaining myself looking at your plant collection. WOW! I am so impressed by your plants especially the Cattleyas (warscewiczii, hardyana, maxima) and the Laelia (purpurata, anceps, crispa, lobata) and the Oncidiums. I world take me a lifetime to collect so many plants.
To diverge somewhat from the post topic, I also acquired a C. dowiana rosita at the May Redlands show. I have read conflicting information on how to raise this plant. I've read that this plant can take full sunlight, but then on OrchidWeb I read that this plant needs lower light than most Cattleyas, 1500-2000 footcandles or Phalaenopsis light. Which is true?

[Rosim_in_BR]

Originally Posted by Akewataru

Thanks for getting back to me, and so fast! In the meantime I have been entertaining myself looking at your plant collection. WOW! I am so impressed by your plants especially the Cattleyas (warscewiczii, hardyana, maxima) and the Laelia (purpurata, anceps, crispa, lobata) and the Oncidiums. I world take me a lifetime to collect so many plants.
To diverge somewhat from the post topic, I also acquired a C. dowiana rosita at the May Redlands show. I have read conflicting information on how to raise this plant. I've read that this plant can take full sunlight, but then on OrchidWeb I read that this plant needs lower light than most Cattleyas, 1500-2000 footcandles or Phalaenopsis light. Which is true?

I grow several plants of dowiana since they were small seedlings (I bought a compot years ago), but I grow the dowiana from Colombia, not from the one from Costa Rica. Rosita, if memory serves me well, is from Costa Rica, and my experience with this plant is almost none (my Rosita is still a young plant of 7"). So, I am not sure if I can be of help with this. I can say that my dowianas from Colombia, in fact, love to be in the brighter side of the shade house, but never in our full sun

[Otis226]

What a truly beautiful bloom! I'm very close to obtaining my first Laelia and my first Neo. Ah, so many beauties, so little money!
Cheers,
Tony

[nenella]

I agree with Tony above. It definitely is a truly beautiful bloom!