Bought my first two species! Now what?

[Izzie]

Thanks! Your stuartiana is beautiful. It's certainly one of my favorites. I was SOOOO excited to find this, I never thought they'd have species! Do you keep yours warm and shady? I hope mine will do okay with no extra heat.

I think I will definitely be repotting the catt when it's done blooming. All the bark in there has heavy moss and algae, and the roots just aren't very happy.
I wish I could wait until it started putting out some new roots, but with the pbulbs being somewhat shriveled, I think the sooner the better.

I bought some CHC and charcoal to repot.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Here's C. intermedia var aquinii. Not sure if it's coerulea.

This is not my picture.

I'm posting a link to someone else's Flickr account.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/166/4...7d21a8.jpg?v=0

[WhiteRabbit]

I wouldn't worry about the slight shriveling on the pbulbs. It isn't severe, and just happens as they age. The plant uses the stored nutrients to grow and bloom.
The 'nub' you are asking about will not become a sheath - they sheaths develop on still developing growths

Congrats on your new babies! I'm sure you'll do great with them

[Izzie]

Thanks Sonya! Philip, if that photo is any indication, I'm sure yours is beautiful.


Would either of these do well mounted on cork with a lot of sphag?

[Izzie]

Just realized- I just happen to have a vanda basket laying around.
I see that Andy's has C. intermedia mounted, so thought the basket would be a happy medium? With CHC and charcoal?

[SOS]

If youre a windowsill grower in Denver, I wouldnt recommend mounting either. The phal, hydrogen peroxide it if its heavy algaed.

[Izzie]

:/ Hmm. Guess I won't mount, I suspected it might be difficult with our low humidity.

Would the basket be okay for the catt? It's roots are really unhappy in the bark/plastic pot they're in, I've been thinking it would recover better in a more airy situation.

[Brotherly Monkey]

For some reason, stuartianas always reminded me of the predator


http://people.ee.duke.edu/~drsmith/c...g/predator.jpg

[Tropicgirl]

Nice job, Izzie! Can't wait to see your new phal. in bloom! I would think a Catt. would like being in a wooden basket as long as it's not too big. Beautiful plants, you lucky duck!

[jkofferdahl]

Since we moved to the house we're now in (last Fall), most of my plants have been in windows which face either WNW or ENE, so not the best exposure. I greatly supplement the lighting with artificial lights. I tend to keep my Phals on the high side of the tolerable light. The room temperature probably gets down to about 58-60 (with occasional drops to 56 or 57) at night in the winter and up to perhaps 80 or 82 for a high in the summer. Such conditions are quite acceptable for a healthy Phal. stuartiana. The one I pictured is a very young plant, barely large enough to bloom and perhaps half the leaf span it should achieve when "grown up", and still bloomed perhaps 20 or 22 flowers on the spike. I also supplement the humidity with an untrasonic humidifier in the room.

Originally Posted by Izzie

Thanks! Your stuartiana is beautiful. It's certainly one of my favorites. I was SOOOO excited to find this, I never thought they'd have species! Do you keep yours warm and shady? I hope mine will do okay with no extra heat.

I think I will definitely be repotting the catt when it's done blooming. All the bark in there has heavy moss and algae, and the roots just aren't very happy.
I wish I could wait until it started putting out some new roots, but with the pbulbs being somewhat shriveled, I think the sooner the better.

I bought some CHC and charcoal to repot.