Psychopsis & Tolumnia & Dendrochillum

[kavanaru]

has any of you here tried to grow Psychopsis or Tolumnia in S/H? I am planing to start some experiments with S/H, but am not really sure how this two genus would do it? I have read that Oncidium and Brassia do pretty well, but what about these two other members of the same alliance?

I will also try with 1 Phal and one or two cattleyas... just to check how it works under my conditions...

Do you think Dendrochillum would like it too?

[Ross]

I don't grow in S/H but I do grow Tolumnia. I use coarse charcoal (like 1 cm+ particles). They don't like constant moisture. They want to dry out totally between waterings.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by rsfrid

I don't grow in S/H but I do grow Tolumnia. I use coarse charcoal (like 1 cm+ particles). They don't like constant moisture. They want to dry out totally between waterings.

that's funny... I mean, I have Tolumnias since just one month ago... two are growing in plastic pots with coarse charcoal, the other three are growing in ceramic pots with... eehhhh, how do you call it in english?... rock splits?

Anyway, the instructions I received were: "water regularly, at least once a week, as medium dries out very quickly. Only from November to end January, strick winter rest with less watering"

That's why I thought of experimenting with them... Probably I should give it a try with one of them, and see what happens...

[Ross]

Originally Posted by kavanaru

that's funny... I mean, I have Tolumnias since just one month ago... two are growing in plastic pots with coarse charcoal, the other three are growing in ceramic pots with... eehhhh, how do you call it in english?... rock splits?

Don't know rock splits, but I can imagine. These things grow on twigs high in trees in the Caribbean and need dryness. I water mine daily simply because they dry out enough between waterings. I think I could safely go to every-other-day without bad affects.

[Ray]

Psychopsis and dendrochilum - yes (the dendrochilums DO NOT like to be repotted).

Tolumnias - NO!!!

[Orchis]

I have Papilio and Kalihi in S/H since a half year,
it seems they like it.
There is always water in a tank and roots grow into it
as if it would be just another very natural environment.

[kavanaru]

Originally Posted by Orchis

I have Papilio and Kalihi in S/H since a half year,
it seems they like it.
There is always water in a tank and roots grow into it
as if it would be just another very natural environment.

Hallo Orchis!

thanks for the input. I see you are in Germany. It seems you are longer than me into S/H culture: Which kind of LECA (brand) are you using?

[Orchis]

Hi Ramón!
Most of my LECA is NoName and was bought from eBay,
but it works well anyway.
On the beginning I have lost some of my Phals,
it seems to be critical if Plants have fresh and strong roots
before transplanting in S/H.

[kavanaru]

wow! You lost some Phals I've read a lot of loosing Catts... Always thought Phals and Paphs would just go smoothly into S/H without notizing it at all... I think I need to be careful with them when I decide to move Phals and Paphs...

As for LECA, I have tried the one from Luwasa and from Lamstedton so far, and they seem to work quite good (Lamstedton better than Luwasa, but the second is easier to get here)

[Orchis]

I presume I have Lamstedtton.
I lost few phals that had only old brown roots,
young plants with many fresh roots done for me much better and actually without any setback.