Dendrobium Mingle's Sapphire

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by createyourdream

Thanks, I'll look that one up. What medium do you grow your Dendrobiums in? Bark?

I have my Phaleanopsis in Bark, but I just got some Coconut cubes and red lava stones & I was thinking of using that? What do you think?

The Mingle's Sapphire is in bark in a clay pot, but I think when it's due for a repot, I may go with the coconut husk chips in a plastic pot. This den doesn't want to dry out, and I think the coco husk chips may be a better option for me. (Altho, since it has been doing well the way it's currently potted, I may decide not to mess with success) You can definitely use the lava mixed with the coco husk chips, or bark. I don't have lava rock, but do use pumice mixed in with the coco husk, or bark, and I think lava would be pretty much the same.

[WhiteRabbit]

I want to add that the Mingle's Sapphire canes will become pendulous as they grow - just an FYI - right now I have the canes staked to skewers, but they're getting too long to probably do that in the future - idk - I'll come up with something to do with it lol.

And if you decide to go with the Laelia jongheana - it likes high humidity around it's roots, without the roots being soggy. Unlike many Laelias, it doesn't want to dry out completely. I have read they like to be a bit dryer in winter tho. Mine is potted in a small net pot, small bark mix, and the net pot is in a small "fishbowl" pot with no drainage - a layer of pebbles in the bottom, and I keep a bit of water in there

(pix from last year, a few months after I got it - it's grown a fair amount since then) I'm actually amazed this one has been doing so well for me, as I haven't done well with small seedlings, and this one's reputation as "tricky" to grow ...
I know another member grows his in clay pots in sphag and styro pnuts ...

[createyourdream]

Wow, Laelia jongheana sounds a little fussy. I may start out with some of the easier ones. Have you tried any Epidendrons? (I hope I spelled that right)

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by createyourdream

Wow, Laelia jongheana sounds a little fussy. I may start out with some of the easier ones. Have you tried any Epidendrons? (I hope I spelled that right)

hehe - yeah - it has that reputation ... that's why I am really surprised I haven't killed mine yet

I have a couple epidendrums, easy growers. - haven't got mine blooming yet, but I think I wasn't giving them enough light. Hopefully I have that corrected now ...

[createyourdream]

I finally got a photo album with about 5 pictures in it resized. Whew...

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by createyourdream

I finally got a photo album with about 5 pictures in it resized. Whew...

yay!

[createyourdream]

Thank you Sonya, I just joined the orchid forum tonight and already a nice new friend. You made my day, Thanks, Diana

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by createyourdream

Thank you Sonya, I just joined the orchid forum tonight and already a nice new friend. You made my day, Thanks, Diana

aww
thanks ...
always nice to make new friends lots of friendly people here - I'm sure you will be meeting more of them when there are more people on the board in the morning

[Becca]

I just wanted to mention that I grow my Den. Mingle's Sapphire in a wood basket and I use sphagnum moss for a potting medium. While these may start out kind of small, they eventually become long and pendulous as previously mentioned.

[quiltergal]

Hi Diana. You might want to call Clackamas Orchids first before you drive up there. I heard they were going out of business several months ago. I have a very nice Phal. mannii that I got from them a couple years ago.