Stanhopea spiking habit
 

I have a few Stanhopeas from Ecuagenera coming in next week and I just realized I probably bit off more than I could chew. I typically grow in LECA and water culture, although I have an old bag of NZ moss from SVO lying around. I know that I could put them into net pots or baskets, although I don't know how wide the holes have to be for the spikes to fit through. I also don't know whether the spikes could find their way through the sides, or do they pop up indiscriminately through the bottom as well (my primary question)? For example, if they show up at the sides, I could adapt an S/H with a net pot. But if they are just as likely to go downwards, then a bottom reservoir is out of the question.

They can appear everywhere. When they pop out, they are small, so they fit even in a small hole (I'm talking about 1 cm sq holes).

I don't see how you could grow them in S/H. Even if you stood a pot with lots of bottom holes in a dish of water for a reservoir, you would probably not see the spikes until they were damaged trying to grow out the holes in the bottom.

People grow them in things like this:
- Ultimate Orchid Baskets #

- Wood Baskets - Square #

- Net Pots - Heavy Duty #

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Style-Selec...ing/1000984548

I grow mine in inexpensive wire baskets like these
China Garden Plant Iron Wire Hanging Basket with Chains and Coco Liner Metal Flower Planter (Bh090020) - China Hanging Basket and Basket price

This suits them perfectly.

The flower spikes don’t exactly emerge from the bottom , more like 1/3 of the way up from the bottom. From the point of emergence they grow straight down. They have no trouble penetrating the coir lining.

These are not an orchid I would be inclined to pamper. I find them to be the easiest orchid to grow by a large measure. I grow them outside hanging in trees. I haven’t repotted them or changed media in the 20+ years I’ve had them, so I suspect most of the media (which was probably bark) has rotted away, I’ve never checked. I don’t remember ever fertilising them. They rely mainly on natural rainfall but I give them a squirt with a hose a handful of times a year. I’ve also never seen a pest or disease on them. Each year they reward me with abundant flowers. I would not be contemplating semi-hydro or any other refined method - just drop in a basket with bark media.

If there is a reservoir below the plant then a certain percentage of the flowers will grow into the reservoir and be trapped.

Our climate is probably not too different to yours, but cooler in summer.

That is my experience - though I’m not sure what species or hybrid we grow, and some species may be harder to grow then others.

Flori-Culture: Orchid & Specialty Growing Supply Is where I got my wire baskets for my stans. In my experience,spikes have always come from bottom of basket and have plenty of room to make an appearance. One of my favorite genera. :)