S/H Six Months In....

[Snowden]

Most of these plants transferred to S/H in April of this year except where noted. Most are doing well. Many of the plants stalled over the summer, but are doing well now. The only two exceptions are Mtssa Olmec and the Masdie.

These are only the plants in S/H. There are many more in other culture.

Alcra Sunday Best 'Muffin' AM/AOS – 1 original growth. Seemed to have stalled over the summer, but is now growing well. Nice new roots
B Little Stars – Many growths and sheaths.
B nodosa – 2 new growths, original growth in spike
Brs Datacosa ‘OC’ – July purchase with 2 new growths. Transferred to S/H early Aug. Growing nicely. New roots.
Ctna Why Not 'Because' – Out of the 2 growths from the spring, only one flowered. Currently has two new growths and great roots.
Den Malia Akana (Kurniati x Madame Vipa) – 3 growths stalled during summer. Now growing.
Den Emma White – plant missing from collection!
Den farmerii – Missed on original list. The two growths from spring are now larger than the older canes. 2 additional growths. Good roots.
Den Noid (phal type) –2 slow growing canes, but good roots.
Den Noid (phal type) Keikis – 4 new growths, one in spike. Good roots.
Dendro wenzelii – Many new growths. Too many to count. Good roots.
Dtps Acker's Hot Shot 'Chuck' – same new leaves, growing slowly. Good roots.
Dtps Sogo Little Beauty X Dtps Taisuco Jewel – New leaves matured. Now in spike. Good roots.
Enc cochleata Green Hornet (division) – 2 new growths, roots. Gave away to friend.
Enc cordigera – 8 new growths maturing and in sheath. Great roots.
Enc cordigera (division) – 2 new growths, 1 in sheath. great roots. Gave away to friend.
Enc tampensis x sib – Missed on original list. Xfer’d in April. 3 original growths did not produce spikes. 2 new growths. Good roots.
Epi Volcano Trick – 2 growths, first growth sheath withered. Second currently in spike. Good roots.
Lc Fire Dance 'Patricia' – 2 growths in sheath. Great roots.
Lep bicolor – 3 growths out of the original 4 (one was broken by tree branch outdoors) Slow growing. Roots unknown.
Masd veitchiana 'Prince de Galle' AM/AOS - only 2 of the original 5 growths. Slow. Seems to be struggling. May be from conditions rather than S/H.
Max tenufolia – Many new growths – too many to count. Great roots.
Mtssa Dark Star 'Darth Vader' – Many new growths, 4 spikes, 3 in bloom.
Mtssa Dark Star 'Darth Vader' (division) – 2 new growths. Gave away to friend.
Mtssa Olmec 'Kanno' – Out of the original 3 new growths, all three spiked and bloomed, but two turned yellow and rotted. Most older leaves have turned yellow and dropped. Has at least one new healthy growth.Doing so-so, but will continue on.
Odbrs Fangtastic Bob Henley HOF #4 – Original 2 growths stalled during summer and are now growing nicely.
Onc Gower Ramsey 'Orange' – Orig new growth has developed into a nice p-bulb. No spike yet. Good roots.
Paph Barbilight (Barbi Playmate x Nulight) – 1 new growth in addition to the first one. New leaves. Stalled during summer, growing nicely now. Good roots.
Paph Noid (maudiae vinicolor form) – Original 3 growth growing nicely with new leaves.
Paph Somers's Isle 'HOF Jumbo' AM/AOS – Stalled during summer. Of original 2 growths, only one is starting to grow.
Paph Toni Semple – Also seemed to have stalled during summer, 5 growths now doing nicely with new leaves.
Phal Noid (white) - New Leaves – in spike.
Phal Noid (white) keiki- transferred to S/H end of July. Good roots.
Phal Noid (white) keiki- transferred to S/H end of July. Good roots. Gave away to friend.
Phal Noid (mini) - $2.50 Lowe’s purchase in sad (wilted) condition. Transferred to S/H end of July. New leaves and roots – much better condition, stiffer leaves.
Phal Noid (mini white) – Transferred to S/H end of July. New leaves, roots.
Phrag Don Wimber – 3 original growths stalled during summer, now in spike. Roots unknown (opaque pot).
Phrag Grande – Many growths going like gangbusters. Good roots.
Phrag Grande (division) – 2 original growths and 2 new growths. Beautiful roots!
Psych papillo x sib - 2 original growths – 1 rotted. Has put up 2 more new growths and maybe a spike (I can never tell with these). Good roots.
Psych versteegiana – One original new growth doing well.
Rhyncho gigantea - New Leaves – in spike. Good roots.
Rossio Grande Dallas x Rawdon Jester – 2 original growths maturing into p-bulbs. Good roots.
Sarco Heidi - New Leaves
Sarco Heidi (division) - New Leaves
Stlma ‘Kelly Lea’ - Missed on original list. Xfer’d in April. 2 original growths. Bloomed once during summer, now in bud. 3 new growths. Good roots.
Zygo Noid - 1 growth stalled over summer, starting to grow.

