Masdevallia potting...

[Vanda lover]

I think that the vase culture for masdie's seems more like s/h because the water wicks up to the plant. The vandas are bare root with vase culture. I can tell you they really do well in vase culture.

[Vanda lover]

I hate sports fanatics

[DelawareJim]

What????? No hockey????? Say, you're a transplant aren't you!

Cheers.
Jim

Lets Go Pens!

[DelawareJim]

Originally Posted by Paul Mc

Deleware Jim, actually RJ's original article about doing this with masdie's was more of an s/h method. He used LECA in the bottom of the vase, about half filled, and then stuffed the rest with live moss leaving just enough room for a net pot at the top to seal up the opening with and for the plant to sit in. It's a micro-environment.

I haven't considered using coconut husk and might have to look into that, but given my success thus far with sphag I might not change it. Of course, this is the only time I've ever had success with just pure sphag and perlite, lol... So that's subject to change possibly.

Here's your link to vase culture.

Thanks for the link Paul. I'm going to have to give this a try with one of my divisions. I've got a couple of glass betta bowls and some glass bulb vases that look like they might do the trick.



Cheers.
Jim

[Vanda lover]

Those look like they should work, and they are pretty too.

[Paul Mc]

Vanda Lover, it is a modified s/h method I believe. Sorry, I'm not very scientific minded, but I believe that is where the idea comes from for RJ Squirrel. I only modified it based upon my readings of vase culture for vanda's, RJ's thread for masdie's, and my own personal experience buildling a terrarium. I noticed that in terrariums if there is a body of water present then the humidity rises automatically. Leaving a basin of water in a vase or fish bowl that was sealed by the pot's upper lip but open in the bottom with sphag filling made a lot of sense given masdie's like more moisture than general orchids.

It's an experiment for me based upon my reading and silly thought processes, but it seems to be working thus far. In fact, I think I may see the start of a flower nub in one of them as of today!!! Keeping my fingers crossed. I've wanted masdie's for years now, lol...

Deleware Jim!!!! Where did you get those?!!!! OMG! I'm in absolute LOVE with them!!!! (to quote the pelicans from the movie Nemo) Mine... Mine... Mine... Mine.... lol....

[Vanda lover]

I think that it is ingenious. It makes a lot of sense. I've been thinking of trying a dendrobium cuthbertsonii again, and that would work well. The only thing is that sphagnum moss is hard to get here. We are surrounded my rain forest mosses and I may experiment to see if there is one that will work.

[DelawareJim]

Paul, I've had some for years. Google glass bulb vase. I actually "borrowed" the pic from The Growers Exchange.
Glass Bulb Vase - The Growers Exchange

Cheers.
Jim

[Starla]

My masdies are doing brilliantly in their vases! Both growing new leaves as we speak (type). I will try to get some pics up later.

One issue is slight greeness developing in the bottom of the vase. I dont want to disturb the plant by cleaning the vase out all the time. Its a good 4 inches away from the root ball so I dont think it will be a problem will it?!

[Discus]

Originally Posted by Vanda lover

IWe are surrounded my rain forest mosses and I may experiment to see if there is one that will work.

Not sure exactly where you are in BC relative to this, Bryophytes of Stanley Park | Species Accounts , but there are wild sphagnum species around your parts - you can probably grow masdevallias quite happily in live moss.

Someone in South Africa tried this with Disa, and it works quite well -
Orchids
I also came across this when trying to remember where I'd seen the link above:
Live Moss Culture