Newbie questions

[shakkai]

Hi everyone! Just joined, and the information here looks fantastic. I have successfully grown and flowered a couple of Masdevallia, a Brassia Eternal Wind 'Summer Dream', and an Enc. 'Octopussy'. I have just added Oncidium ornithorhynchum, Brassia Chieftain, and a Restrepia dodsonii.

I'd like to put the Mas. and the Restrepia into a terrarium. First, would this make sense, or am I taking risks? Would any of the others be suitable for the same terrarium, do you think? Does anyone else here grow any of these others in their terrariums?

The new ones are young plants. The only large plant I have is the Brassia Eternal Wind 'Summer Dream'.

Any advice welcome! As this will be a new venture for me.

Many thanks in advance,
Shakkai

[littlefrog]

Restrepias in general do excellently for me in terrariums (I have one blooming right now). It depends a bit on which species of masdevallia you have, but I'd say they would all do well in terrariums, if you can meet the temperature requirements.

The ornithorhynchum will do well in a terrarium too!

[shakkai]

Thanks, littlefrog! That was a quick reply. :-)

Both of my Masdevallias are hybrids: Aquarius and Mary Staal.

I had a beautiful orange with purple hairs that was just stunning. Then we got sent to India for 2 years, so I gave to a teammate to look after and he killed it. So, I'm starting again...

So, these four will go into the set up. The Brassias the Encyclia will stay separate.

I tried to be careful to choose ones which best suited my climate (I'm in the UK) - and both Mas. have re-flowered nicely just sitting on my kitchen windowsill. I want to move them into a terrarium because I know they could do with higher humidity. They sometimes get too dry which causes new leaves to fold and crinkle... Hopefully being in the terrarium will fix that.

Many thanks again! I'm going off to look at all the wonderful pictures of the setups you guys have here!

Cheers,
Shakkai

[Ross]

Welcome aboard! Yes please explore the whole board as there is a lot here to absorb. Hope to hear from you on your experiences and to have you share things with us.

[Tindomul]

Hi,
One thing I learned is to not grow Masdevallias with sphagnum moss in humid terrariums. They will rot.
I grow Masdevallia rolfiana, M. tovarensis, M. barlaeana, and M. floribunda. Its a shot gun approach. See which ones survive. The M. floribunda and M. barlaeana and M. rolfiana seem to be doing well, putting on new roots and leaves. But the M. tovarensis, which is a bit large, and growing in Sphag(I know, I broke my own rule) is doing nothing, and lost two flower buds.

[shakkai]

Hi Tin, Yes. I read your post about losing the Masdie to rot, most probably because of the sphagnum.

I have been debating what to do when I put mine in the terrarium. They have been growing happily for a year now in pots with bark. I mentioned in one post that I have found it somewhat difficult to keep the humidity high enough in this situation, hence the move to wanting them in a terrarium. That said, they weren't in flower when I bought them, but they have both flowered twice in the past year; and they seem to continually be adding new leaves, so they must be at least moderately happy.

But, you're right, I don't want the opposite problem rot either! Especially in a cool environment. I guess I really want to keep everything nearly the same, but add a bit more humidity around the roots. Our humidity here is pretty high to begin with: on 'dry' like today, humidity is 52%, tomorrow it will be 81%. Of course, its slightly drier inside the house than outside...

The ones that you have that aren't in Sphagnum, how are you growing them? Are they mounted?

I'm thinking that if I can find a nice log like thing with an indentation or hollow, I can leave some of the bark around the roots and attach my Masdies there.

Then I just need to get a few more so that I have a brilliant display of bright purples, oranges, yellows, etc.

Many thanks, I can't wait to exchange some photos with you when mine next flower.

