Florida growing outdoor (help needed)
Hello to everybody! Let me tell you very quickly my story.
I moved in The USA, FL not so long ago and decided that climate here is perfect for growing orchids outdoor during the whole year. Well, i still think so, but i have some issues with some orchids.
First of all i am trying to grow all of them in inorganic medium, more specifically - Growstone (maybe my experience will be helpful for somebody). I am not growing in SH, but using it just instead of bark, clay pots, everything is outdoor. So far i have following results:
1. Lc. mini song petite - LOVES IT. She grew new roots even from old bulbs and growing four new growths now from everywhere.
2. Vanda type noID - loves it! Started new roots, two new leaves.
3. Maxillaria Tenuifolia - had to add some sphagnum for keeping more moisture around roots. New bulbs are growing nice and plump, a lot of new roots coming out! Had no roots when i got it 2 months ago.
4. Catasetum fredclerkeara after dark - was sitting in pure sphagnum, then was transfered to Growstone+sphagnum, now just in pure Growstone. Kinda like it, sphagnum was keeping too much water during rains.
5. Phaius and Oncidiums are sitting in mixture of soil, CocoPeat and Growstone. Both have new growth and a lot of new roots, so it looks like they are happy.
6. Phalenopsis noID - mixture of sphagnum and growstone. pure growstone dries the way too fast.
But here comes my issues.
1. Oncidium twinkle. Well, i got him not long ago, has two new growths, new roots are coming out, but all previous roots dried out. I got him in bark medium, repotet in Growstone+sphagnum and...he dried out! Bulbs look OK, not shriveling, but new growths stoped and it looks like my oncidium is still thinking whether to continue growing or to die.
2. Beallara Marfirtch Howard`s dream. I got her right after bloom with huge plump bulbs, great roots and sitting in wet sphagnum. She was repotted in Growstone+sphagnum and here comes the same as with Oncidium - she lost all her roots. Now her bulbs are wrinkly, but two new growths have just started to grow, so i am still full of hopes.
Also all of my orchids (except Bllra) receive direct sun from 11 a.m. till 1.30 p.m. No sunburns, no red bulbs - everything goes great so far.
So maybe i can get some help from people leaving in my climate zone (9b-10a) and growing orchids outdoor.
1. What type of medium are you using and how do you keep your orchids during rain season? Especially i am curious about Oncidiums and it`s intergenerics.
2. Does anybody grow Paphilopediums and Phragmipediums in Florida outdoor and if yes - how?) What type of medium are you using, what about sun and heat and so on.
Thanks in advance and sorry for such a long post!
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