Any Restrepia in SH??

[juliaT]

Hello everyone,

I've just been gifted a restrepia, orchid that I'm completely unfamiliar with.

After researching a bit I've seen it needs 70-90% humidity (more like 90%) and cool temperatures.

With the issues I don't have a greenhouse neither space for a terrarium :'(

So, high humidity + cool temps scream to me semihydro, technique that I'm finding great for most of my orchids, but I don't see any restrepia in the list...so...anyone know if they do well in SH???

Thanks!!

[Ray]

"The plant" is not the primary factor in whether it will do well in S/H culture or not. Far more critical is how the rest of your growing conditions, when coupled with the unique properties of the S/H pot, meet the needs of the plant.

"S/H plants lists" irritate me, because they are basically misleading. The success with a plant by one individual, with their specific conditions, has absolutely no bearing on whether another individual will be successful with it.

For example, I, with arguably more experience with semi-hydroponics than anyone, have never been successful with hard cane dendrobiums, but I have heard folks say they are ideal "beginner plants" for the cultural technique. I also have a customer who routinely wins awards for her cacti and succulents grown that way.

If you are successful with other plants, think about how their requirements are similar to-, or differ from that of the restrepia, and I'll bet you can accommodate them.

[juliaT]

ok, thanks for that.
My environment is basically a big window, in summer I get RH 50-70, however now with the heating is around the 40s... in terms of temperature during the day it remains around the 15C and late evening 20s C...the plants are below a little opening on the window, and my sphagnum moss gets dry quite easily, so Im guessing its providing quite some airflow. Its a west window a bit tilted towards north, but heavily blocked by other buildings, so my light is rather low, I just added 2 small growing lights to help a bit.

At the moment what I have in SM are phals and an oncidium, what require less humidity. However 2 other oncidiums I don't have in SH are creating some light accordion shaped leaves (the roots are not rotten), even when I spray the spagnum moss they have on top when its dry and water them when the soil is getting dry 2fingers deep. That's why I am quite concerned about an orchid that requires such a high humidity.

With those conditions what do you think?

[Dollythehun]

I think your potted oncidiums need watered, not misted. Water more.

You can buy tiny decorative terrariums that will sit on a windowsill. I've used them to rescue rootless Catts. $20.00 will get you a nice one.

[Leafmite]

I have a few cloud-forest Pleurothallidinae. Most of them grow in small, table-top greenhouses or the twenty-gallon aquarium with the Bulbophyllum but the Dracula needed cooler temperatures than the other orchids so it grows alone in a vase. The vase widens gradually from the bottom to the top and the rim of the vase is above the tips of the leaves. I have red lava rock on the very bottom, then a layer of moss, and atop of this sits a net pot with my Dracula. I keep water in the bottom, below the moss layer, to aid in humidity. This method seems to give the orchid enough humidity without causing fungus issues.

It really depends on what species you are growing, though, how you grow it. If you know the vendor, it might be helpful to call them and ask for suggestions.

[estación seca]

There will be an issue moving plants with very small roots into S/H. The roots need to reach the moist zone in the S/H container. A "standard" 1 quart / 1 liter food tub with holes drilled an inch / 2.54cm from the bottom will not work for a small plant like this. A smaller container you drill yourself should work. The large LECA often used for S/H might be too big for such a container for a tiny plant. Smaller LECA might work.

You can use a large jar as a terrarium for individual plants. I have a tiny Dossinia marmorata propagation in a 2" / 5cm pot inside an olive jar. When not posing for a photo I use a label to prop the jar up slightly on the lid, permitting air circulation.

[Rothrock42]

I haven't gone a whole year -- only about 6 months. I've got a Pleurothalis restrepioidies in semi-hydro in my house. I had been using moss, but worried about it rotting. So I moved to SH.

I used smallish beads and put it in a clay pot and put the pot in a saucer for the reservoir. I have a fan that blows on it most of the day. I think with the constant water and cooling evaporation, I am providing a better environment that I was before.

I do have to fill the saucer every day or every other day. I could probably put the fan on a timer to limit the evaporation, but it seems worth it for now.

Since I moved it, it has grown a leaf much larger than the three previous ones and I can see roots winding their way around.

[juliaT]

Thanks all for your answers, they are all really helpful.

Completely understand the issue of the leca size. I was honestly thinking on SH because what I see in my environment is that I have rotting issues in summer and dryness in winter on my non SH. It is not easy to control the environment.

So, what I'm thinking is to have it as it is (with bark and sphagnum moss) for the moment in a small terrarium and if in the next 6months-year its not doing very well I will look for small leca

Thanks for the advise