Have you grown a masdavellia successfully?

[wintergirl]

Here is a quick picture of my Masdevallia erinacea in bloom right now.

[jmccoy]

Thank you everyone so much for your input! I am so elated by the amount of responses! I will try to keep my humidity a little lower for the sake of my walls and look for the good hybrids mentioned and see how things go.

As far as summer temps here it can get pretty warm so I may need a air conditioner but my room is on the northwest facing side of the house so it stays cooler then other rooms.

---------- Post added at 05:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:26 PM ----------

Originally Posted by AJW

This info was given to me by an internationally respected orchid grower since past away: (George Fuller MBE)
"Some times its good to go back to basics with our orchid growing by this I mean those key elements.Light, Temp, Water, Fert, Air movement."
The temps described in the above text all seem to be right on the low side but getting a bit high when they go above 75f. mine tend to sit within 40 - 70f. Light recommended needs to be such that you can hold your hand around 1 foot from the plant and not see a shadow. The plant medium is best when fine and moist remembering that misting mainly impacts on the flowers or leafs. I use a fine grade 2 pine bark. Ferts should be weak (about 1/6th strength) and applied when plant medium is wet . The element we often forget being air movement. A light draft should be flowing over the plants at all times a a strength that can be felt but not make the plant foliage move, this tends to take care of humidity. High humidity tends to cause black spots to appear on the leaf of Masdevilla I have attached a couple of Masdevilla photos from my collection

This is very helpful and thanks for the pictures. They look so pretty!

[AJW]

My pleasure keep in touch

[jmccoy]

Suprisingly brad's greenhouse on youtube posted a wonderful video

[Poohbie]

My Dracula lotax is putting out tons of new growth but I killed all 3 of my masdies(erinaceae, floribunda and discoidea) how ironic lol. Btw all 4 of them were on Kool logs

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by Poohbie

My Dracula lotax is putting out tons of new growth but I killed all 3 of my masdies(erinaceae, floribunda and discoidea) how ironic lol. Btw all 4 of them were on Kool logs

Sorry about your loss. Why do you think they died? Did you keep water in the logs? Were they too wet? I just bought 2 new species that I mounted on Kool logs. I got Masdevallia paivaeana & a Masdevallia coccinea. I know the amount of wetness depends on how you place the s moss and how much you use too. Some of my mounts tend to be wetter than others.

Glad your Dracula is doing well. Is it on a Kool log?

[mtorchid]

My Masd Fire Queen limped along in moss. I transferred it to a S/H environment and it's thriving. I think the constant evaporation of the LECA clay pebbles helps keep the roots cooler. I keep it in a cool, bright part of the house with others that don't like the 'hot room'- Dens Anosmum, Frosty Dawn and Neo Falcata.