Trouble with masdievallia's!

[greenpassion]

I have two miniature masdies, (can't remember their specific names) but I've had them for several months. I keep them with my other orchids, phals and oncidiums, in S/H, on a heat mat, under LED Chip Tec lights (from Orchid Web) with a small fan for circulation. Also a whole house humidifier as well. All my orchids are doing super, spiking, sending out new roots, which I can see thru the glass containers I drilled for the S/H. Anyway, the masdevallias aren't doing so well. One of them is holding it's own, not really changing at all. The other one has been constantly beginning new leaf growth but at the same time losing leaf after leaf with each new leaf emergence. When I recieved them from a web site, neither one had flowers, but had flowered at one time. I treat these orchids as I said, just as I do the others, same light, same MSU fertilizer, humidity etc. What is the problem?scratchhead:

[vjo]

Wellll because I dont know what kind you have, the first thing that comes to mind is you may be keeping them too warm with the heat mat. A lot of the masdies are cool growers.....Jean

[Paul Mc]

You should try to find out what kind they are. Most are cool to intermediate temperature growing and I'm wondering if the heat mat isn't serving them well. On a side note, mine have cooler growing parentage and have been slow growing this winter, though it's my first winter with them so not sure if that's natural cycle or not.

[Paul Mc]

ROFL... We posted at the same time with the same thought!

[vjo]

Great minds (sometimes ) think alike...lol...Jean

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Names or photos w/ leaves and flowers pls.

[Discus]

I think Masdevallias also like their ferts really dilute and are quite fussy about water chemistry (as well as generally looking displeased with warm weather) - have you tested the EC & pH of your water before and after adding ferts?