Bulb. lasiochillum on mount in drier conditions and general care suggestions - Orchid Board

Salixx · #1 04-26-2016, 03:28 PM

Okay, so I may not have made the best choice for my little Bulby so I am going to try to do my best for now.

When I received it, it was looking pretty rough and I wasn't exactly happy with the supplier but, I've never had a Bulbo before so I wasn't 100% certain things were amiss. However, the more I read, it seemed like they like a few things things: being mounted, lots of water and a good amount of feedings.

So, I went about buying a cork bark mount, put a thin pad of sphag on it with fishing line and then gently attached the B. lasiochilium on with fishing line. Here is the final result:

It's only been a couple days, so the plant hasn't had time to tell me much and I know that it could take it a while recover from the poor treatment I think it received at the vendor.

Does this look about right? Should there be more moss?

I also have a question about watering and fertilizing. I've currently been heavily misting 2X per day, until the moss is dripping. I mist when the moss is almost completely dry, but I can still feel a bit of moisture. I know Bulbos like water, but I don't want to over do it to the point of rot and I want to help this little guy recover. Also, how often should I fertilize? I've read some contradicting info about it... everything from every day with a misting to weekly. I do eventually plan on moving this guy to a terrarium before next winter... I just need to get the funds to buy one and deck it out with some lighting.

Finally, the quest for the right amount of light. I live in the US in growing zone 5b. My days are getting longer which is good (for me and the plants!). I have the bulbo in a skylight, on the side that never gets direct sunlight (the other side gets full, direct sun from about 7am to 1/2pm). I don't have a functional light meter (yet, got one on my Amazon wishlist though!) so I can't tell you the FC numbers... but, what do you all think? Good light, too much or too little? If it helps, the picture shows a little less light than normal... there's snow on my skylight (yes, snow and its almost May... I'm not happy here in NH).

Also, I have a Bulbophyllum maxillare incoming, at least that's what the seller called it. My research suggests this is a synonym for B. blumei. Can someone confirm this? I'm having trouble finding detailed care recommendations for it... just enough that I thought I might be able to handle it. Does anyone have one that could give me some tips for success? Or direct me to a good spot. If it helps, I am planning on mounting it on an upside-down terracotta pot packed with sphag and sitting in a dish of water.

Also, I'd be more than happy for further success suggestions. I find great pleasure/joy in making my plants extra happy, even if I have to do a lot of work to get there.

Thank you all!

estación seca · #2 04-26-2016, 11:11 PM

Your mounting job looks stellar. You're hired.

The moss looks very dry in the photo. I suspect bulbos don't like getting this dry. The leaves are wrinkled, which means the plant needs more water or less transpiration / more humidity. Or both.

Check Craigslist; keep your eye out for yard sales; look for old aquariums. People sell them quite cheaply. They don't have to be water-tight to be good terrariums if you don't put water on the bottom, and there's nothing underneath that will be damaged by dampness.

They are very easy to seal with aquarium silicone on the inside if you want them water tight. You can use cheaper hardware store silicone if you let it air out for a week before putting plants into it. The cheap stuff releases acetic acid into the air as it cures (the acid in vinegar) and this can kill plants.

You can have a piece of glass cut at your local hardware store for the cover. Larger aquaria have a stability span across the top at the midline; they need two pieces of glass to cover. If you have trouble lifting the glass, attach a wooden drawer pull from the hardware store near one outer edge with some silicone or epoxy. I suggest one of the outer corners so the pull doesn't get in the way of the lights you might eventually buy.

You can't move a terrarium once it's set up unless it's really small. There is a high risk of the glass breaking. Think about this before you set one up, or set it up on a sturdy piece of plywood that extends past the terrarium and is movable by people you can talk into helping. It's rare one person is capable of lifting any terrarium safely, even if on a sturdy platform.

Many Bulbos seem to do OK with bright shade. If you put the terrarium under a skylight, or near a window where the sun never shines on the glass to heat it up and cook the plants, they will probably be OK.

I don't know the answer about fertilizer for Bulbos. Some orchids resent fertilizer; others like it; and others don't much care. I hope somebody responds so I can learn this about Bulbos too.

I also have some mounted Bulbos that don't seem very happy. I have to soak them every day now that it's warm, and they dry out almost completely before the next day. I also suspect my 40%-70% humidity may not be enough for them. What do others think about this?

Optimist · #3 04-27-2016, 09:07 AM

I have been watering mine by literally dunking it in a bucket and letting it drink water for a good 10 minutes. The bulbs should be plump, not desiccated.

Subrosa · #4 04-27-2016, 09:57 AM

I have a tree fern mounted B. baileyii, and it started doing much better when I put it in more humid conditions. I suppose if I could water it 3x a day or more reliably, or if I potted it I could keep it outside for the summer, but it definitely does better in a terrarium for me now.

