How I grow my Paphs

[HighSeas]

Orchid Boy that's really beautiful! What's the mount? I LOVE it!

I have five paphs, all obtained earlier in the summer. Historicly, Paphs don't like me...sniff.

Four of the five are in S/H. I thought twice about doing that because I felt like I should learn how to grow them in a pot first and at least be successful with their "normal" culture. So I read...and read....and read...

Seems everyone is very successful with them in S/H and unlike Phals, they seem to adapt quite nicely for everyone at any given time. So I did it.

The oldest of the five developed some black areas at the base. I used Physan 20 on it. Carol, you advised me on the issue related to their need for calcium so I started giving them some lime.

The problem with the lime however, is that it collects at the bottom of the S/H pot and doesn't easily flush out. He's alive and growing. The others don't have the issue, I assume because I've been giving them calcium too.

Carol...now that you've got some of yours in S/H....How are you supplementing the calcium now? Lime?

Your plants are just gorgeous! I hope to have some healthy and happy Paphs at some point in life!

[NYCorchidman]

I grow my paphs in straight moss or mix mainly based on chc and hydroton balls.

These mix retain moisture well while drainage is excellent also.

Dark color at the base, do they look wet and indented? Then it is a rot. Under high heat and humidity, black rot can get paphs and completely destroy them, so you want to do something really fast.
Also, dark coloring near the base can be natural pigmentation on many paphs.
Post pictures so others can see what's going on.

All the best!

[The Orchid Boy]

The mount is Dendrobium lindleyi. I mounted it in mid spring and it attached very quickly and there is now nothing holding it.