Water marks on Zygonesia or Cochleanthes
 

Would love to put these plants out on a cool,cloudy, rainy day but I am afraid of water marks like on the zygopetlum. I have a new fan on my Cochleanthes so when should I see a bud form?

Zygopetalum is ok for a cool cloudy day.

Cochleanthes is best for indoors growing unless you live in the parts of the US that stay intermediate to warm and is pretty humid. Cochleanthes do better in intermediate to warm temperatures (60 f - 90 F) and in moderate to high humidity (70% - 90%). They are not truly cool growing.

---------- Post added at 08:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:01 AM ----------

You should see flowers fairly shortly if your growing conditions are well suited to growing them. I'd say about 2 - 3 weeks and you should see flowers.

I have a Zygopetalum mackayi outdoors all year round, and I don't see any significant markings that detract from the plant's appearance.

Water marks on Cochleanthes and zygonesia
 

That's what I thought but it is so nice to let nature water your plants. Do you think tap water is ok for these plants ?
I try to water often and have them in a semi - terrarium setting using big pretzel containers.

Depending on where nature is in the US, it may not agree with your Cochleanthes.

I've grown Cochleanthes before. I'm telling you from personal experience. I've tried what you're proposing. These are not educated guesses.

The above mentioned applies to Stenia, Ixyophora, Huntleya, Bollea, Pesctorea, Chondrorhyncha, Chondroscaphe, etc.

Zygopetalum - no problem.

I'd avoid using tap water for your Cochlenthes. Depending on where you live, the TDS in tap water can be quite high. High mineral content in the water will burn the root tips quite easily over a short period of time. It will cause the leaf tips to die back. Once that happens, it is very difficult to salvage a Cochleanthes.

---------- Post added at 08:43 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:21 AM ----------

Wait a second...

I just re-read your post...

Is it a Zygonisia or a Zygopetalum you're talking about?

Zygopetalums are ok for outdoors all year round in mild climates.

Zygonisia behaves a little more like Acacallis (aka Aganisia). These are intermediate to warm growing (60 F - 90 F), and grow in moderate to high humidity (60% - 90%). Zygonisia is tolerant of lower humidity than any of the fan shaped, "pseudobulbless' Zygopetalinae, but it still has its limitations due to the Acacallis in its genetics. If you've ever grown an Acacallis, you will understand what I'm saying. I think it is ok to go outside only if the temperature does not dip below 55 F - 60 F and if it is moderately humid, (like on a cloudy day). And when I mention 55 F, ideally, it shouldn't stay that cool for very long. It is not as tolerant of cooler temperatures as the real Zygopetalum. At least with Zygopetalum mackayi, I know it can handle it down to 45 F.

Water marks on Cochleanthes and Zagnonesia
 

Could I use distilled water on Cochleanthes or just let tap water sit out for a few day?At this point I am thinking I will leave them in and provide as much humidity as I can . I live in northern Ohio and I have a sunroom. Winter is when my plants beg for light.

As long as the mineral content isn't very high, then distilled water could be ok.

Leaving tap water out for 24 hours does nothing for the mineral content dissolved in it. All it does is allow for chlorine to dissipate over time. If your city or town uses chloramines in the water, that is a different story.

pjoeverett, go to your water utility's online site and look for your water quality report. You can look up your total dissolved solids there. More than about 200-400 and you shouldn't use it on most orchids.

I could've sworn I read you had buds on your plant in your initial post earlier today, maybe I'm just exhausted and misreading stuff...

Let me clarify a few things here.

If you don't have any buds on your plants already, then it is difficult to say when you will see flowers. They bloom quite randomly throughout the year once they are established and are of blooming size.

If you have buds on your plants right now, then you will see flowers in about 2 - 3 weeks.