Salixx · #5 04-27-2016, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Optimist

I have been watering mine by literally dunking it in a bucket and letting it drink water for a good 10 minutes. The bulbs should be plump, not desiccated.

I will start doing that every morning before work and then run them under room temp water as needed in the evening/when I get home from work. I also have an idea in my head for a temporary terrarium I could hang over it where it is currently situated that I have at least some materials for that I could start today. Eventually, I would like to get the smallest Exo Terra terrium or a nano cube type aquarium (I like the dimensions as opposed to traditional aquariums).

I didn't think the pseudobulbs or leaves should be so shriveled. I only received this plant on April 14th (have had it about two weeks). It came like that, only held in the pot by rotting bulbs packed into sphag. Most of the bulbs were hanging out of the pot and three were actually broken off and wrapped around another plant I received... and the instructions sent with them said not to repot for 30 days! I got two other orchids in that order and nothing looked happy... I won't buy from them again

. Sorry /endrant

Thank you all for your help thus far!

---------- Post added at 01:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:00 PM ----------

Edit to add:
I know that it looks dry in the picture and forgot to put in my first post that I had soaked the moss down with spray bottle maybe 30min prior to taking the picture. It was quite wet... I'm not sure what about my phone camera caused it to be so washed out, but I haven't been letting it dry completely.

u bada · #6 05-10-2016, 03:00 AM

One of the main reasons bulbos need lots of water is because their roots take up water rather slowly compared to the thicker vellumed, white roots of other orchids... those pbulbs look pretty dessicated, although the newer pbulbs look ok... i suggest you dunk in a bucket of water for a full day while you're gone for work. maybe a few days of that, letting it dry at night.

I myself got a cutting that's been sitting in moss for months and months and no new growth. Most bulbos people grow are warm growers, so once things stay relatively warm/hot I'm assuming this one will finally get in gear, but definitely give it time and lots of soaking, and patience.

I did grow this one years ago fairly well and it's not the most needy of high humidity and gobs of water, but it has to be established with lots of pbulbs to get to that toughness, and secondly it definitely needs higher light to flower well, so eventually it should handle some direct morning light if you acclimate it well.

jmmehler · #7 05-10-2016, 10:11 AM

I keep seeing Bulbophyllums (or as we, here in the south, call em 'bubba' fillums) mounted on tree fern and bark.

My buddy Ronnie B, mounts his on oasis blocks (from the florists) and sets them in saucers full of water. I keep mine in very wet soggy conditions too, planted in spaghnum, or spaghnum bark mixture, and watered often. They seem fat and happy that way.

All I can come up with is that those who successfully mount on tree fern or cork, must have very humid conditions, and mist several times a day.

Salixx · #8 05-15-2016, 03:17 PM

Thank you all for your suggestions. I have purchased an Exoterra 12 X 12 X 18'' terrarium for my little Bulby and a few others. Once I get it, I'll have a better idea of the kind of space I have in it and may get a few more plants/orchids for it... I need a better visual on it first and need ideas on how I will be 'scaping it.

I also bought this for lighting for it:
Amazon.com : Nicrew LED Aquarium Hood Lighting Fish Tank Light for Freshwater and Saltwater, Blue and White Light : Pet Supplies and I also have a USB computer fan coming for air movement.

I must say I am a little confused about lighting though. Is this lighting enough? Too much? The other plants I currently plan on putting in the terrarium are a Paph. Greyi and an Aerangis fastuosa. Can plants "burn" under LED? What happens if a low light plant gets high, but cool, light from an LED? Sorry, I know this is going beyond my B. lasiochillum...

estación seca · #9 05-15-2016, 03:58 PM

LED lighting for growing plants is a more complex issue than previous kinds of lighting for growing plants.

A lot of the lights sold for aquariums are not very good for plants, aquatic or non-aquatic, and others are OK. A lot of LED non-aquatic plant lights are good for plants, and others are not.

There is not enough information on the Amazon page to tell whether your light is good for orchids.

I suggest you read about lighting here on Orchid Board. There is a whole forum devoted to this:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...-under-lights/

u bada · #10 05-15-2016, 06:03 PM

I've used a similar light fixture and can tell you that is not enough light.

In fact, i can say I've tried a fair amount of LED light fixtures and still feel like i don't have enough light, even with combining two fixtures per growing case (orchidarium, terrarium, I have 2)... I just got a very intense fixture and nothing has burned...

definitely go through information as per estacion seca's link... and elsewhere on here, very informative notes on lighting on this forum.

paph greyi and the b. lasciohilum will need a very intense LED light setup. the aerangis fastuosum might be ok with not as intense.