Thoughts on growing Tolumnia

[Dollythehun]

So, I'm doing it all wrong and except for one, all are blooming and thriving. I give them oncidium level light. Water 2x a week, more if I take pity on them.

[Roberta]

It's all in the fine points of your conditions... orchids are highly adaptable, and if what you give is close enough to what they want, they thrive. If it works, no such thing as "wrong". One only needs to look at possible factors if it is NOT working. Orchids don't read the books...

[WaterWitchin]

I agree with Roberta. It works for you. I know several folks who grow them the way you do, including retail vendors. Nothing "wrong" about it. It doesn't work for me. Who knows the actual minute differences in our individual culture and environment that tip the scales one way or another?

Frankly, I wish mine would read a book or two. I'd point them to the area of our disagreements, we'd discuss, compromise, then grow forth.

[DirtyCoconuts]

Hahahah me too, WW

“Don’t you see!?!? You are supposed to be thriving!?!?”

I have limited experience with these. I have maybe 5. But the key to me was the term “twig epiphyte”
I just made twig mounts and let the natural cycles tend to them. I do supplement water in the winter (normal winters when it rains less) but they are really dry in an hour or two

They do fine in full sun once acclimated

[WaterWitchin]

I'm doing the three new ones as twig mounts, and probably at least three of the presently quarantined ones in about a week. Then I'm gonna start showing them all pictures and flash cards. I'm pretty sure I have a group that can't read.

Obviously just hanging them up outside works for you, Florida guy. That wouldn't fly around these parts.

[DirtyCoconuts]

your CAVEAT applies to me as well

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

your CAVEAT applies to me as well

[Dusty Ol' Man]

If I may offer my two cents to the scale question, when I was actively growing all those years ago, (I was in my 20s), the one thing that would control scale in my collection was a weak solution of malethion. Readily available at any garden center, it was widely used in California to control the Mediterranean fruitful. I would paint it on the scale and they would be dead the next day. For a larger area of need a hand sprayer can be used. My collection at that time was fairly small. Maybe 15 to 20 plants and all small varieties. And mostly small phals and oncidiums with a few other exotics. When my home gets put back together from the damage from Laura, I will post some pictures of the photos in my album from that time. But I degrees. I can't offer advice on systemic pest control, but for roses I used a homemade nicotine solution (plug chewing tobacco in a gallon jug with water) with great success on aphids.