New member

[snow]

welkom uit canada

[GreggC]

Masdevalias in South Africa?? Wow, that has to take some skill!! I think you will like it here. It is a kewl place!!

[Mike O'C]

Hi Louise,
Many thanks to you and all of those who sent me a welcome message. I am only now learning how to reply! :-) So apologies please!
Do you belong to any of the local orchid societies. Being a species grower I belong to the Umhlatuzana Species Orchids Society. We meet on the first Monday evening of the month at the Malvern Library/Civic Centre and we start at 19H30 (7.30p.m.). Come along.
Keep well and kind regards
Mike

[Mike O'C]

Thanks for the welcome message. My philosophy towards orchids is :try them (i.e. the different genera) and see if you can grow them. If they repeatedly die on you give them up. To successfully grow Masdevallias where the temperatures get very hot use a clay/earthern pot (not one that is glazed) that is porous, use a fine bark and top with sphagnum. Water regu;larly. The clay pot acts as a wet wall and keeps the roots cool. When I forget or do not have the opportunity to water frequently (every one or two days in summer) they dry out and drop their leaves and die.
Keep well and kind regards.
Mike
(Just finished watering the orchids. The outside mid-day temperature now is 28C - maximum yesterday in the greenhouse was 30C)