RV traveling mini orchids

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by bjmac

Camille do still have any of those mini from the college travels?
It is hard to go off and leave my terrarium when we take a short trip. I only have about 1 inch of water in the drain area, no auto misting, but it seem to work for a few days.

No, I don't have any of them left. I went off to the US for a 5 month internship at the end of my masters degree, and since I didn't trust anyone I knew with my orchids, I left the hybrid Phals with my mother, and mailed everything else to an orchidboard friend. The box got lost despite having paid for tracked shipping and it never arrived.... I lost about 2 thirds of my collection. The worst part was the package finally made it back to me once I was back in Europe. A box of very very dead plants. I still think about it, 7 years later.

[bjmac]

Sorry for the loss.

[Pattywack]

Bjmac, your terrarium is gorgeous! You certainly have it packed. You mentioned a drainage area? Is you terrarium drilled to allow you to drain it?

Your plant list is awesome. I think vacationing with your terrarium is a great idea!

---------- Post added at 06:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:24 PM ----------

Pleurothallis rubella is another continuous bloomer, I love it’s teenie flowers.

[bjmac]

Patty I have a 4 inch square in the front corner that I can siphon from. I leave about 1 inch of water on the bottom and only siphon about one time per month. There is a 3 inch layer of matala for the drainage with a screen top with 2 inches of soil for the terrestrial plants and cork slabs on the back for orchids. The tree stump goes into this area with a rock wall around it. The stump and rocks are fiberglass. This all help to keep weight down. This was originally going to be for dart frogs, but decided it was to much trouble with the fruit flies in the camper. I like plants better.

[Mountaineer370]

Very nice! I admire anyone who can find a way to take their orchids with them on an RV trip. It's going to present a quandary for me one of these days.

[Pattywack]

I would never have guessed the stump and rocks were artificial, they look very realistic. I also didn’t think about there being soil in your tank. Having the reservoir would be very helpful for terrestrial plants.

I have about 3 inches of Leca on the bottom, no terrestrial plants, then I have forests moss on top. The stump that practically fills the footprint is cork. I covered the bottom of the stump with a mesh material and added spaghnum moss inside the stump, I spray this moss for added humidity.

I enjoy the terrarium and find it very easy to grow the miniatures I have. The erinacea was my only problem child.

[bjmac]

I should have said tree fern fiber, coconut fiber, sphagnum, and charcoal mix instead of soil.

[bjmac]

Another non orchid that is blooming.

[estación seca]

Does the begonia self-sow?

[bjmac]

Not that I know but it is a great spreader. I have had to trim it several times. I have had it on the ground and on the cork wall it seems to do well on both.