Best bulbo potting methods?

[ZWUM]

Very loose sphagnum in terra-cotta pots.

I mainly grow bulbo's and its important to realize that they like air at the roots just as much as they like moisture. If any mix is too compact, whether its sphagnum or bark mix etc, the plants won't grow well.

Another method that I've been very successful with is hygrolon or Aquamat growth fabric layered on top of a piece of pond filter or industrial scouring pad. I sit that in a tray of water and the material wicks up the water keeping the plant moist while providing a ton of fresh air to the roots.


-Zach

[RosieC]

I'm actually going to amend my previous comment that both my one in bark and my one in moss seem to do well.

Having repotted both recently the one in moss was definitely doing better and has much better roots. I now have them both in wooden baskets in moss and hopefully the one transferred from bark will like is as much as the other has.

[Discus]

I have one bulbophyllum in bark [echinolabium] (it limps along) several mounted, which have taken off since I added sphagnum to the mount to keep them more damp for longer [lobbi, purpurascens, laxiflorum], and one with a layer of sphagnum moss over LECA in a net pot, which seems fairly happy [inunctum].

Aside from the laxiflorum, I have yet to flower any of them.

[gnathaniel]

I'm starting to grow more of mine like Zach and Dan do, in airy media and sitting in shallow trays to make moisture constantly available. I'm also going to try some miniature clumping types in S/H, probably using large stalite since I'm out of LECA. I'll report back in a few months...

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Call_Me_Bob

For the moisture loving Bulbos I have, I pot them with sphagnum moss in plastic pots

Hi Bob, question, I have pretty big Bulbophyllum Rufinum, and I would love to separate part and make new mounted one. I have no clue how to separate bulbophyllums, any tips? I do not want to screw this, I am familiar now only with keikis from Dendrobiums and Phals, but never separated Bulbo??? Many thanks for tip

[Island Girl]

Tommy, you might actually get a better response if you start a new thread...

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

Tommy, you might actually get a better response if you start a new thread...

I think so, I didn't want to start another one, I feel like I am sucking info from everyone about everything:-) But there is no response so I will try new one:-) Many thanks

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by gnathaniel

I'm starting to grow more of mine like Zach and Dan do, in airy media and sitting in shallow trays to make moisture constantly available. I'm also going to try some miniature clumping types in S/H, probably using large stalite since I'm out of LECA. I'll report back in a few months...

Do you have an update on the S/H bulbos?

I just could not maintain consistent moisture, no matter what I did conventionally. Looking to try another bulbo soon, so hoping S/H worked for you.

[kindrag23]

mine are in orchid moss with my schomburgkia right now since it is so little in a vanda basket hanging on my porch. It seems happy happy happy now

[gnathaniel]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

Do you have an update on the S/H bulbos?

I just could not maintain consistent moisture, no matter what I did conventionally. Looking to try another bulbo soon, so hoping S/H worked for you.

I ended up mounting most of the ones I'd planned for s/h, so not much to report. One (treschii/plumatum) that is in s/h grew great earlier this year, but then I went out of town for 10 days with it sitting in full sun and the reservoir dried out, so now it's back to being fried and half-dead. Other than my incompetence it does seem to work well for that species, anyway...