Masdevallia Red Baron, leaf formation problems

[Tindomul]

Hello all,

About a month or three ago I traded one of my plants for this M. Red Baron (M. coccinea x M. maculata). The plant is doing well, lots of roots, no problems with spots or browing or anything except! and its a big except;
All the new leaves are not forming correctly. For some reason, the leaves seem to be traped in their own sheaths and form like an accordian leaf. So far I was able to save two leaves from death by cutting the sheath and releasing them, but how can I correct this problem?
I keep the temps below 75 virtually all the time and humidity above 50%, probably around 60%. The plant gets some mottled morning sunshine too. I just don't know why this is happening. I also fertilize regularly weakly weekly with a very weak Miracle grow, and flush weekly. Any and all help appreciated!

[whygreenberg]

I'll certainly leave it for someone more experienced than I, but it does sound to me like either a humidity or water shortage. Beautiful lookin' plant, however!

[shakkai]

Tin, This happens quite frequently it seems, with some types more prone to it that others. I don't think it is influenced as much by humidity as by water at the roots. But is a very fine line between enough water and root rot. I have found that once new growths start, my best chance is keep the roots very moist, but also increase the air flow so that the plant dries out quickly. Then the next day, water again. Without the increase in air flow, the extra watering starts to rot the base of the plant and the roots. But it seems to me that it is extra water that the new growths need to break out of the sheath.

I have tried manually splitting them open, too. But quite often I find that the new growth is brittle from growing so tightly and it breaks off in any case.

Good luck, Tin!

[Tindomul]

Thanks Shakkai, I can't imagine that its too little water. I never really let it dry out. No, I'm lying, In the spring months It would get bone dry in about two days. Hmmmm, conditions have changed now, the air is more humid and cooler (ac) and it doesn't dry out as much any more. Thanks for both of your ideas. Its got to be a water thing.

[Tindomul]

Hey guys, need more advice. This is still happening to the same plant, and one other. The plant pictured above has doubled in size, but no blooms. I got them in high humidity (50%-95%), I put a fogger and they are in a semi enclosed setup (hanging from the sides of an open top aquarium filled with 4-5 inches of water). They get fast drying conditions due to lots of ventilation (fan and window air). This winter has been nice and humid. I know that there have been a lot of days that were gloomy, cool and humid. Just the way they are supposed to like it. They get plenty of light (mottled morning sun), and nice cool to cold temperatures (40's-60's). What am I doing wrong?
I get the feeling, that if they don't bloom for me this year, they never will, because I can't imagine giving them better conditions than I have this year. I don't think it would be possible short of an enclosed terrarium with 20 fans, and hooked up to a refrigerator, for me to give them better growing conditions. Please I need advice!!!

[No-Pro-mwa]

So I know this is an old thread, but did you ever find out what was causing this? My Masdevallia ingea is doing the very same thing. It is possible I have let it get a bit dry a time or two but not much.

Also I have increased the humidity so I guess I will see. The roots were a bit exposed so I fluffed it up around them.

Any one else have this happen?

[Brooke]

The bracts holding the new leaf is drying out. Spritz the bract every day or spritz it once, slit the bract and it will stop.

Every once in a while I'll get a spike that can't break out of the bract. PITA unless you catch it in time to correct it.

Brooke

[No-Pro-mwa]

Thanks so much Brooke. I have split some and also broke some off doing it as well. I will try spritzing it every day, and perhaps since I got a bit bigger humidifier that will help as well.

I finally down loaded some pictures so I will put up some of my set up.

[Tindomul]

Hi, sorry I didnt respond. I never stopped the cause except by adding humidity. I also had to cut the bracts myself very carefully.