L. anceps to wet?

[peeweelovesbooks]

Ok.

I'll be very honest with you. I am by no means an expert on Laelia anceps, but I am growing them successfully.

I know that my growing conditions are unique, so take my advice accordingly.

I may not know a lot, but I know two things about L. anceps. They like a lot of sun, and they DO NOT like to STAY wet. They can BE wet, but you have to let them dry out within a reasonable amount of time.

I have mine in hydroton and I grow them in ALMOST full sun. But, like I said, my growing conditions are unique.

I know at least one person who grows L. anceps in moss: Steven Christofferson. Ok. But he's just not A random grower, he is THE LAELIA ANCEPS grower. So. Yes, he grows Laelia anceps in moss, but that doesn't mean that I have enough expertise to do so myself.

So, generally, I would not recommend growing L. anceps in moss, UNLESS you are an experienced grower. I'm not trying to slam anyone, but Steven is unique and he has unique growing conditions.

I would recommend that you NOT grow it in moss. I would probably recommend a very open and FAST drying medium, short of hydroton. I wouldn't put it in hydroton because your conditions are too dry and your humidity is too low, but I think moss is at the extreme end of the spectrum as far as moisture is concerned.

Maybe some large bark mixed with perlite or something equally open.


Regarding the sun, I would not put it out in full sun. I know you want to dry it out, but again, you may burn the leaves. The only thing I have in full sun are my renantheras, and those suckers require full sun.

I have my anceps outside, in a VERY bright area against the wall. My renantheras are about 10 inches away from them, but there's no shadowing whatsoever.

IMHO, I would repot it in bark. I know CAL-orchid grows their anceps in a very open bark mixture. I know experienced growers grow in moss. I tried that and the roots were rotting within 2 weeks.


So, that's my opinion.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by help

yes, whats your take?? im undecided what i should do. in the even i do replant, what should i replant to? im not sure if i should replant now if i do replant, i have two nice leads and roots

yes, they are getting new growth now - so sometime in the near future would be a good time to repot. I have mine potted in coconut husk chips with perlite, in a small clay pot. I do also have other Catt alliance plants in medium bark chips with perlite. I have had my L anceps about a year - was described as near bloom size when I got it. So it hasn't bloomed yet - it did get a sheath last year, but it was all black and crunchy It is growing very well however. I try to allow it to dry completely in between watering. I have read they like to be rather dry in the winter.

IOSPE PHOTOS

Hopefully Maria, or other people who grow this successfully will chime in

[Call_Me_Bob]

thanks guys, i think i might repott. but im not sure hwo to do so with a laelia i only got it a week ago

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

yes, they are getting new growth now - so sometime in the near future would be a good time to repot. I have mine potted in coconut husk chips with perlite, in a small clay pot. I do also have other Catt alliance plants in medium bark chips with perlite. I have had my L anceps about a year - was described as near bloom size when I got it. So it hasn't bloomed yet - it did get a sheath last year, but it was all black and crunchy It is growing very well however. I try to allow it to dry completely in between watering. I have read they like to be rather dry in the winter.

IOSPE PHOTOS

Hopefully Maria, or other people who grow this successfully will chime in

Yes, hopefully. That's just my take really. For these I would go drier rather than wetter medium and adjust my watering accordingly.

BTW--how's the jongheana?

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by peeweelovesbooks

Yes, hopefully. That's just my take really. For these I would go drier rather than wetter medium and adjust my watering accordingly.

BTW--how's the jongheana?

hehe - the jongheana is doing quite well still.

as for anceps - I have read they do sometimes grow in full sun in their native habitat (Mexico - pretty strong sun) - but if not acclimated to that slowly I am sure they would burn. Last year mine took quite a bit of sun - been overcast so much this year tho. But if not overcast it is in direct sun from fairly early in the morning til a early afternoon

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

hehe - the jongheana is doing quite well still.

as for anceps - I have read they do sometimes grow in full sun in their native habitat (Mexico - pretty strong sun) - but if not acclimated to that slowly I am sure they would burn. Last year mine took quite a bit of sun - been overcast so much this year tho. But if not overcast it is in direct sun from fairly early in the morning til a early afternoon

Yeah, that's my point. You have to acclimate the plant or else it'll burn. I keep moving them around bcs the sun comes in sideways from where they are, and they get pretty hot (the leaves) like around 10 am or so. but it's a constant shuffling so they won't burn.

[Call_Me_Bob]

okay im set on repotting but what kind of bark?

[Izzie]

I love this board. It's fascinating to see how so many people grow successfully in different conditions.
Peewee- in help's defense, some of us recommended on the project thread that they stay in moss since that was what the plant was used to- could have been false thinking.
In retrospect, it may have been better to say go ahead and repot.

@help- Peewee's suggestion of large bark mixed with perlite is a great "standby" that works wonderfully.
If you're asking what kind of bark, Monterey/New Zealand/Orchiata bark is considered the best recently as far as quality (water retention, not decomposing as fast as other barks)- but no matter what bark you choose, try to get a larger grade.
Repotme.com has great products and suggestions.

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by Izzie

I love this board. It's fascinating to see how so many people grow successfully in different conditions.
Peewee- in help's defense, some of us recommended on the project thread that they stay in moss since that was what the plant was used to- could have been false thinking.
In retrospect, it may have been better to say go ahead and repot.

@help- Peewee's suggestion of large bark mixed with perlite is a great "standby" that works wonderfully.
If you're asking what kind of bark, Monterey/New Zealand/Orchiata bark is considered the best recently as far as quality (water retention, not decomposing as fast as other barks)- but no matter what bark you choose, try to get a larger grade.
Repotme.com has great products and suggestions.

Izzie--no problem. No need to defend.

I agree--what I use may not work for everyone, and vice versa, and it's always interesting to see what others manage to pull off.

Having said that, I always repot my stuff, no matter what. Sort of a way to make it "mine" and acclimate the plants faster to my growing conditions. But again, that's just my practice.

So, no worries.

[Call_Me_Bob]

and, i talked to peewee on chat the other day, and told him my humidity. the first one is morning the second one is evening relative humidity

HARRISBURG, PA jan- 72 58 feb- 71 55 mar.- 72 52 apr- 70 49 may- 74 52 june- 77 53 july- 79 52 aug. - 83 55 sept.- 85 56 oct- 82 54 nov.- 77 57 dec- 73 58

idk if im getting too analitical but here is the relative average humidity. frist number for each month-morning- second number for each month-evening

thanks