"mg" skrev i meddelandet ...
Ray, any experience with Disas in semi-hydro?


tennis maynard wrote:
profpam wrote:

Hi Wendy,

I, too, have had Disas bloom once then die. Conditions where they grow
better
seems to be the more acidic water environment on the east coast --
more acidic
conditions vs. more alkalaid such as in southern California. I am
also of the
assumption that unless the orchid is strong enough then do not allow
it to go
ahead and bloom and in particular produce a pod. It seems that an
orchid that
is about to die sometimes produces a bloom and subsequent pod as a
means of
survival; so, in my estimation Bob Gordon of phalaenopsis fame is
correct.

. . . Pam


The problem with disas is we simply don't know them well enough. All the
experienced growers I've talked with say a plant either forms tubers
(and therefore continues to exist) or does not. No one really seems to
have a handle on why, yet. My beautiful white/pink disa which bloomed
last summer failed to produce tubers. So, when the current year's growth
dies, if there are no tubers, that's it for the plant. I'm on my fourth
round of growing Disas. The first three times I killed tham all. This
time, I have plants I got 2 years ago in the early spring still going,
and two bloomed last Chistmas as well. Absolutely pure water and low
root temps especially at night are essential. They are very
labor-intensive for me.



Some people in the swedish orchid society have tried growing Disas in
semi-hydro, experiencing that leca seems to be too "not-retentive" of water
(I'm going to ignore the grammar, etc in this post, and blame it on english
not being my mother tongue and me being tired =) ).

A danish guy posted on our messageboard, telling us about experiments
growing Disa in perlite and/or Greenmix. It had not worked, due (he
theorized) to the roots not getting enough oxygen.

I believe, or at least would like to try, to grow Disa in Diatomite. As it
holds water but is coarse enough to allow roots to get contact with air.
Maybe try with some similar but easier terrestrial first would be a good
idea?

//Hillevi