Caring for tolumina?

[jeffg]

I have about 10 Tol's. Last summer, I decided to take them out of their 1" - 1/12" pots and mount them on cork (some on bark) with a little sphag. I then hung them close to a pretty strong light source (wonderlite 160W) and they just took off. They have grown like mad with new fans and by Nov they were in spike. I guess the mount better recreates the natural way they grow. I mist daily in AM with a full watering 1-2x/week. MSU 1/4 strength Fert every 2 weeks. I agree they MUST dry out.

BTW, I learned a lesson from displaying one of them: I had positioned one of them on his back on a glass showcase that is mounted on a wall. Within 2 weeks he succumbed to rot - I guess the water didnt have a chance to drip down like it would if he were hanging. Wont do that again!

[amandarenee]

Originally Posted by jeffg

I have about 10 Tol's. Last summer, I decided to take them out of their 1" - 1/12" pots and mount them on cork (some on bark) with a little sphag. I then hung them close to a pretty strong light source (wonderlite 160W) and they just took off. They have grown like mad with new fans and by Nov they were in spike.

Pics?

[jeffg]

Pix as requested.

The 2 on the left are newly mounted - the 2 on the right were the same size mounted June last year (2010). See what I mean?

[amandarenee]

Originally Posted by jeffg

Pix as requested.

The 2 on the left are newly mounted - the 2 on the right were the same size mounted June last year (2010). See what I mean?

Wow! :

I am so glad right now that I bought a tree fern pot for my d. loddigesii I mounted and didn't like. Now I have the perfect sized piece of cork and all of the supplies to mount this little guy. I cannot wait to see it grow as large as yours have. Hopefully I'll have some blooms soon too! (It is BS already, but I'm not sure if it has bloomed yet).

[stefpix]

Left a Tolumnia at my friend's and it is doing great. My friend does not really care much for orchids but the Tolumnia is really happy as it is in southern exposure window sill. The apt is on the 7 floor and higher than anything around. Lots of light. The apt is quite dry due to hot air blower heat system. It is in a clay pot with charcoal, the leaves are purplish and putting out a lot of new growth and reblooming from the old spike. I have a Tolumnia in my bedroom window sill in charcoal in a net pot and is doing well. But I am on the 2nd floor and my southern window is not as bright. From what I see bright light matter most than humidity. Mounts are too dry for me. Clay and charcoal seems like a good combo. It dries fast but the pot edge may mantain some humidity around the roots.

[Paul Mc]

Stefano, my set up is very similar to yours. I just recently got mine so we'll see how long they last under my care, lol...

[Connie Star]

I think I have a Tolumnia- my hubby brought it home from Puerto Rico yesterday and it's bare root. The pictures of the flowers that came with it look like Tolumnia. I potted it up in a 2" hanging thumb pot with spagnum moss. I'm gathering from this thread that is not ideal.
What think ye? Should I replace the sphag with LECA? Spanish moss? Small fir bark?