What have I done!! Just bought a masdevallia decumana!

[stompy]

I was at SEPOS this weekend and ended up buying a masdevallia decumana. I have 6 masdevalias in my collection. All are warm growing or warmth tolerant and have survived the summers in my apartment. Summer temps in July can go as high as 90F at my place. This is my first intermediate to cold grower. I have it growing in a double clay pot. Other than leaving the AC on all summer 24/7 am I doomed? any tips for getting the temperatures down? I'm thinking I might be forced to buy a winecooler and stick this guy in there

[DeaC]

The show was wonderful and I left this plant for you. Try putting some wet moss between the 2 clay pots. It may keep things cooler longer. There's a term for this pot thing that I read either here or elsewhere.

[MrHappyRotter]

Originally Posted by DeaC

There's a term for this pot thing that I read either here or elsewhere.

Zeer pot, perhaps?

[Ray]

OK, so you're an idiot for buying something that you liked the look of, even it its outside of your "culture zone". Welcome to the club, compadre! I think we've all done that - I know I have, many more times than I like to admit!

Folks that grow in semi-hydroponics switch to clay pots standing in trays of water. Between the evaporation through the pot wall and that from the LECA, it provides a pretty bold reduction in temperature.

Good luck with your efforts.

[stompy]

Originally Posted by Ray

OK, so you're an idiot for buying something that you liked the look of, even it its outside of your "culture zone". Welcome to the club, compadre! I think we've all done that - I know I have, many more times than I like to admit!

Folks that grow in semi-hydroponics switch to clay pots standing in trays of water. Between the evaporation through the pot wall and that from the LECA, it provides a pretty bold reduction in temperature.

Good luck with your efforts.

Thanks Ray. I've potted it like you pointed out. Before transplanting I did a check on how much of a temperature drop there is inside the pot. 5-6F drop without a fan. Wondering if putting icewater in the tray will make things cooler. Its in the 50-60s here these days so I don't think I have to worry about things until July. I'm guessing I might be able to pull it off. I'll keep this post updated

[DarkDragoness]

Originally Posted by MrHappyRotter

Zeer pot, perhaps?

Yes, that is the correct term.

[orchidsarefun]

I just got one too.
Fortunately I have a cooler basement but I do keep some of my masdies even cooler by standing them on tin cups/tray closer to the basement window. I've measured the temperature in the vicinity and it is lower than the rest of the grow area and not fully explained by basement window proximity.
Does this "trick" make scientific sense? The tin is constantly cold to the touch.
Am I imagining things? 🤣

[Paul]

May also be call "Slack potting"

[neophyte]

the wikipedia article for a zeer pot is pretty cool - apparently they were used by the ancients as low-tech refrigerators The general concept is using clay pots with water between them (or in the case of s/h, in the pot itself) and letting evaporative cooling do its job (since water can evaporate through a clay pot).