Long-petaled phrags in S/H?

[harpspiel]

I have a tendency to overwater, so I'm trying out a few plants in S/H with LECA.

So far my collection in S/H is composed of:
Dendrobium auriculatum (switched to S/H after I noticed it liked to be quite wet even in bark, doing well after about a year)
FDK After Dark 'Black Pearl' (will remove during its rest period)
Oncidium Sharry Baby 'Sweet Fragrance'

I just added Phragmipedium 'Predator', which is warszewiczianum x humboldtii. It's a large, healthy plant with many fans and a few growth points, from EcuageneraUS. I was reading that phrags tend to do very well, but now I've seen a few things about long-petaled phrags needing to dry out, and warszewiczianum being lithophytic.

I could keep it in its own area, where I flush it and then let it dry out every few days - any thoughts on this? It's my first phrag, and I tend to do terribly with paphs, so I'm concerned.

[tmoney]

so no love for your post?! well, you have been growing orchids longer and have more in s/h, we only have 3. buuuut, 3 thoughts just to respond!

1. the best plant of the 3 we have in it is one of our paphs, a lowii. tried it in a couple different scenarios, but pretty much right after trying it in s/h it came alive and is doing awesome. so for paphs at least im a total believer in the method.

2. we have 2 phals in s/h, a speciosa and a braceana. and neither has done great compared to plants in pot and bark or compared to the same species mounted in a terrarium. but recently i started draining most of the reservoir after watering for one of them and it has returned to growing and the leaves are looking more vital. im almost thinking it’s too damp for them for too long and the dry period may be more important that i originally thought.

3. i am so totally gonna try one of our black pearls in s/h next summer. why didn’t i think of that before?!

anyways, hope your plants are doing well....

[estación seca]

Sorry, I didn't see this. If people don't respond it's fine to bump your thread by adding another message.

Lithophytic phrags grow on wet rocks, and none likes to go bone dry in cultivation. Go ahead with S/H if you like.

[WaterWitchin]

I have a Phrag "Grande' (caudatum x longifolium) that's been in SH for over a decade, and it loves it. Go for it...



Have several Onc Sharry Baby in SH, and they grow/bloom just fine.

Can't speak to the Den... never had that species. The catasetum... I do PET method. Wouldn't be able to keep it watered enough in straight SH.

[Ray]

"The plant" has very little to do with whether an individual can grow it in S/H culture; your growing conditions, and how well they work with the technique to meet the needs of the plant are far more important.

To put it another way - any plant can be grown in S/H culture, but that does not mean YOU can do so.

Conversely - the fact that one person succeeds or fails with a particular plant has absolutely no bearing on whether you will be successful or not.

[WaterWitchin]

How true, Bill. It sure isn’t for everyone. If one wants to do SH, or a bark medium, sphag, or a mount, there’s always a learning curve. A lot of it has to do with how one chooses to adapt their culture to a specific method of growth for what suits best.

That’s why I speak to what I do or know. How else can someone figure out if it’s better for them unless they experiment then ask questions?