Sedirea japonica and winter - Orchid Board

Ffion · #1 09-10-2017, 05:25 PM

I bought my sedirea a year ago, I kept it inside and it almost died last winter. It's been in the garden since March and it's been doing much better, 2 new leaves, third one growing, new roots. It's been in sphagnum moss and I kept it moist all the time and my sedirea really liked it.
But now I intend to leave it out in the garden for the winter, with temperatures going down to 5 degrees (40F) and I just can't picture the wet moss working in these low temps - as during winter dormancy it still needs watering, even if less often.
Should I move it to bark now?

estación seca · #2 09-11-2017, 01:21 AM

Maryanne · #3 09-11-2017, 12:24 PM

Hello Ffion:

I have had my S. japonica for at least 6 years now. It prefers to be mounted, as eventually, I found, the roots rot as they appreciate a lot of air flow around the roots.

I had mine mounted on a wood piece for years until it began to rot, and the roots began to suffer. I moved it to a basket. But - I mounted it to the bottom of the basket. The wood basket is upside down and the plant secured on top of it. I filled some of the holes of the basket with bits of sphagnum moss. Then, I secured some fern fiber to the large top opening, now the bottom. This allows lots of air circulation and drainage.

I have kept mine in my cool/cold greenhouse, but only if there are no spikes forming. Once spikes appear, i move it to the warmer kitchen window so the spikes won't blast.

I do fertilize using a multi-purpose orchid fertilizer, plus a little MSU formula to provide calcium, and occasionally add iron supplement and seaweed/fish supplement.

Did you know that some systematists now consider sedirea a Phal now? huh!?

Good luck and good growing
Maryanne in WMass

Ffion · #4 09-12-2017, 07:22 AM

Hi Maryanne, thank you for your comments

Do you happen to have a photo of your mounted sedirea (I stick to the old name!)? I have all my orchids in pots, I'm not sure I would know how to care for mounted ones - or what to do with them if I go on hols for 2 weeks for the matter!
But I guess I could try to mount this little diva, at least for the coming cold months.

When you say your sedirea is kept in a cool/cold greenhouse, what temperatures do you mean? And how often do you water it in winter?

On the other hand, Japanese growers mount them on sphagnum moss like neofinetias and the winter temperatures there do drop pretty low...

Maryanne · #5 09-12-2017, 09:00 AM

Hello Ffione:

No, I don't have a photo at the moment - so sorry, but if I get a chance, I'll try to remember to take one and post. (I've never posted a photo, can you believe it?)
Anyway, my "little diva," which is exactly what I have called Miss S. japonica, take temperatures from the 90sF down to the low 40s F. That's pretty cool. With cool temps, I reduce watering drastically. I've been taking her into my kitchen for the worst part of winter and whenever there are spikes. It gets into the upper 50s in my East facing kitchen bay window. East seems to be a preferred sun exposure, not West, as West is waning light. A light misting sometimes is enough in cold weather. Better dry than rotted!

When I purchased S. Japonica, it was potted, but soon I discovered root rot. Moved to a mount with small pads of moss, but lots of open area for air. I had to first move the plant to a terrarium, and with one good root left, I let that one root tip barely touch a film of water on the bottom of the container. It sucked up water "through a straw" in that manner and finally recuperated, after several months, enough to move to the mount.

So, Good luck! Don't give up on your little diva yet ; -)
Maryanne

Ffion · #6 09-13-2017, 06:30 AM

Thanks Maryanne, your comments are really helpful.
And I'm not giving up on my sedirea, not at all! It's doing really well right now, happy and growing, I just don't want to waste all this progress during tricky (at least for me) winter time.

jkofferdahl · #7 09-13-2017, 10:26 AM

No matter how you mount, pot, or otherwise care for the plant, temperatures as low as 40 are going to kill a Sederia.

Ffion · #8 09-13-2017, 02:04 PM

And what temperature range would you recommend jkofferdahl?
According to some culture notes, sedirea can go as low as 35F. Obviously I'm not going to keep it at 40s F all the time, it's usually warmer during the day (and in its sunny spot), but during the night the temps might easily drop to 40s F. On the other hand, I've read that growers from warmer climates might sedireas into the fridge overnight, to induce spiking.

Leafmite · #9 09-13-2017, 04:01 PM

Before keeping it outside during the winter, take note of where you bought the orchid (and where it originated). If the person who flasked and grew the orchid is from a warmer climate or raised it in a warm greenhouse, the orchid could be toast if you give it very cold temperatures. If the orchid was raised in an unheated greenhouse in a climate similar to yours and you keep it sheltered from breezes, it will have a better chance. In nature, it is survival of the fittest and so if a seedling cannot endure, it dies pretty quickly and only the toughest live. In a greenhouse, that is not always the case.

jkofferdahl · #10 09-13-2017, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ffion

And what temperature range would you recommend jkofferdahl?
According to some culture notes, sedirea can go as low as 35F. Obviously I'm not going to keep it at 40s F all the time, it's usually warmer during the day (and in its sunny spot), but during the night the temps might easily drop to 40s F. On the other hand, I've read that growers from warmer climates might sedireas into the fridge overnight, to induce spiking.

Sederia japonica is essentially a Phalaenopsis which can tolerate intermediate temperatures, so a cool night of 55-60 isn't going to be fatal, but temperatures much lower will damage or kill your plant. I grow all of mine mixed in with my cool-tolerant Phals. You're welcome, however, to experiment by leaving yours outside at 40 degrees - or, as a test why not let it sit overnight in a refrigerator?