Masd. Golden Monarch

[orchidsarefun]

I first tried a masdevallia about 5 years ago and was put off when the leaves all fell off literally overnight.
I recently got 2. The irony is that 1 of them is the one I had all those years ago. I guess I am a sucker for yellow.
The photo is a Golden Monarch and it's a wow. Massive bloom - at least 3in x 2in.
I'm hoping I can get these growing. I'm using distilled water and in my basement Winter temps are between 52-63f and humidity is around 43-47%.
Both have lots of new growths.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Beautiful color. Good luck with them, sounds like there doing all right if they have new growths.

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Beautiful color. Good luck with them, sounds like there doing all right if they have new growths.

Yep. But it's Summer I worry about. I'll put them outdoors and bring them back when temps rise above 80f consistently.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Mine stay right where they are, in my basement where it's nice and cool.

[charlesf6]

Looks great! Better luck this time. I failed with them miserably.

[AJW]

We just use tap water down here. Remember Masd like to be slightly moist. I water every 2nd day and fert weekly

[DeaC]

Originally Posted by orchidsarefun

I first tried a masdevallia about 5 years ago and was put off when the leaves all fell off literally overnight.
I recently got 2. The irony is that 1 of them is the one I had all those years ago. I guess I am a sucker for yellow.
The photo is a Golden Monarch and it's a wow. Massive bloom - at least 3in x 2in.
I'm hoping I can get these growing. I'm using distilled water and in my basement Winter temps are between 52-63f and humidity is around 43-47%.
Both have lots of new growths.

You're not a sucker but a much better grower,no? Five yrs is a long time to acquire much more knowledge. Bloom is great in every way.

[orchidsarefun]

The bloom has turned more orangey and is still going strong.
Our tap water may be too alkaline. In Summer we have lots of rain and I'll have to think about storing. Distilled water is cheap here - under $1 per gallon. I'm wary of experimenting because these seem so finicky.

[estación seca]

I store rain in black plastic 32-gallon / 121 liter lidded trash barrels lined up against the wall of my sunroom away from the windows. I wouldn't grow anything there anyway. They are the cheap ones, $14 at Home Depot, and just strong enough to hold that much water. The first barrel full of water costs 43 cents per gallon so they pay for themselves the first time they are filled.

I bought one blue lidded recycling barrel, a little more expensive than the black ones. I mix fertilizer in there so it's ready whenever I want to fertilize.

[Tindomul]

Wow!!! Fantastic colour.