I finally Got A Phalaenopsis Bellina!!!!! - Orchid Board

Cattleya17 · #1 05-05-2011, 10:15 AM

Hey guys!!!! I finally got one! ive been talking about getting one for some time now lol, well i finnally took the plunge! Of course there are pictures! It has a 9 inch leaf span! I measured it today

the guy i got it from estimated with a summer of growth that it should be ready to bloom and should bloom next summer! so not quite instant gratification but almost right.

IMG_4082 by cattleya18, on Flickr

IMG_4084 by cattleya18, on Flickr

IMG_4081 by cattleya18, on Flickr

IMG_4080 by cattleya18, on Flickr

As you can see Its growing in LECA Pellets that's how it came. Are there any advantages to growing it this way? is this the best way? what do you recommend?

Daethen · #2 05-05-2011, 10:47 AM

Congrats!!!!

psyc1210 · #3 05-05-2011, 11:13 AM

I grow everything in regular pots in LECA. I really like how clean it is, the roots seem to love it, and it doesn't break down. It may eventually accumulate salts after a long period of time, but you can always replace the leca just like you would replace bark and other media.

Did you get this from orchidexchange.com? The pot and leca look familiar, as Al has been potting his smaller seedlings in those type pots with LECA. He said he's been very impressed with how well they do in that media.

I do water more often (growing indoors) than one would with bark or moss, but I tend to overwater, so leca is best for me.

zxyqu · #4 05-05-2011, 12:14 PM

If the conditions are right I dont see why it couldn't surprise with a spike this summer. I've had some around this size that have bloomed before. Maybe you'll get lucky!
Personally I love LECA for it's cost, fairly cheap and no need to replace only add more when the chid grows. I do have all my LECA in S/H setup, but I grow seedlings/kieke's in LECA with a normal pot. They seem to like it, just make sure to flush it on occasion to remove salt buildup.

Cattleya17 · #5 05-05-2011, 03:12 PM

Yes i did get it from al's! for it being so close to blooming and the great price 34 all together i had to buy!
Thats good news! cuz i was looking at pictures and smaller ones that this were blooming so im hoping it throws one this summer. but if not its cool to!

Is there a difference between hydroton and LECA? i have a bag of hydroton. I will try this way maybe add a little moss. the last phal i tried in this it didnt like it but since this one likes it already im sure it will be a Totally different story!
You fertilize and water a close to blooming size seedling like you would an adult plant correct. ive never had one like this before. I just wanna make sure i get this right

WhiteRabbit · #6 05-05-2011, 03:54 PM

very nice!

LECA is an acronym for lightweight expanded clay aggregate, so hydroton (a brand name, I believe) is LECA - I know there are different brands, with different attributes

psyc1210 · #7 05-05-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cattleya17

Yes i did get it from al's! for it being so close to blooming and the great price 34 all together i had to buy!
Thats good news! cuz i was looking at pictures and smaller ones that this were blooming so im hoping it throws one this summer. but if not its cool to!

Is there a difference between hydroton and LECA? i have a bag of hydroton. I will try this way maybe add a little moss. the last phal i tried in this it didnt like it but since this one likes it already im sure it will be a Totally different story!
You fertilize and water a close to blooming size seedling like you would an adult plant correct. ive never had one like this before. I just wanna make sure i get this right

I have the pleasure of being able to drive to Al's and view his seedlings in person. The last couple I got were a mariae and micholitzii, both potted in leca, just like your bellina. The mariae had roots coming out the bottom of the pot. I normally repot as soon as I get something, but the mariae was so stuck in that black pot, that I just said oh well, and left it in there. The micholitzii was not stuck to the pot, so I repotted in my own pot and added more leca...there wasn't a single bad root on the plant. When I receive plants in bark or sphag moss, I usually find a few, or many, dead roots on the plants. Did I mention I love leca?

Hydroton is just a brand name of LECA (Lightly expanded clay aggregate). When you say the last Phal you tried in it didn't like it, what happened with it? Did you repot it from one media to the leca? If so, when you repot into something completely different, the existing roots of the plant (many times) do not acclimate, and will die off. That is why it is important to repot when roots are actively growing...any new roots would acclimate to the new media.

I treat seedlings the same as I treat mature plants.

Cattleya17 · #8 05-05-2011, 04:38 PM

You hit the nail right on the head!!!!! it was in moss before! that was a bad move eh? well at least i learned something! it seems a little stuck it looks very well rooted! i will probably put it in my own pot then! i have a bad and can do it very quickly! pot just big enough to hold the roots? and have some room right? i always over pot!

Eyebabe · #9 05-06-2011, 09:54 AM

Nice size on the plant!

zxyqu · #10 05-06-2011, 10:05 AM

Unless you just have to, I'd leave it alone, but I'm not sure if the bellina's like to be underpotted, but that would be my guess.
The Sphag to S/H is always tough, the best I've figured on my side is, new roots, heating mat, underpot, and raise the humidity as much as possible. They sulk for at least a few months, and recover after that. I always lose a blooming season, but in the long run it's saved a bunch of money on media.