[Snowden]

Ooops. forgot one:

Lc Acker's Spotlight 'Pink Lady' - Transferred to SH in early August after last bloom. Had one new growth. In bud on 2 growths already! It grew very fast.

[Ray]

I think the substantial advances you are seeing is what I'd call a "side effect" of semi-hydroponics.

Generally, I think our domesticated culture limits the growth of the plants. If you can provide more water and nutrition, they will grow better.

Try to do that with an organic-based medium that decomposes and becomes compacted over time, and you will not be successful. In the stable physical environment of LECA and a reservoir of nutrient solution, the plant can go crazy.

[Snowden]

Here are some photos of root growth on a couple of plants...

Max tenufolia - roots
Phrag grande (division) - roots
Ctna Why Not 'Because' - roots
And Lc Acker's Spotlight 'Pink Lady' - blooms (started blooming yesterday)

[Sun rm.N.E.]

Snowden

Thanks for your documentation and sharing. If you have time and update every few months this could be one of the best illustration on S/H.

[Ranchnanny]

Snowden quite a list you have there and they are doing well. I have all mine in s/h since about March and yes some did stop for a bit but that didn't last long. I water twice a week due to evaporation and they really like that. I see more roots and new growth...

I love the stuff (s/h medium)

Sheridan

[DelawareJim]

Very nice! I wish my plants were showing that kind of growth in S/H.

Cheers.
Jim

[Ranchnanny]

Jim have yours been in the s/h medium very long? Gotta give them time. They'll come around. Like Ray said more water and fert.

Sheridan

[DelawareJim]

Yeah, I've always been a rather impatient gardener. I switched a bunch of plants over in July, most were showing new roots starting. Paphs took to it straight away, Dendros and Phals are just sitting. A Blc keeps putting out new roots but when they get about a half inch long they turn black. Never had this problem before, it's really getting frustrating.

I got some MSU from someone other than Ray early this year because I procrastinated and waited until I was out and then Ray was on vacation and being impatient, I didn't want to wait. I'm beginning to suspect the quality of the MSU I got because older established plants hardly did anything at all this year.

Cheers.
Jim

[Snowden]

I had a rhyncho do this. All but one of the roots took just fine, but the one that didn't grew about an inch long, touched the leca, then the tip turned black and stopped growing. Over the past couple of weeks, two new roots started growing from this one root - one is growing up in the air, the other is diving into the leca without showing any signs of turning black.

It's kind of a perplexing problem. Other plants that were transplanted at the same time with the same processed leca did not have a problem. And why only one root out of the others on the same plant?

As for the stalling, I had lots that did that, but they're now growing pretty strong. I feel it's more related to transplant shock than anything else. I don't know about you, but I'm not that gentle when it comes to cleaning off my roots, so that and the fact that the plants were moved to a different culture probably contributed to it.

Anyway, give it time. As long as your plants aren't showing obvious signs of distress, they're probably okay and just need time to adjust.