planting masdevallias
 

Hey guys,

I got 2 masdies from the from an online vendor and their roots looked a bit underdeveloped:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ruvhvrfsnu...2017.51.59.jpg
One is "Maui gold" and other is "Celtic frost".

Inspired by all the S/H articles I decided to give it a shot, in hope root would grow faster this way.

This is my setup:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/c0dgpmobjq...2018.02.52.jpg

Any critique would be greatly appreciated.

PS: they are getting about 1-2h of low sun direct hit (shown in the second picture).

I don't see any pictures in my iPhone using Tapatalk. Maybe someone else can see them?

I really like S/H in glass. I also really like how you combined the lava rock & LECA, plus the moss on top adds a nice touch.

LOL... I'm soooo jealous! Someone can see the pics but not me! And such an excellent review!!!!

There are links to photos, which I couldn't see on tapatalk either

ooo I like the RJars. Be sure to mist them. I grow lots of different things in my RJars. :waving.
The masdies I started in RJars had a rough summer out doors and a rough winter in the garage. Ill get some pics but now I have a ton of new shoots. Now we hope it doesnt get too hot before they start to bud. Heat is your enemy with masdies.
The 2 you have are good compact growers and will tolerate some high temps. They need very bright light and high humidity to spike and bloom. If they get too hot in bud, the buds will yellow and drop.
RJars :bowing

http://guitardvark.smugmug.com/Flowe...0%5B1%5D-M.jpg

I have modified the jars some to suit my small phals and they seem to be very happy in them.

Good luck and nice planter :biggrin:

Masdevallias, in general, don't have very large root systems. Many of them have what appears to be "underdeveloped" roots.

They're thin, they're usually not terribly long and rangy, and they're usually not plentiful compared to certain other orchids many hobbyists are more familiar with; and that's normal.

I agree with Philip about the roots systems, in that every one I've bought has been similar to yours.

However all of mine seemed to have since grown massive root systems with the way I grow them (in moss and porous clay pots). They seem to love it and shoot roots out everywhere. Of course I've only tried six different ones so it could just be changes I got ones like that.

Anyway, I don't think you will have any problem with the roots you have.

The masdevallia does seem to have less roots than normal, but it should be fine. It's good that you put moss over the LECA. I put a masdevallia in S/H without moss over the LECA and it got too dry.

The moss is about an inch on the top. most of the roots are in LECA.

What I am curious is how do I water this setup?
Fill with water up until about 2 inches under the rootline ?