Maxillaria tenuifolia (Project 11 - Summer 2010)

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by help

yes, i definitely did! and i a so VERY PLEASED! and pleasantly surprised.

i think i might pot it in sphagnum moss with some lava rock. but ive never potted in sphagnum before. any words of wisdom?? i am planning on potting in clay, because sphagnum scared the living daylights out of me. should i line the pot with lava rock? like duane did with the peanuts? i will repot later today, after i think it through, and decide

I use moss for many of my plants. I like it very much and have very good luck with it. Others will disagree and hate moss.
I am very careful when I pot the plant up and keep the moss very loose, even leaving gaps. I don't put any lava rock in with the moss, just styro. peanuts in the bottom of the pot.
Pot it up the way you feel most comfortable with.
Good luck,
AL

[Call_Me_Bob]

errr, i think im more comfortable with bark, but thi guy likes to stay moist. so i thought if i used lava rock mixed in with spagh, because i dont have packing peanuts, it might be ok. maybe ill out in a lil more lava rock

[stefpix]

AL
do you grow in a greenhouse or at home?

if the moss is very loose how can the plant be anchored to the pot?

I started putting some moss on top of some pots because here CHC dries fast.

I have to repot a Lycaste macrophylla and a Galeottia grandiflora in 2.5" pots. I have been considering sphagnum. any opinion?

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by stefpix

AL
do you grow in a greenhouse or at home?

if the moss is very loose how can the plant be anchored to the pot?

I started putting some moss on top of some pots because here CHC dries fast.

I have to repot a Lycaste macrophylla and a Galeottia grandiflora in 2.5" pots. I have been considering sphagnum. any opinion?

thats a good question! how would the plant stay put?

i know this question wasnt for me, and many of you probably know this already, but i grow under lights in my basement

[nenella]

Originally Posted by help

It has arrived!! i still need a name for it though.

i counted at least 60 psuedobulbs. and it had 6 spent blooms. i detected no coconut scent, only the scent of pecans!

it arrived a little shriveled, but its really plumped up since the pic!

pretty good for $6 eh?

WOW! I've only just seen this - that's a really nice one you got there! & for 6$!!!!excellent!

[Call_Me_Bob]

you have only seen what?

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by stefpix

AL
do you grow in a greenhouse or at home?

if the moss is very loose how can the plant be anchored to the pot?

I started putting some moss on top of some pots because here CHC dries fast.

I have to repot a Lycaste macrophylla and a Galeottia grandiflora in 2.5" pots. I have been considering sphagnum. any opinion?

I'm basically a windowsill grower. I do have a small green house for the summer months.
The plant roots seem to fill the pot and empty spaces.......guess I don't really understand "if the moss is very loose how can the plant be anchored to the pot"
By "loose" I mean I don't pack the moss, I try to keep it fluffy and if an area seems to packed I loosen it with whatever tool I can find that will do the job at hand.
I'm not familiar with the two you are thinking about putting in sphagnum. I have plants in moss, passive hydro, bark and mounted. I like the moss the best. I know I'm going against the majority there. but it works for me.

Al

[Becca]

Originally Posted by Duane McDowell

I got my plant a week or so ago from Oak Hill. Here it is along with the Amesiella monticola that I got (just to keep it company...). Both are potted in clay with big chunks of styrofoam (1"). For the Maxillaria, I lined the entire pot with chunks so that the moss covers the top of the pot and then forms a sort of inverted cone down to the drain hole. For the Amesiella, I put the roots in first, then packed in the styroafoam, the topdressed with a little moss. I like clay in the research greenhouse at work because it's really a little bit too hot and bright, and the clay helps to keep the roots cool. They'll get watered every 2-3 days. If they're staying too wet, I'll move them closer to the vent. If they are drying out to much, I'll move them closer to the floor. So far, so good!

I would like to know how your Amesiella monticola does in a pot, I've only had mounted plants and I have a hard time with them, it seems if I disturb them at all, the really pout and sulk!

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by help

you have only seen what?

I think she is referring to your picture.

Al

[Duane McDowell]

For me, I pack sphagnum medium-tight. If it's packed too loose, it holds too much water and doesn't hold the plant tightly enough. If it's packed really tight, I find it hard to figure out when to water. I'm not sure how to describe what I mean by "medium-tight". I want the moss to be almost totally dry all the way down before I water again.
I don't use lava rock the same way I use styrofoam. Lava rock holds a lot of water. It can also be a little bit problematic in terms of how much salt it holds. If you are going to use lava rock, be sure to soak it and rinse several times before using it.
Orchid Zone in Castroville, CA used to use a blend of lava rock and fine bark for a lot of their potting, and they had excellent results. For whatever reason, I was never able to duplicate those results - always had stunted roots.