Trying to raise humidity for Haraella retrocalla
 

Not sure this is the right place as this isn't really a Terrarium and I'm not really a terrarium grower... but someone at a show I went to was once demonstrating how terrariums could be made of anything and some could be quite small.

I'm looking for comments on whether this attempt to raise humidity for my Haraella retrocalla is likely to help. It's based on knowing that moist air falls, and so I'm hoping that even though the top is completely open it will still raise humidity around the plant.

I bought this plant in November and since then it's leaves have noticably wrinkled. The seller said they water twice a week in the winter, but I soon decided that was not enough and went up to daily, even twice some days, and still it's very wrinkled and drying very very quickly.

I believe this plant is one that appreciates high humidity so I've trying to work out how to do that, while it's too cold in my more humid greenhouse.

So this is basically a 2liter pop bottle with the top cut off. The plant mount hangs on the side, I put a little bit of water in the bottom, not touching the mount. Then hang the whole lot back in the window where the mount used to hang.

So... is it going to help, do I need to try and close in the top (possibly putting the top of the bottle back over it :dunno:)

This is in the house where winter humidity is not massively low, but is still lowish due to central heating.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2814/1...1aeae1c8e7.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5527/1...133c7f5a52.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5541/1...67966fa651.jpg

I bought a little water-bottle humidifier, and it's made a huge difference for my seedlings. You can spend $60 on Air-O-Swiss, or 1/4 as much on a chinese-made knockoff, and they both work just as well. It's a tiny unit with the footprint of a small cell phone, and the reservoir is an overturned water bottle. I fill it with RO water twice a day (1 litre bottle), and my seedlings are basking in 80% RH while the rest of the windowsill makes do with 40%. Here's a photo of the Swiss-made unit:

Home Hardware - Travel Ultrasonic Humidifier

I was told to never let mine dry out. It was mounted on a stick about 15 mm in diameter and 10 cm long, and I simply suspended it with the bottom 2-3 cm constantly in the water. It was over an aquarium, but I seriously doubt the humidity ever hit 70% and probably averaged 50% or less. It did fine, putting on new leaves, roots and blooming for me. I've since moved it into a terrarium with constant high humidity, and it does seem to be growing faster, but it certainly wasn't a necessary move.

There are small hanging glass globes that might work, Rosie, especially if you put some damp moss at the bottom. They are round or pear-shaped and have a hole in one side and a loop at the top for hanging.

Nice solution! I do something similar with my carnivores plants outside.
The globe or pear shaped hanging planter is a great idea.
They are attractive, would easily fit a retrocalla, maintain high humidity, and have great air flow.
They sell them in multiple sizes.
The most common around here is marketed as a tillarium? I think...
This one doesn't have the orchid inside but you get the idea.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/22/agy7ahyv.jpg
A nice wide mouth.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/22/u6ymyjem.jpg
And vent holes at the top.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/01/22/6utuneru.jpg

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Thanks everyone :)

The good news is that this morning the roots did not look completely dry. I watered it when putting it in the setup and it hadn't dried overnight which it usually would. However I had watered twice yesterday, which might also be the reason, so I'll keep an eye over the next few days.

Interesting humidifier ALToronto, might have to think about that for my small areas in my greenhouse that I want to keep higher humidity. The problem is here that it's in the house and I don't really want to raise humidity in the area as a whole, not sure I could contain it in an area with out raising humidity in the whole house.

Interesting idea Subrosa about having the mount always in water. I wondered if I should bring the water up a bit in this setup but I'm worried about going to far the other way (I worry a lot :coverlaugh:).

Ron & Ordphien, I actually have a small one of those pear shaped globes that I used to keep a lepanthes calodictyon in. I think I would have to find a larger size for this though. It did cross my mind yesterday to use that, but the one I have is too small to use with the mount as well, and I don't want to disturb the roots at this time of year to pot it into moss or something. I think I will look out for some of the larger globes (they had some when I bought the one for the lepanthes) in the summer when I hope to go to an international show, I think they are sold by a US or South American nursery.

The problem I think I had with the lepanthes was that it got to warm and cooked inside the globe, so I would have to be careful with where I put it, especially in the winter when most light places also have radiators under them... I think that's what did in the lepanthes.

