Looking for a Beginner Masdelvia

[AnonYMouse]

I can't recommend a plant, I've haven't run across one that would be easy (not that they don't exist). I live on the lower peninsula, so depending on where you are in SJ, we may have similar conditions.

I currently have 4, 2 vars of Prince Charming (hybrid) and 2 ayabacanas, I have not yet bloomed them. I've killed a few, each a different way; moss too wet, moss too dry, bacterial infection, too much heat, etc. Some went within hours (heat), some drew it out for weeks but I didn't know it.

My current practice with Masdies are:
50-70% RH (ideally would be higher)
60-70°F 2/3 of the year (ideally would be lower)
bright shade
air circulation 24/7/365
cool pots or pot-in-pot sitting in a puddle of water
100% sphagnum moss (I HATE sphag)
Spray water on top of moss when dry.
Water with squirt bottle when I absolutely, positively know lower moss is dry.
Do not allow for wet moss during hot spells.

These are my BKP so far.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

I currently have...2 [Masd] ayabacanas, I have not yet bloomed them.

I have a hunch as to why, please read on...

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

My current practice with Masdies are:
50-70% RH (ideally would be higher)

70% is adequate enough for many Masdevallias to bloom correctly.

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

60-70°F 2/3 of the year (ideally would be lower)

This is a bit too cool for Masd ayacabana. It will have a difficult time blooming if it never gets above 70 F. You can let it get to a daytime high of 90 F and it'd still be ok with this species. Masd ayacabana is not a true warm grower, it is closer to being an intermediate grower being able to tolerate the warmer end of intermediate. Masd ayacabana is closely related to Masd princeps, and they both have somewhat similar growing requirements. If you grow Masd ayacabana in the cool to intermediate range, it will start showing signs of distress when the temperatures start dropping below 50 F.

Just to give you an idea of what you can do; if you're going to grow in temperatures between 35 F - 70 F, you are capable of growing Masd coccinea without a problem.

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

bright shade
air circulation 24/7/365

This is true of many Masdevallias.

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

cool pots or pot-in-pot sitting in a puddle of water

Cool pots may be too big for Masdevallias in general, the smallest size they come in is 3". I've found that many Masdevallias can fit just fine in a 1.5" pot - 2" short pot; and we're talking about plants with lush growth here!

The pot-in-pot sitting in a puddle of water will not always work. This is a trial-and-error game.

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

100% sphagnum moss (I HATE sphag)

I've done just fine with full sphag with Masdevallias before. Although, I'm liking WhiteRabbit's idea of using CHC better.

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

Do not allow for wet moss during hot spells.

I've watered Masd princeps in warm weather with absolutely no problems before. I've even watered Masd andreettaeana in warm weather with no adverse effects, and this species is what I would consider an intermediate level Masdevallia.

I don't know what kinds of Masdevallias you've grown in the past, other than the 2 you mentioned, but some of them are really not that frustrating to grow.

If you want to know which ones are the true warm growers, there are actually very few of them. One of them is Masd wendlandiana, another is Masd livingstoneana.

You might also want to try out Masd strobelii. This one is an intermediate grower.

[AnonYMouse]

Thanks Sonya and Philip

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

70% is adequate enough for many Masdevallias to bloom correctly.

Although the RH can get there on a daily basis, 70% can't be maintained (fortunately for me, unfortunately for the Masdie).

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

This is a bit too cool for Masd ayacabana. It will have a difficult time blooming if it never gets above 70 F. You can let it get to a daytime high of 90 F and it'd still be ok with this species. Masd ayacabana is not a true warm grower, it is closer to being an intermediate grower being able to tolerate the warmer end of intermediate. Masd ayacabana is closely related to Masd princeps, and they both have somewhat similar growing requirements. If you grow Masd ayacabana in the cool to intermediate range, it will start showing signs of distress when the temperatures start dropping below 50 F.

Just to give you an idea of what you can do; if you're going to grow in temperatures between 35 F - 70 F, you are capable of growing Masd coccinea without a problem.

This actually makes me hopeful. The temps I stated are for much of the year (2/3) but starts climbing about June (mid 70s to 80ish) through September. Occasionally will get into the 90's, maybe a total of 7 to 10 days of those temps.

As for growing the coccinea, I cooked one.

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Cool pots may be too big for Masdevallias in general, the smallest size they come in is 3". I've found that many Masdevallias can fit just fine in a 1.5" pot - 2" short pot; and we're talking about plants with lush growth here!

The pot-in-pot sitting in a puddle of water will not always work. This is a trial-and-error game.

I don't know if you are aware, the coolpots have a dome in the middle, so the volume is actually smaller than a normal 3" pot.

It may have been coincidental but a wet Masdie sickened (very funky smell, blackening at base-I think bacterial) in a matter of hours on a hot day, proceeded to die in a few days. It may have already been infected but a warm wet moss hastened its demise.

I will admit I am not as dedicated a grower as many on this board. I probably don't try very hard on saving problem chids but I have learned what NOT to do with each situation I've encountered. I've learned to love Masdies less.