Who owns a Laelia tenebrosa?

[estación seca]

You have a seedling. I have several Laelia tenebrosa seedlings I bought from Sunset Valley Orchids. They have been some of the easiest Cattleya alliance plants to grow here, along with their close relative, Laelia purpurata.

They grow throughout the year while it is warm and I give them enough water. Once accustomed to it, they tolerate a lot more sun through the window than many other Cattleya alliance plants. They have not been bothered at all by daytime temperatures around 40C / 104 F but they had to be very well watered at this time.

The species occurs throughout the state of Espírito Santo on the coast in Brasíl. If you look up the climate there you may get some pointers.

[rbarata]

In Espirito Santo rains a lot comparing with my location (their lowest value is almost the same as my max).
Temps are, in avg, higher than mine. In the warmest season it rarely goes over 30ºC (86 F) which lower than mine.
My concern is the lowest temps I get here. During the coolest season Espirito Santo can get as low as 11ºC (52 F) with an avg of 17ºC (62,6 F).
So, if I put it in my "warm growing room", where I get min of 15ºC (59 F) in winter and max of 23ºC (73,4 F) it should be fine.

In summer, I think I must water it maybe every two days (or everyday) and in winter once per week. It should be fine, I think.

Sorry for thinking out loud but this is just my process to choose the room where I'll put it.
If you have any comments/sugestions, you're welcome.

[estación seca]

I think it will be fine.

[rbarata]

ES, do you let it go dry during the growing season?
I've read they shouldn't which is a difference from the general catt culture.

[rbarata]

There's a new root growing, on the left.
I just couldn't eliminate my doubts about watering. There's some contraditory information about letting it go dry between waterings. In their habitat (although they are now rare, if not extinct at all in nature) they get alot of rain so I think they should not dry out completely.

[katrina]

Lots of water but the roots DO need to dry out between waterings or you risk rot. Especially in the winter. I grew it in leca (in a clay pot) and watered daily during the warmer months and less frequently during winter.

[isurus79]

A pot that size with large bark (assuming its actually fresh, as it looks in the photos) can be watered every day in temps above 100F, every other day 90-100F, and 3x per week at temps 80-90F. That's how I do it here in Texas, which allows Catts to dry sufficiently between waterings. My plants get pretty bright light throughout the day.

[rbarata]

It's in a small plastic pot which retains water. I've decided not to repot because the medium (medium size bark) seems to be ok for one more year, at least.
Temps in the room are in the upper 20's (ºC), 79 F, and HR is, I think, around 30% (my hygrometer is slow to react).
If I mist daily the top medium and water every 2/3 days I think it should be ok. My indicator is root growing, if they grow well then that's good.

[isurus79]

Originally Posted by rbarata

It's in a small plastic pot which retains water. I've decided not to repot because the medium (medium size bark) seems to be ok for one more year, at least.
Temps in the room are in the upper 20's (ºC), 79 F, and HR is, I think, around 30% (my hygrometer is slow to react).
If I mist daily the top medium and water every 2/3 days I think it should be ok. My indicator is root growing, if they grow well then that's good.

Sounds like a good plan!

[estación seca]

I don't want to let my seedlings get dry but it happens. I have lost partially-developed growths because I didn't water enough.