My windowsill Masdies.

[Tindomul]

I just wanted to share how I am growing my Masdevallia collection. I just started, but its actually a second attempt. I had success with this method several years ago until my collection died. They died because while I was away they did not get sufficient water.

I have all of them in clay pots. The window gets a lot of sun right now in the winter. The plants were slowly introduced to direct sun since September. As we near Dec 21st, they will get more and more direct sun, but for less time, and the sun will be lower and lower in the sky.

The pic with the plants on the radiator are mostly Ericads, in the blueberry family. There is one Masdie too. But don't worry, I keep that radiator closed shut.

I am growing all of them semi-hydroponics style, but in clay pots. So this morning I spent about 30 mins flushing them, which I plan to do once a month. When I first planted them, I soaked the clay balls in Kelpmax, and watered them with kelpmax. So after a month and a half without flushing, you can guess the smell in the room was getting a bit much. I finally decided they needed flushing.

Most plants are doing well with new growth and lots of buds all over the place. But a few seem to have not liked so much sunlight, turning a bit yellow. Also, there was algae growth in many places, so everything got cleaned up. Hopefully the orchids will enjoy the cleaning they got today.

[Tindomul]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

It looks nice, but tell me - in pics two and 3 everything is upside down. How do you get the media to stay in the pots?

Yea I just realized I didn't explain that bit. It's called artificial gravity. It's good because when I water them, the floor won't get wet. )

Fixed it.

[No-Pro-mwa]

They look nice. I use to have mine in my north window but in the summer the sun would shine in there in the early morning and heat up the clay pots. They were getting more unhappy all the time. I lost one and then 3 until I finally have a new set up down in my basement garage. I need to make a post of it.

Perhaps the sun on them in the winter won't be as bad. If they start to get brown on the backs of there leaves look out.

They are really picking up now but I want to kick myself for not doing it sooner.

[Tindomul]

THanks! I will keep my eyes open because they are getting lots of heat from the sun. The reason I don't worry too much is because the temps go down real fast at night.