Cheers,
Shannan
Winchester, UK

[Tindomul]

Hi, yes I have mine mounted, except one which is still in Sphagnum moss. I know, I know, I should not do that. But i have slowly been removing the Sphag from the little basket to get the plant used to sphagless conditions. I also need to keep it in the basket because I have no other way to mount that one in the orchidarium. Its too big and heavy, and I havent got enough room anymore, unless it is in a dark dark spot. Don't want that. I will post pictures tonight of how the Masdies I have are doing so you can get a better idea.

[shakkai]

Thanks again for the great pictures - they really do show what you've done very well. Great post!

I am trying to take what I've been picking up here and apply them to my own environment/situation/needs. I think there are two main differences, and I would like to get everyone's opinion before I go off and end up killing some of my plants!

Difference #1: I have very little trouble keeping the temps in the correct range, so no need to any fans, etc. I was hoping to just use an aquarium (not upturned) and keep the top open to provide the air movement.

Difference #2: The place with the right temps is right by a window, so I was hoping to just use the natural light from the window (frosted glass, south facing - so quite bright, but no direct sun). This would mean that I couldn't cover the 'back' like Tin has done as that would block out a lot of the light. So I am going to have to make the most of using the bottom and the sides.

One of the 'bog' wood pieces that I just got has a nice 'hollow' then a branch that rises up vertically with a spur that is just begging for an orchid on it. Do you think that putting one of the Masdies in the hollow (upright, not hanging) would be okay? It is currently growing in a plastic pot in bark, the roots are nice and white w/green tips and it grows new leaves continuously.

I have a very short list of the plants I want to grow in this:

M. Aquarius
M. Mary Staal
M. rolfeana - on its way!
Restrepia dodsonii
Oncidium ornithorhynchium (mounted towards the top closest to the window)
Dryadella hirtzii - on its way!

Would the Kefersteinia tolimensis also fit in here?

If I can tuck in another small Madsie or two, I will be very pleased... I have my eye on an M. davisii and M. veitchiana - both of which appear to be able to grow as terrestrials, so might be a good bet for the bottom.

Thanks very much for all of the information. I am really excited about this. I only hope that mine turns out half as beautiful as your photos!

Cheers,
Shannan
Winchester, UK

[Tindomul]

I've never thought of growing Masdies terrestrially. I didn't know you could do that.
With the top of your viv open, you can safely use direct light, but since you are using Masdies, I would reccomend against it as temps would still rise. If the top were closed, the temps would skyrocket to lethal levels.
I don't see any reason why the other Masdies you have listed would not do well. But expect them to throw a fit at first. The change can even kill them. The one you have sounds happy where it is. I would not move it. I mounted mine because I had no emotional attachments to them, they were all new to me, and I had 4, so I figured I'de get my monies worth if at least 1 survived. Happily most have survived if not all 4.

[shakkai]

We had a 'heat wave' last summer where it got into the 80s and 90s - but that is not the norm here. I pulled some data from weather.co.uk to get monthly averages:

The hottest months of June, July, August and September averages are:

June
Max: 19°C (~66F)
Min: 9°C (~48F)

July
Max: 22°C (~72F)
Min: 11°C (~52F)

August
Max: 21°C (~70F)
Min: 11°C (~52F)

September
Max: 19°C (~66F)
Min: 9°C (~48F)

Ambient temperatures (and humidity) make growing the cool/cold loving types ideal!

I will take your advice and not mount on of the two that I have (playing it safe!) and only put in new additions which are already going through an adjustment. I hope that by providing a welcoming environment, they will settle in well.

Regarding growing terrestrially - most are true epiphytes, however, apparently some of the species are found in the wild growing terrestrially. According to the Internet Orchid Species Photo Encyclopedia the following have been found as terrestrials:

IOSPE PHOTOS
IOSPE PHOTOS
IOSPE PHOTOS

..as well as the two I already mentioned, and a couple of others. Not that many, but enough to be a nice variation in a collection, I think!

Looking forward to this weekend and the Open Days at Ratcliffe Orchids (which is about 15 minutes away) - if only I were into Phaphs!