Having success with Masdevallia veitchiana! - Page 2 - Orchid Board

RosieC · #11 05-09-2011, 02:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by silken

That is just beautiful and looks so healthy. I have one that is 3/4 veitchiana and my first bud just blasted recently. It now has another one and it looks fine so far. Any tips to get it to open? Mine get fairly cool temps and quite high humidity. It seemed like the flower couldn't get out of the sheath last time. Seeing yours makes me have hope!

The first flower on this last year blasted, but I think it got too warm as it was growing the spike through mid summer and the greenhouse was getting warm. I think also letting it dry out to much can make them blast.

I keep them in clay pots in moss. The evaporation from the clay cools the root zone and as veitchanna is a real cool lover they seem to appreciate this. I would never grow something like Phals or Dens in moss, but the Masdies seem to like it. I keep the moss always damp and try and avoid letting it dry out (but a hole in the bottom of the pot means it's always well drained). At this time of year I am watering every couple of days, sometimes every day just to stop the moss drying out.

Humidity is actually something I struggle with, but they do like it high so I do my best to keep that up. The temps over the winter were down between 3C and 10C most of the time and these spikes (and the one on the amabilis) started during that time. Now it's a lot warmer and I was worried that would cause them to blast, but they seem to still be happy

RosieC · #12 05-09-2011, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daethen

Beautiful. How large are the flowers??

From top to bottom, including the tails, it's about 12cm (4 1/2 inches). The main body of the flower is about 8cm (3 inches) top to bottom.

silken · #13 05-09-2011, 02:39 AM

Thanks for the info Rosie. Those are good sized blooms!

I think it got a bit warm for mine for a couple days while my first bloom was developing so that may have been the problem. I have lowered them down near the floor of my greenhouse and it stays in the 60's and low 70's Fahrenheit most days. Nights somewhat cooler and I am watering every few days too. Mine are in moss in plastic pots, but when I re-pot they are going into clay pots. In the winter temps and humidity are not a problem where I have them.

RosieC · #14 05-09-2011, 03:04 AM

Just check the clay pots are porus. The first ones I bought looked like unglazed pots but were 'frost resistant'... that meant that they were not porus even though they looked like they should be.

The porus pots really do help to cool the roots.

Daethen · #15 05-09-2011, 08:56 AM

Thanks for the info. Now I have to add this one to my list. Also a thank you for the tip on clay pots. I use them for most of my plants but have been keeping the masdies in plastic to keep up the moisture. However, it will be worth extra watering to help with the temp. factor.

RosieC · #16 05-09-2011, 09:07 AM

There is a place in the USA which sells 'Cool Pots' for Masdies. With big claims of better growth. They are nice pots, but really it's just the fact that they are porous clay and have a large surface area for evaporation which makes the difference.

Ray also showed an interesting idea on one of the threads about these cool posts. I'm thinking I might try it this year. See here