Stanhopea and Gongora culture advice needed!
 

I've admired the flowers of these genera for years, and I've tried growing them a few times. All of my attempts have failed miserably, so I have to be doing something wrong. I think they'll do well outdoors where I live: warm, humid, lower light, but I haven't been successful yet.

Anyone have any advice?

Do you mean you killed them or thy just haven't bloomed? Just curious.

I've killed them...I have one Stan. tigrina that still has green bulbs, but it hasn't put out a new growth or roots in at least a year. I'm assuming there are no more dormant eyes, and it will eventually die off.

Well, I'm new to both, but I haven't killed them, yet, lol... My question is how warm are we talking? I bring both in before temps hit too high. They can't take hot, but it depends upon your definition. They also want constant moisture, but not sopping wet 24/7z".

I'm wanting to learn myself, but trying to help. Please default to others experiences with these as I'm new myself.

I'm in South Louisiana, so it routinely gets into the 80s/90s in the summer. I do have them in a shady spot, though.

They want a lot of shade from my understanding. 90's might be an issue but I think 80's should be fine based on my limited experience and knowledge. They tend to be more intermediate orchids from what I understand and 90's wouldn't qualify if it's an average. Once on a while might be ok, but not constant/

I'll shoot a few pics of them in the wild in the morning. This place is loaded with them.I wish I had a light meter but I'm guessing vanda/cattleya conditions in the states.

Here is Keven Bush's culture notes.

growing culture stanhopea orchids

I grow them in Catt. light in CHC watered twice a week, spring through fall. Rarely water in the winter because I grow them outdoors here. Temps are 40-100. Humidity is about 40 on average. Fert every watering. There very easy too grow out here in Cal.

In Hawaii I would grow my narrow leaved Stans and Gongoras in Catt light as well. The wide leaves species seemed to do better in Phalaenopsis light. I also fertilzed mine a lot and had them in hanging baskets with nothing but spag. I watered every day, though there was usually a 5-25mph trade wind blowing all the time. Do you have any pics of the Stans that you have kept alive? What are your growing conditions like beyond what have already mentioned? I ask because you have described pretty good conditions for Stans!! There must be something else at work that you haven't mentioned.

Steve, I thought the same about my conditions but I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. I grew them with my mounted plants, so they got watered pretty much everyday. Grown in metal baskets with sphag. Lower light (I bloomed Catts. in the same place, but my very few Phals and Aerangis seem quite happy there as well)

My only "alive" plant is a leafless bunch of light green pseudobulbs still in the basket. All of my others have died.

How are they dying? Rot, root loss, dropping leaves, ect.

Definitely post a pic of the leafless bunch! We can usually tell a lot more from a pic. It sounds like you may have been one of the few people that overwatered your Stans!! I watered everyday, but that was with a strong tradewind and 60% humidity. With higher humidity and less wind (which I'm guessing is the case for you), you may rotted the plants. Don't forget the fact that some Stans like a good dry rest in winter. I often stopped watering my tigrina and jenischiana for several months straight in the winter.

Hi Goods14.

I am a Stanhopea Aficionado, and I have more than a few Stanhopea plants under cultivation.
I humbly hope that I can provide you a bit of advice ...

Stanhopea plants will thrive in conditions as follows :
-------------------------------------------------

- compost : Sphagnum, not decomposed(!), in a basket or plastic pot(*);
- daytime temperature about 25°C or 77°F, and
- nighttime temperature about 18°C or 65°F;
- relative humidity 60% to 90%, and
- a fresh breeze(!), for a few hours every day;
- dappled light ("Cattleya light");
- daily watering(**) >> and no danger of any roots to rot, because Sphagnum is rather sterile;
- 1000 ppm per week of a good-quality fertilizer or, better, 150 ppm per day;
fertilizer dissolved in water sprayed onto the compost until fertilizerwater drops out below.
Note : most people under-fertilize their Stanhopea plants ...

You may check the provisions you have been able to provide for your Stanhopea plants against
the listing compiled above ...

Cheers :) ,
Manfred.
(*) a newly arrived plant grows it's new roots better when in a plastic pot; after a year move into a basket.
(**) no dubious water overloaded with miscellaneous molecular substances, rainwater is best.