Got an offer... advice about potting
 

Hello, my friends

My mother gave me thse gifts. She and my father went to Madeira Island on vacations and brought these.
Now I need some potting advice...
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8f7i4vc6.jpg

Oncidiums
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psaw59vx2o.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...pskjxjg6l1.jpg

one more Oncidium
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psgxho4yze.jpg

Next two I'm not really sure what they are:
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psusbdij96.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psaabwuv2h.jpg

http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psugargdmk.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psc22ngbck.jpg

And a stanhopea Wadii which is completely new to me.
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psuiiqpg3t.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...pshvtvfkww.jpg

Oncidium I will pot them in small pots just to fit the pbulbs with litle extra room, using medium bark.

The unknown, maybe will get the same "treatment". Advice needed.
About the stanhopea, I really have no clue how to pot it.

The borboleta looks like a zygopetalum to me. :)

Borboleta means butterfly in Portuguese.:)
I've read a zygopetalum care sheet and I think it will be ok, in summer, in north faced window with good indirect light (where I've grown sucessfully phaps, dens and Oncidiums). This is the coolest window I have in summer (please note temps here rise to 100 F and higher in summer) with temps in the mid 70's during the day.

In winter I can move it to a south faced window to keep the temps warmer. That's where I grow my phals and catt.

About the Stanhopea...I can see this is a different "animal"...:lol:
I've potted it in a common pot but since the flowers grow from the side of the plant what I need is a basket.

My problem is to find sphagnum moss where I live...I can't find it anywhere...what alternative mediums should I use to retain the humidity more than bark?

I believe the one called "bananinha" is a Xylobium variegatum or something under this genera, which sits nicely in my north faced window.

I live in Valencia, which is a simiar latitude to yours, and my zygos live outside, in a balcony facing north, all the year long. They get lots of light, but no direct sun. I have them in bark, in terracotta pots, and they are very happy.

I end up welding my own Stan baskets, because I simply can't find anything that works.

If you want, this is a god place to get Shag from, it's quite good quality.

Orchids-shop.eu - Your online shop for orchids

For the baskets, I can find vanda baskets made of wood. Might be cheap and, for now, fit the purpose.
Now, about the sphagnum, I need it now 'cause the pbulbs are out of the medium for, at least, two weeks so I think it's urgent to pot them.

Any alternative to sphagnum? I could use bark with increased watering...:scratchhead:

---------- Post added at 01:36 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:20 PM ----------

In fact we have both mediterranean climate but Valência must be influenced by the sea while here is more continental. Although temps are almost similar, humidity is probably not the same. Here we have something more like Sevilha, with humidities under 20% in summer. Also in winter, we have several days with frost which I believe won't happen in Valência.

You can use perlite, vermiculite or rinsed coconut fiber for now to keep them moist. Some of those don't look very good. Be hopeful, but also be prepared for less than 100% success.

Update...
No noticeable activity except for one of the oncidiums, which came to my hands already with an "eye" ready to grow.
I also think the zigopetalum has some roots growing.
They were potted 3 weeks ago and are now placed in the window where I have oncidiums (temps around 66 to 72 F (19 to 22ºC).
I've been watering them with a syringe around the pbulbs every two days (we've been with 50% humidity) to avoid soaking the medium but now temps are increasing and the humidity is on the upper upper 30-low 40's %. Depending on the evolution, maybe I'll water them every day.
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psj4npvaou.jpg
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psdit8u5gs.jpg

And my stanhopea, in a south window, full shade, temp around 75 F (24ºC) and %upper 30's (watered with the same method every two days but thinking about everyday.
http://i1343.photobucket.com/albums/...psknjdqjje.jpg

And now the wait :yawn: