Beginner Seeking Ascocentrum Advice - Orchid Board

LobsterOfJustice · #1 05-19-2016, 10:07 PM

I'll get straight to the point with the questions, and you can read my details below for more information if you're so inclined...

What are some ways a beginner can tell they are providing proper care for Ascocentrum?

What is a good way to tell if you are providing the correct amount of water?

I have read they like to dry out (quickly) between waterings - for how long?

Is it okay to gently curve some hanging roots back up into the basket? If roots (or tips) turn brown, are they not getting enough moisture?

What is a reasonable watering schedule for these guys in a typical indoor environment? Soak 3x a week and mist daily?

These are not our first orchids, but they are our first non-phals. My wife and I aren't clueless but we are definitely still beginners.

Not currently having any issues with them (that I know of), but we've only had them a week. I want to be proactive and know what kind of things to look for to indicate if they are doing well or not. Both are hung in a south facing bay window that is bright, but does not get direct sun. Our humidity obviously varies day-to-day, but is higher than average as we have a large saltwater aquarium on the same floor (for example - 70% right now).

The little A. miniatum (or based on what I've been reading online, I guess it could also be A. garayi) is in a plastic basket, which we placed into a larger wood basket (for looks). His inner basket has a bit of medium grade bark/perlite/charcoal mix, but the basket isn't full.

The A. aurantiacum is a little bigger. He's in a small wood basket, mounted above what seems to be a ball of moss? His small basket is also placed into a larger wood basket. He has a lot of roots hanging out of the basket.

I'm worried about keeping these guys too wet or too dry. After a short soak in a bucket, both will dry completely within 2 days. Would a bucket soak every 2 days, with a misting on the day in between, be a reasonable watering schedule? After a soak in the morning, both are still a little moist by the end of the day but not "wet" by any means, is that the goal? Any tips for how to know when you're in the sweet spot of enough water, but not too much, would be greatly appreciated.

---------- Post added at 10:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:02 PM ----------

Tried to post some pictures (hosted on photobucket) but my posts get denied.

Fairorchids · #2 05-19-2016, 10:55 PM

Whoever said that they need to dry out is WRONG.

They need good humidity, bright light (similar to Cattleya or higher), and should be watered before they dry out.

They do well in baskets, net pots or mounted, ir you can water them enough. I grow in a greenhouse, but can only water once a week in winter, and twice a week in summer. Under those conditions I grow Ascocentrums in 3.1/2" net pots, filled with 75% spaghnum and 25% bark & charcoal.

estación seca · #3 05-20-2016, 01:13 AM

Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. LobsterOfJustice!

Taxonomists have lumped Ascocentrum into Vanda, but a lot of growers think they need different growing conditions, so many of us keep calling them Ascocentrums.

When they're happy, the root tips are green and growing. The leaves are not wrinkled. Leaves are constantly being pushed out of the growing center. I have been told Vanda alliance plants should make 4+ leaves per year. And they bloom regularly, often more than once a year.

Ascocentrums and Vandas need a lot of water. The lower the humidity, the more water they need. If watered enough, they do OK in low humidity. Your aquarium room is good for humidity but it isn't good for light.

If your roots really stay moist for 2 days, that's a good watering schedule for you. If you aren't watering enough, these things happen, in this order:

1 Root tips turn from green to brown
2 Leaves get fine wrinkles
3 Roots die back

Most growers water Vanda alliance plants in baskets at least once per day, and twice on hot, dry days. The roots turn green when watered, and dry to white or light brown. It is fine to water them as soon as they turn white. If you have the time, it is fine to water them many times per day, since the dangling roots dry rapidly.

Ascocentrums tend to be smaller plants than traditional Vandas, so they dry out faster.

My plants' roots are exposed to the sun. If my roots don't dry between watering, algae grows on them and they die. So I make sure they dry between waterings.

Kim has a lot more experience than I do. I haven't been able to keep them alive with medium in the pots the way Kim describes. I'm doing OK with bare roots dangling and frequent waterings. I even soak them in water for 6-12 hours once or twice a week, but I have low humidity. If I don't do this they dry out.

I would not curl the roots up into the basket. Let them dangle. Root tips turning brown indicates not enough water. Even in 30% humidity here, root tips stay bright green and growing if I water enough.

They also are considered to need even more sun than the bigger Vanda species. But, you must water them adequately in the sun. You are not likely to get flowers unless the sun shines directly on your plants for 4+ hours per day.

A lot of people soak their Vandas with a kelp solution once a month. This promotes new root formation. I use KelpMax.

Hope this helps.

LobsterOfJustice · #4 05-20-2016, 10:49 AM

Thank you both for the quick reply and helpful information!

My two haven't been getting enough water, as some root tips are turning brown in less than a week. I was just worried about watering them too much based on my limited knowledge/experience with potted orchids. These hanging guys are a bit confusing because inside the basket stays moist for at least a little while, but the hanging roots obviously dry very quickly.

I am going to dunk them in a bucket each morning, and possibly also spray the roots in the evenings.

EDIT: man what is the trick to uploading photos here? I've used online forums for 15 years but I cant get a picture on here no matter what I try...

estación seca · #5 05-20-2016, 11:46 AM

Vandas need much more water than other epiphytic orchids.

After 5 text posts you can post photos.

My Green Pets · #6 05-20-2016, 08:19 PM

I will add my two cents to this...my vandas get a daily hose soaking over the summer outside, but in the winter they get a daily spraying of the roots.

Their roots are bone dry in between waterings, but as i mentioned, they receive water daily.