Orchid Culture: Bulbophyllum, Coelogyne, Eria, Phaius

[blrnut]

Hi,

I got a few new species and am looking for the culture requirements for the foll:

Bulbophyllum, Eria, Phaius, Coelogyne, Thunia

Most of the plants that I got were Interm-warm growing plans (atleast what I could make of from IOSPE).

Also, what are the best potting mediums for the same. I have the foll potting media at hand:
coconut husk pieces, Charcoal, broken pot pieces, Perlite+vermiculite mix, peat.


TIA,
Satish

[lanhua]

Satish, for all these species I'm using mixture of small pieces of pine bark. It's a most popular substrate in Germany. In your case you can use coconut husk with charcoal. I would not use Perlite. Bulbophyllum I would mount on wood.

[blrnut]

Thanks, Ianhua. The only problem with mounting is I grow my plants outside and the humidity is pretty low now and I will not be able to spray it couple of times a day I was planning to pot the bulbos in coco husk as well. Any problems that you see with this? My typical water regime has been misting the plants every day and try to water the plants every week.

[lanhua]

Satish, no problem so far. I talked last Saturday with my friends living in Kerela, also I know the weather condition in India, but in May when the monsoome come you will get enough humidity and enought water. In this time will be not necessary to mist or watering your orchids. Am I right? Bangalore near by should grove many nice orchids. Could you post some pictures. Enjoy your orchids.

[blrnut]

hi Ianhua, Yes. I do plan to cut down on misting with the onset of monsoon (eagerly waiting as the heat has suddenly started to soar: highs touching 90F. BTW, how do I pot up Gastrochilus (acutifolium)? I read they are vandaceous. So, should I go with charcoal or would coconut husk be better?


I only have 2 vandas, a spathyglottis and an epidendrum in bloom right now. There are 3 phals, a vanda in spike. Looks like the dendrobiums have woken up from their deep slumber and can see tiny pointy growths on the pseudobulbs. Hopefully they are spikes emerging rather than keikis. Will post once I have them in bloom.


-Satish

[lanhua]

What kind of Vandas do you have? India native species?

[blrnut]

The currently flowering ones are hybrids. I have couple of indian vanda species (stangeana, parishii, alpina, cristata, pumila, teres), but they are still seedlings. Hopefully they will flower this monsoon or atleast next year

[lanhua]

Satish,
Vanda parishi, valid name is Hygrochilus parishi. My plant has already many buds.