Bletilla potting medium help!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by wtamuboi

Have them growing outdoors in Houston. They do just fine with the heat, and ours are actually blooming much better this year after getting snow (yes, snow in Houston!) several times this past winter.

Not too surprised. Bletilla striata originates from China, and in places that snow.

It is known to be able to take light frosts. However, it's not necessary to grow it that cold.

[Becca]

Well I made my own mix and put it in a clay pot and it is sitting in a west facing decorative bathroom window (diffused sunlight). It seems to dry out pretty quickly and I can tell when it is dry...one of the leaves (the same leaf everytime) will go limp. So far it isn't dead, but the tips have turned brown on the leaves. This may end up being a learning experience for me....although I'm not sure what I am learning with it right now...lol.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If you're using tap water, that's most likely the cause of the brown tips.

As far as watering, I recommend not letting them stay dry for too long. I allow them to stay dry usually for no more than a day during growing season.

[Becca]

No tap water, I've been and am using RO water with no fertilizer currently for it.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Okay...maybe not water...or fertilizer...

How about the mix?

What is it? List brands too.

Any pics?

[Becca]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Okay...maybe not water...or fertilizer...

How about the mix?

What is it? List brands too.

Any pics?

Wow it took me a while to respond to my own thread, sorry about that!

But first I would like to say, she is still alive, but I have to water her about every three days.

I went to Home Depot and bought some perlite (it was a tad on the small side for my liking but that is all they had), peat moss, and sand, and then used everyone's suggestion, about equal parts of all, maybe a little less on the sand and more of the perlite. It's in a clay pot, used the smallest size I had sitting around, hopefully it isn't to big. I have it in a West facing decorative window so the sunlight isn't direct and the temps have been staying around intermediate temps. Should I stick it outside or would that be to much of a shock? Temps outside are low 50's and high's are upper 60's to 70's.

So what do you all think? Would the east side of the house be better? Or should I just plop it in the ground or leave it potted?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It's up to you whether you want to grow in the ground or in a pot.

The only thing with growing in the ground is preparing the soil. The soil needs to be loose and free draining. So if you have soil like I have here, (a little bit of fine sand, clay, and loam that tends to compact quite easily), it may not do so hot if you just plopped it in the ground without preparation.

Otherwise, I don't see a problem with your potting mix.

If it hasn't already bloomed for you, then it'll do it by next year, guaranteed (provided you keep it alive for that long of course ).

[Royal]

I would just stick it in the ground. They really seem to be sturdy plants. Mine do fine in my [neglected] east facing flower beds.

[Becca]

I have no problem amending the soil before I put it in, I'd just hate to shock it by disturbing it, but I could try and pull it out of the pot with the medium and root system undisturbed. But, the best spot I have would be a flower bed along the house that get's sun from the south and the east. Would that be ok or to much sun for it? I could try another spot that might get sun mostly from the east.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

As long as the light is not direct sun, I think it'll be okay. In some in-situ pics (it's hella rare btw), I've seen them growing pretty exposed in grassy fields on the edges of forests or along fairly sunny scrubby roadside cliffs on the forest edge.

Just a reminder, they come from certain parts of China ("limestone capital of the world" ). So a little crushed dolomite or some limestone won't hurt.

This is more Bletilla striata trivia than anything else...

People strangely enough were able to figure out how to grow this plant in cultivation before the general public even figured out where the plant came from in the wild.

However, my opinion is still, it's better to know where the wild habitats in order to figure out what to do. There might be a few seemingly minor details that make a big difference.