New Zygo Question

[Kaschmitz]

Received a Galeopetalum/starburst 'Parkside' for Mother's Day.
It is a large plant with two flower spikes getting ready to bloom.

It is packed in sphagnum moss. When I repot what is the best media to use for this orchid.

Thank you
Kris Schmitz

[estación seca]

I think sphagnum moss is the best medium for this kind of orchid.

Drying out just once will set it back badly. Most people don't do well with them in bark unless they have time to look at the plant every day and water frequently. Or perhaps you could set a plant in bark in a dish of water.

It's not hard to learn how to grow in moss. Water when the top is almost dry, not crisp dry as you would with Phals in moss. Run water over the top for one second. It will diffuse throughout the moss, leaving it moist but still well aerated.

If you find your plant is using more water than you expected, and the moss dries out within a day or so, get it a little more wet the next time. But don't thoroughly soak the moss unless you know the plant is using a large amount of water. This might happen if temperatures are fairly high.

Use pure water on anything with Zygopetalum in the background. They are prone to leaf spots and tip dieback from minerals in the water.

When you repot, get your fresh moss wet the night before repotting, then squeeze out as much water as possible with your hands. The next day use the barely damp moss to repot the plant. Remove it from the pot, and swish it around in a container of water to get the moss very wet. Remove whatever moss comes off very easily, but don't disrupt the roots too much. Wrap threads of new moss around the root ball. Use a lot so you need to wedge it tightly into the new pot. The moss should be very tight. It won't need watering right away because the moss will be slightly damp. Water again when the top of the moss approaches dryness.

It has warm, intermediate and cool growing ancestors, so it should be able to tolerate more heat than most Zygo. species. In conditions of substantial heat you might be able to soak the moss when you water it.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Kaschmitz

When I repot what is the best media to use for this orchid.

There is no "best" medium for any orchid. The plant doesn't care what it's potted in, it only wants "the right conditions", and that may be accomplished in any number of ways, depending upon your growing environment and ability/willingness to water it appropriately.

ES likes sphagnum. When I first acquired zygos and their close relatives, they were usually potted in a bark-based mix, often containing sphagnum. I repotted them into S/H culture.

What are you growing well now, and what are they potted in? I'd bet you can do something similar, "fine tuning" it to the needs of the plant.

[Keysguy]

To Ray's point, it's all about getting it to adapt to what you can best offer it.
I have a 'Parkside' that I've had for a few years and it is doing nicely but you can't provide it what I can down here in the Keys. In fact, here it is probably challenged as the conditions here are just about at the upper limits of what it will tolerate but they are pretty forgiving. As a matter of fact, mine just bloomed a couple days ago but I can usually get 2 blooms/year.

I am growing in hot, wet, humid conditions 2/3 of the year and then a slightly cooler and drier winter. In those conditions, there is no way I could use sphagnum exclusively. I have a few sprigs in the pot somewhere, but that's it along with a finer bark, spongerock & charcoal mix. Same stuff I use for paphs, phrags and oncidiums.

It's all about understanding what conditions you can provide and finding the right media, watering, temps, light and fert regimen to fit those conditions that the plant will accept. It's a process of observation and adaptation for both you and the plant.

[Leafmite]

I saw the really great talk on Zygos given by someone from the Michigan Ann Arbor Judging center and it made me want to try these again since we recently acquired air conditioning. I now have three Zygos.
The last ones thrived for a couple of years until we had a summer with prolonged temperatures in the nineties ('F) and no air-conditioning. They were in sad shape when I gave them away. I am speaking only from past experience...I am not an expert with these. I have only had the new ones two months.

So, a few points about these. The roots crack very easily so if gentle shaking, tugging or running it under water does not remove the old medium, just leave it. The plant bruise easily if it gets bumped. If growing indoors without brisk air flow, make certain that all but the roots are above the medium and do not get water on the plant when watering as these are prone to rotting and leaf issues. I use good quality AAA long fibered moss but I have heard of some people using a mix of mostly perlite/soil or perlite and fine bark. I bought clear pots with many holes everywhere from Amazon to allow better air-flow. Air-flow to the roots is important.

With NZ sphagnum moss, the quality makes all the difference. Good quality long-fibered moss, either AAA or AAAA is what should be used with orchids.

[lambo1972]

Hello all and this is a great thread for me. I really hope I can get my new Jumpin Jack to bloom. Looks like some good advice here. I'm growing mine inside in an east facing window. I live in Birmingham, AL. Our inside temp fluctuates between 70-74 between day and night. Our humidity is in the mid to high range 50-70% maybe higher in summer even with air conditioning. The plant might get some very light morning sun and the window is old and probably leaks some so the plant may feel colder or hotter at times. I am keeping it in what it came planted in when I ordered it, which is a combo of med bark, some perlite, some small moss pieces. I worry about it drying out. I am studying about it. Hope I can get it to flower. Any other advise would be great! Thank you!