Pleurothallid-l mailing list

[Ron Maunder <pondeeza@enternet.co.nz>]

Hi Thomas,

Didn't want to put anyone else off answering your query so left it a
day or two.

Interesting that you still use clay pots for your Masdevallias.  We
don't see them used much here nowadays.

Would I be misunderstanding your situation if I suggested placing
your plants in a waterproof tray in summer and packing live moss (or
dried) loosely around the pots and keeping up to an inch of water in
the tray?  Perhaps tiny pots would tip or flip over but could be sat
inside larger ones?  You should get extra cooling and evaporation by
this method. I have also seen a type of "header tank" arranged above
the tray to drip into it continuously to keep water in the tray.

Do you have water tanks under your benches?  Polythene film down on
the floor then covered with gravel etc will keep the greenhouse
cooler and give a good atmosphere too.  No doubt you have something
like that?

I tried growing our cut flower Masdevallias and their hybrids in the
Continuous Flow hydroponic Disa tanks in 25 mm water in a mix of 1:1
shredded styrene foam and dried sphagnum moss one spring/summer, and
they grew and flowered magnificently. During winter they obviously
didn't enjoy continuous wet feet and lost a few leaves here and there
so I removed them.  I'm talking about winter temperatures as low as
plus 3 or 4°C air temperature or even an occasional light frost.  The
plants were in plastic pots.  When removed they dried out very fast
in warmer weather because of the styrene content in the mix and
needed to go back in the tanks or be watered nearly every day.

Christmas Greetings to all!

Ron Maunder  New Zealand.


--

Paradise Orchid Nurseries,   P.O.Box 16006, Bethlehem, Tauranga, New Zealand

Contact - Phone/Fax  (64) 7 552 5570
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