Dorothy, I just received my Cochleanthes marginata today and potted it in bark mix. I'm still not sure if I'm going to keep it in that or move it to Dyna-Rok or Hydroton. Everything I've read says open potting mix and shady.
Any tips you can pass along to me? I know nothing about this genera, natta. Water frequency, for one?
Mine came in a bark mix and are doing great .. Keep me updated on them if you are going to change the medium .. I'd love to know how they do. They like it humid. I am finding that misting the roots in the morning keeps them happy as the humidity is dropping now that it is becoming drier with indoor heating. I fertilize weekly and water about every 4th to 5th day. I found they bloomed when I let them go a bit drier than stay wet, but I don't let them dry completely. You can mist the leaves in the early part of the day and make sure they don't go into the night with water on their leaves - that can cause black spot to develop. I keep them on the floor near a western window in front of a sheer curtain so they don't get direct sunlight.
Good luck
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These are all so beautiful! I'm green with envy as I've managed to kill the only two cochleanthes that I've tried -- a discolor and an amazonica, so I'm afraid to try them again. Perhaps a hybrid would be better?