Rosie, it will work. One of mine is mounted on the piece of wood attached to the drift wood that is inside the vase, on the bottom of the vase is life sphagnum and little bit of the water. That guy is sitting above it, and it's very happy, growing well and in spike for past 4 months nonstop. The life sphagnum and water on the bottom create enough humidity, top is also open, no fens or anything else for this setup!
PS: Something must be seriously GOOD in this setup, even the cutting of my Scaphyglottis prolifera that is on the top of the drift wood has OPEN BLOOM now! I had that sucker for years, it did never bloom outside till this fall when it gave me 1 bloom only on the huge mother plant, this guy gets hardly some water, and it is just a small cutting, and it has 2 blooms already!!!

Thanks for the photo & description of yours Tommy, that looks really good. Mine is definitely not aesthetic, but if it can be successful in increasing humidity I'll be happy :)

Good news is some of the roots are still green when I've got home tonight, usually it would have completely dried by now :)

Thank you,AlToronto
I got 2 of them today ( they where 50% off ) I was looking for them because my other small one died on me -they work great- :)

I have mine mounted but it has way more moss around the roots. I have it about an inch above water in a vase. I also water everyday-everyother day. It does not like dry moss at all. Also have you considered purchasing a cheap humidifier for your place? It could be a good way to bring up the humidity all round...

I had the same problem with humidity. For the past year and half, I have been growing mine in fully enclosed a clear plastic cube. It is mounted on a large lava rock, bare-root, and water that is on the bottom of the cube is wicked up to keep the roots moist. I add water every couple of months. These pictures are a little old but, hopefully, this will give you an idea how I am growing it. I actually ordered a second one of these as I'm so fond of them...and I have a second cube. :)

Rosie I have globe shaped glass similar to this and they do not dry out evenly or fast for me. I'm not sure of this orchid so maybe that will be fine. I still use mine but use ecoweb cubes now as the medium but have to water more often. Thankfully I have my grow tent a wicked efficient humidifier.


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Thanks for the ideas and comments guys :)

The really good news is that since I put it in this setup the leaves have lost their wrinkles and the new leaf has put on a growth spurt (it seemed to have stalled before).

I was looking at the plant this morning and feeling sure it was looking better, now when I compare to the pictures above I'm certain it's looking so much heathier :biggrin:

Based on what Subrosa said about having the base of the mount in water, I've let the mount just (really only just) touch the water at the bottom some days. That seems to have helped as well and keeps the plant moist all day. I do like it to dry slightly sometimes (though not completely like it used to do within a few hours) and so adjust the water level slightly some days to let it dry a bit more.

I'm really glad that I realised humidity was the problem for this little one :)

I'm so happy that it is doing well, now. Yay! :)

I am surprised not one has mentioned to you the obvious. a) the plant's leaves are showing signs of dehydration but the roots are great. SOLUTION: You need to raise the humidity by placing the plant in an enclosed environment (coffee plastic jar or mix nuts jar) Do not use a glass jar because they tend to heat up very quickly. b) The plant is upside-down. SOLUTION: One of my haraellas came positioned just like yours. The crown of the plant should point up or the plant will spend energy trying to rectify its position. It looks nice the way it is but with time the plant's new growth will make a u turn and point up. Then you will have a crooked plant. Should you use this method you will not have to worry about watering, humidity levels, disease or insects. Since 10/2014 I have my haraellas under this conditions and they are doing great. Care free growth. Check my other postings for pix of the haraellas in their tropical-condos. I hope I have been of help to you. Guido

Thanks Guido,

Raising humidity is exactly what I'm doing with the old soda bottle, you don't need it enclosed at the top because humid air is heavier than dry air so it sinks and stays in the bottle.

I asked this over two years ago and I can say that the solution worked great :biggrin: However now it's in a glass vase (again open at the top) and the hook of the mount hangs on the side of the vase.

There are decorative stones in the bottom and always water in the bottom. Sometimes the base of the mount sits just in the water a the mount wicks the water a little. It likes that as well.

The plant hasn't tried to turn up towards the light, it seems to grow fine downwards. It's latest leaves are bigger than older ones which I take as a good sign, and if's flowered lots of times in the last two years. In fact I have a couple of photos of the last flower I keep meaning to post.

I think the mount is getting a bit old though now after a two years, it's cork and it's starting to crumble. I think I'm going to re-mount it soon.