For GHOST lovas' only!
 

Hi :waving

I just received my 2nd Ghost chid today. And I have to ask you GHOST PROS out there something.

How/what is the BEST way to care for this baby??
As this is the 2nd one I've purchased, as the first one is gone :( I didn't know how to care for it.

Do they like to be outside, in the rain? Or in a greenhouse?
Since on a mount, water every day?
Bright light, little light, no light?

I just have to ask, as I can't kill this chid.

Thanks

go to search put in FAKAHATCHEE then you need i believe to look 4 swamper first ghost i'll get back with you.

Hi Jackie, I have one growing in a terrarium, down low. The tank stays outside no artificial lights, and natural temperatures. The humidity is around 50% during the day and 70% at night. I mist or water mine daily and feed once a week with MSU for pure water at 1/4 strength. I have a new root growing very well although it took a little time getting use to its new environment. Good luck and I no that there are others that grow this too, that can give some advise to.

What species of ghost is it. Is it the POLYRRHIZA (POLYRADICION) lindeni from florida or one of theChiloschista species from asia. also could it be a Taeniophyllum species. Each has a different set of requirements for proper culture.

If you go jackie to the search bar on top of main ORCHID BOARD page type in fakahatchee then scroll down to FIRST GHOST you can see someones crazy way of having a GHOST in bloom flowering right in there own house ,hope you can get all the help you need.

who's ghost, what ghost
 

The POLY,like the one on Dave's avatar:photo:

I think someone from like paris or london has one growing in a aquarium with pipes going in out well it looks like well I think somewhere in there???????????????????????????

Poly. like to be kept in very humid and constantly moving air. If you can grow it in an aquarium that has a small opening to vent gases and a small fan to keep the contents moving inside it should perform reasonably well. Make sure that the little plant never has less than sixty percent humidity as this will begin to dessicate the root system. It requires fairly high light conditions as it has no foliage but be sure to givew it the humidity or it will shrivel away like my first two. Also keep the temperature up above sixty or this can cause fungal or bacterial rots at the crown, #3,5,6. I keep mine under two 23 watt flourescent lights and one 19 watt cool flourescent tube so it recieves all wavelenghths of light for best growth. Hope this was helpful.

:scratchhead: :hello :goodluck: :hijacked:

Hmmm I've read different opinions on the fan issue. Some people swear that was the cause of their ghost's demise.There must be a fine line of how much fan use. In their natural environment there is little if any breeze.In fact everything seems rather stagnant. The humidity sure is ever present.
Just some of my observations of where I have seen them and what the area looked and felt like.

Thread Hijacked?? -Fakahatchee man.

Anyways, thanks to you all!! I will do my best on the new baby, and see how she does!!

I see they do so well in the wild on trees, with only Mother Nature caring for them!! I'd think that I could do that too ;)

Thanks!

Amazing how well they do with mother nature alone huh? Here's another observation for what it's worth. The fak swamp has been written about and described in many ways by quite a few people. Seeing a ghost is an awesome experience, seeing one in bloom is even more rewarding. You'll probably sit down and think about what you went through. No doubt you'll think you went thru hell. When I'm home later looking at my orchids I think about how to duplicate that place on a smaller scale. I'm rambling, sorry to make this so long...
I have seen others have some success so I know you can do it, keep researching, keep asking, and if ever possible go for a little walk into the strand.

I purchased a flask a little over a year ago with 50 of these little gems and have been doing a tremendous amount of experimenting with them. I only have 30 left, and this is what worked for me. Please remember, what works for me may not necessarily work for you. They are all mounted on branches no thicker than a broomstick handle. The ones that were mounted with a small amount of sphagnum directly placed on the wood (And I mean a small amount!!!) established far faster than those with nothing. They are watered every day with reverse osmosis water and with a very weak dilute of MSU with a fish emulsion shot monthly. Humidity never falls below 60%. Light is the same conditions as that for Cattleyas. They receive a very light misting (not considered the watering program) in the afternoon to green the roots, but not soak the roots. The ones without the sphagnum moss have to be watered at least twice a day with thorough soakings or they just sit there!

Now let me tell you what did NOT work well for me. They really did not like high light levels, as for wind movement, OMG!!!! I have never seen plants die so fast in my life! It goes against everything I have ever known! They are now in a growing chamber with the most gentle wind movement possible to the extend the wood slabs do not even move from the breeze.

A friend in South Africa moved hers into a greenhouse with no air movement whatsoever at plant level and they are just going nuts! Super humid, super warm and every plant in that greenhouse (primarily African epiphytic species) looks so amazing its incredible!

Keegan that's great. Would you happen to have any pics?

I will post a few when I get back to Miami. Am in Cleveland once again for two weeks of delightful training....not! :)

Hi Keegan, Welcome to the OB and Thank you for sharing your experience. Looking forward to the pictures. 2 weeks:faint: hang in there!

I am new with them too. Anyway, I grow both my Chiloschistas indoor on a rack with all my other chids. They receive full sun not direct (E SE sun with shear curtain shading), humidity is around 40 - 60 %, Temp: day 75 night 68, mist every other day. One has grown 3 leaves and many new roots and the other has a new root about 1" now and I think it is spiking but it is too soon to tell. Will keep everyone posted. Good luck.