Didn't want to hijack Kevinator's thread so am starting a new one.
I had always wanted to grow Darwin's Orchid and began contemplating it seriously in spring 2015. I read everything I could about it on Orchid Board and was worried I couldn't grow it. Then I stumbled across this page discussing growing angraecoids in S/H:
Angraecums...: Growing Angraecum Orchids Using Semi-Hydroponic Techniques
I ordered one from SVO in early June 2015. It arrived bigger than I expected, eight leaves with a span of 8" / 20cm, in New Zealand bark, which came off the big healthy roots easily. It was the first plant I put into S/H. I didn't break any roots at all. I kept it in my growing room with temperatures 80-100 F / 26-38C and RH 50%-60%. I watered with MSU in RO or rain, initially at about 125ppm nitrogen, moving down to about 20ppm nitrogen now.
The plant sat for a couple of weeks, then took off growing. It still hasn't lost a leaf it came with. One leaf developed a rapidly-advancing soft black spot. I cut it out with a sharp triangular hobby knife, leaving a circular hole, and treated the cut edges with cinnamon. That stopped the rot.
The plant is in a 1 quart / 950ml container. The measuring tape is in inches. You can see the droopy leaf and hole.
It's not quite big enough to flower yet. I think I'll have to wait until next winter. But for those of you who have wondered about A. sesquipedale... just look at that blogspot page above. You can do it!
Angraecum sesquipedale, my first S/H plant
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