Caring for tolumina?

[amandarenee]

I just ordered myself a Tolumina (Genting Angel x Onc. Barbie 'Patches'), and was looking for some specific care instructions for it. All of the info I can find online for Tolumina's is a little vague. This will be my first Tolumina (I don't even have an Oncidium yet), and I would appreciate the help.

[Paul Mc]

I agree, all the information out there is fairly vague. I just purchased two Tolumnia's so I'm in the same boat.

Here's what I've done, though it might be wrong. I took them out of the pots they came in because they had decomposing and molded medium. Since the roots like to get dry throughout the day, and need to be dry by night, I put a thin layer of cleaned charcoal on the bottom of a small clay pot (1 size up from what they came in because I couldn't get the roots back in the original pot). I then molded the roots into a ball so the leaves and bases were mostly above the roots. I scattered a few more pieces of charcoal on top of that.

I water every morning (or every other morning if it wasn't a bright day). I do this by running water into the pot and letting it fill up, until it reaches the base of the plants. Then I let it drain and hang it up in a southern window. That window gets about 4000 to 6000 footcandles currently. So, they are hanging over to the side of the window where they can be somewhat sheltered throughout the day. That being said, they are still getting about 3000 to 4000 footcandles throughout the day.

There is also an air vent nearby which blow throughout the day, and with the windows being old and drafty I feel that they get sufficient air flow that way. The roots are always dry by the time I come home from work.

There are a few members here who grow Tolumnia's exclusively! Perhaps they will chime in with their expertise as well.

Best of luck to you!

[Ray]

In my experience, there are a few keys to success with them:

Water frequently
Dry rapidly
Lots of light

The species live in tiny branches of shrubs on the windward side of Caribbean islands. They get frequent rain, but the warm breezes dry them out almost immediately.

[jrodpad]

I nearly killed mine before learning the routine for tolumnias. Lots of light. Water every day (assuming it dries out fully) - and this one is the key - if you miss a couple of days, leaves will whither and die. I found my Tol was really unforgiving on water requirements. Every day. I submerge mine completely in the morning - its in a tiny terra cotta pot with Spanish moss around the roots and no medium. As cranky as it is with water, it's forgiving with humidity. My house is DRY and my Tol is putting out a new fan! I fertilize weakly at one third strength and it seems to get the job done.

Good luck!

-J

[Paul Mc]

Oh wow! That's great to know about the humidity!

[johnblagg]

I put mine into S/h but made the resivior very very small ....mist a couple times a day ...growing like mad finally

[Vanda lover]

Originally Posted by johnblagg

I put mine into S/h but made the resivior very very small ....mist a couple times a day ...growing like mad finally

I seem to remember reading that tolumnia hate s/h

[Paul Mc]

I was just wondering the same thing mainly due to the fact that they like to dry out so much. However, if John's using a very small amount of water in the resevour, I could see it evaporating fairly quickly or not distributing the water as evenly as well. I must state that I have no experience with S/H so this is merely me wondering.

John, how do you answer?! LOL...

[johnblagg]

it stays realy dry and the little bit in the s/h res is only creating humidity actually ...all my toulds were gifted to me last spring and did ok but started failing badly this winter untill I decided to try hydroton only for one and water it often and s/h with just a very small res for another ....I have to mist every day but its working well so far ...
I have one that has 5 or 6 new growths right now...and another that was very close to death has started regrowing

[Vanda lover]

I keep wondering how they would do in vase culture