B. ambrosia and B. blumei
 

Hi All,

My DH gave me several orchid species for my birthday, including these two bulbo species. They came from Andy's and are huge, beautiful plants. The B. ambrosia is mounted, and says that it takes bright light (2000 FC)...from what I have read, people are suggesting everything from shade to bright light. Right now, I have it hanging outside where it is going to receive bright, indirect light. Is this going to murder it? And should I wrap some sphag around the roots to help keep it moist while it is outside?

My B. blumei is on my phal window, and potted in spag, so I am less worried about that plant. But any info/experience on it would of course be appreciated.

I can't answer your questions, sorry - but giving you a :bump:, so hopefully someone who can answer will see your post and reply
gl :)

I have found Bulbophyllum like lots of water but the new growths are VERY sensitive to rot. I have a few mounted plants and hate it because I can't seem to get things correct on the watering in the greenhouse. I much prefer potted in bark/CHC. I have them hanging in the top of the greenhouse most of the year. Currently, I have my 60% shade cloth on the GH and it was a bit too much for them so they are now hanging on my deck shaded by a large oak tree. So far they seem to like the fresh air and humidity.

I am guessing I should be looking for wrinkled pseudobulbs as a sign of insufficient water...is that the case?

Yes, usually they will wrinkle as do Cattleya. But the other side is that this can happen, if the roots are rotted from too much water. Some Bulbophyllum don't require as much water in the winter. Since you haven't listed where you live, this may not be an issue.

I have found the same with the one bulbo I have.

I accidentally left it standing in water 8 hours while at work, right up so the base of the new growth was just in water. The outside of the growth was already starting to look bad when I got home (I often do the same with Phals/Dens/Paphs and see no sign of problems in that length of time).

I had another growth some time back which just started showing similar signs of early rot just from the damp bark around it.

However it also seems to need more water than I'm managing to give it.

(As a slight aside, I saved the first growth that had started to rot by first off catching it early, and second by coating the outside of the affected area with cinnamon as soon as I saw it. I'm hoping I've saved the more recent one in the same way but it's a bit early to tell).