Thanks Hannah and Ron!
---------- Post added at 07:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:42 PM ----------
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Orchid Boy
Very nice! My favorite phrag! I have one that has 14+ growths and it is currently in S/H topped with sphag. I can't seem to keep it wet enough in the LECA. How do you grow yours? Especially curious about watering quality and quantity, pot, media, and fertilizing. Is it a heavy feeder during growth?
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Mine has 10 mature fans and there are 11 or 12 new ones. Several of the mature ones are producing 3 new growths each! It is potted in one of those clear large beer cups that is 4.5 inches wide and 5.5 inches tall with holes cut in the lower sides. But when it's done blooming I will re-pot it and divide a piece off for a friend. Currently it is crawling out of that cup. It is potted in medium bark chunks, and some sphagnum moss.
I always have the pot sitting in a little dish of water about an inch high. OrchidWiz says this is one of the most moisture loving Phrags and in its habitat it is at times partly submerged under water when the river or streams are at high levels. I usually water it several times a week from the top but it has been fairly forgiving if I am away for a week. I try to use mostly rain water as our city water (ph 8.5 or 9) causes leaf tip burn on my Phrags. But I occasionally use tap water if in a hurry. I never have very high humidity. It is often only in the 30 to 40% range and even lower sometimes.
I don't have a real scientific method for feeding. I have MSU but also used a bloom booster for a while last fall when I thought some of the newly mature growths might start to spike.
As for light, it probably gets medium light. In winter it is under 2 HO T5 bulbs but they are about a foot above the plant and the plant sat at the end of the fixture so likely didn't get as much as ones directly under. In the summer it sits out of real direct light and it doesn't need a T5 since it is in the greenhouse.
I hope that helps. This one does like wet feet!