All,

I picked up a tub of this at a local botanical garden sale. Clearly, though
it was labeled, whoever did the pricing had no idea it was an orchid. (It
cost me 5 bucks!) Also, it's in "dirt", as heavy as lead.

Before I repot it to save its life, I'd love opinions on media. The only
other reed stem Epi. that I have is radicans, and that grows like a weed in
a CHC mix. I've gotten two opinions so far; one grows in Aliflor and her
husband likes ProMix. BTW, her Aliflor potted plant is 8 (count 'em) feet
tall. Fabulous plant.

What do y'all use?

Diana

Hi Diana,

You have a gold mine there. You'd make a killing if you repotted it (I have
only two epidendrums and they're in medium CHC), and divided it while you're
at it. Is it large enough that you could get 20 or 30 divisions out of it?
If so, at $20 each, that's lots of money for lots more specimen size
orchids, or almost countless seedlings. ;-)

Cheers,

Ted

Oh, Ted, when I wrote "tub" I didn't mean that the plant I bought is huge.
It's just a normal size Epi. The 8 footer that I refered to is the one
owned by my friend.

Nice thought, though!

Diana

The cinnabarinum should be happy with what you give your radicans. Down
here, radicans is often grown as a terrestrial, planted in dirt in people's
yards, but that's Florida sugar-sand [faster draining than some orchid
media, most notably Pro-Mix].

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
ink.net...
All,

I picked up a tub of this at a local botanical garden sale. Clearly,
though
it was labeled, whoever did the pricing had no idea it was an orchid. (It
cost me 5 bucks!) Also, it's in "dirt", as heavy as lead.

Before I repot it to save its life, I'd love opinions on media. The only
other reed stem Epi. that I have is radicans, and that grows like a weed
in
a CHC mix. I've gotten two opinions so far; one grows in Aliflor and her
husband likes ProMix. BTW, her Aliflor potted plant is 8 (count 'em) feet
tall. Fabulous plant.

What do y'all use?

Diana

Thanks, Kenni. I'm going to put into a combo of CHC, charcoal, Aliflor &
sponge rock. Nice and light, but holds plenty of moisture.

Diana

Epi. cinnabarinum is happy with whatever conditions one bestows upon
it. I have some in the greenhouse that are sitting a top of a pot -- in
other words, not even potted; yet,they seem happy and keeping pushing
forth new roots. In the greenhouse, these orchids are almost equivalent
to unwanted greenery.

.. . . Pam
Everything Orchid Management System
http://www.pe.net/~profpam/page3.html
--------------------------------------------------
Kenni Judd wrote:

The cinnabarinum should be happy with what you give your radicans. Down
here, radicans is often grown as a terrestrial, planted in dirt in people's
yards, but that's Florida sugar-sand [faster draining than some orchid
media, most notably Pro-Mix].

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
ink.net...
All,

I picked up a tub of this at a local botanical garden sale. Clearly,
though
it was labeled, whoever did the pricing had no idea it was an orchid. (It
cost me 5 bucks!) Also, it's in "dirt", as heavy as lead.

Before I repot it to save its life, I'd love opinions on media. The only
other reed stem Epi. that I have is radicans, and that grows like a weed
in
a CHC mix. I've gotten two opinions so far; one grows in Aliflor and her
husband likes ProMix. BTW, her Aliflor potted plant is 8 (count 'em) feet
tall. Fabulous plant.

What do y'all use?

Diana

Radicans is planted all over Disney's Animal Kingdom. During our last visit
(late spring 2003), I actually parted the plants surrounding the radicans
and stuck my hand (and face)into the thick of it all. The Radicans was
planted in pure soil! I scooped a handfull thinking that perhaps they mixed
something in the soil to aerate it, nope, pure soil! It was blooming like
crazy.

Mariana

"Kenni Judd" wrote in message
...
The cinnabarinum should be happy with what you give your radicans. Down
here, radicans is often grown as a terrestrial, planted in dirt in
people's
yards, but that's Florida sugar-sand [faster draining than some orchid
media, most notably Pro-Mix].

--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids

http://www.jborchids.com
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
ink.net...
All,

I picked up a tub of this at a local botanical garden sale. Clearly,
though
it was labeled, whoever did the pricing had no idea it was an orchid.
(It
cost me 5 bucks!) Also, it's in "dirt", as heavy as lead.

Before I repot it to save its life, I'd love opinions on media. The
only
other reed stem Epi. that I have is radicans, and that grows like a weed
in
a CHC mix. I've gotten two opinions so far; one grows in Aliflor and
her
husband likes ProMix. BTW, her Aliflor potted plant is 8 (count 'em)
feet
tall. Fabulous plant.

What do y'all use?

Diana

"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
ink.net...
Oh, Ted, when I wrote "tub" I didn't mean that the plant I bought is huge.

When I saw the word tub and that it was "as heavy as lead", I had visions of
a half rain barrel filler with dirt and covered with growth, especially when
I saw the reference to an 8' epi. The only thing I've seen that size up
here was an old catt in a ceramic pot that looked to be 50 cm across; and
that was at a show in Burlington, Ont.

Oh well. It was a pleasant fantasy while it lasted. ;-)

Cheers,

Ted

On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 20:45:54 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote in Message-Id:
. net:

I'd love opinions on media. The only
other reed stem Epi. that I have is radicans, and that grows like a weed in
a CHC mix. I've gotten two opinions so far; one grows in Aliflor and her
husband likes ProMix. BTW, her Aliflor potted plant is 8 (count 'em) feet
tall. Fabulous plant.

What do y'all use?

As others have said, it will grow in anything, or nothing. However,
here's the reed-stem Epidendrum mix used by Gene at Orchid Gene-e
Yamada Nursery:

5 parts fine fir bark
3 parts small fir bark
1 part charcoal
2 parts sponge rock
1 part "Patio Perfect" planter mix (Home Depot)

He also recommends foliar feeding 10-30-20 at one tablespoon (!) per
gallon at all irrigations (3-day intervals).

Epidendrum Cinnabarinum thrives best in warm to hot conditions, but
mine have withstood temperatures in the mid 40s F for consecutive
nights without harm.

Thank you, Larry!

Diana

"Larry Dighera" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 02 Dec 2003 20:45:54 GMT, "Diana Kulaga"
wrote in Message-Id:
. net:

I'd love opinions on media. The only
other reed stem Epi. that I have is radicans, and that grows like a weed
in
a CHC mix. I've gotten two opinions so far; one grows in Aliflor and
her
husband likes ProMix. BTW, her Aliflor potted plant is 8 (count 'em)
feet
tall. Fabulous plant.

What do y'all use?

As others have said, it will grow in anything, or nothing. However,
here's the reed-stem Epidendrum mix used by Gene at Orchid Gene-e
Yamada Nursery:

5 parts fine fir bark
3 parts small fir bark
1 part charcoal
2 parts sponge rock
1 part "Patio Perfect" planter mix (Home Depot)

He also recommends foliar feeding 10-30-20 at one tablespoon (!) per
gallon at all irrigations (3-day intervals).

Epidendrum Cinnabarinum thrives best in warm to hot conditions, but
mine have withstood temperatures in the mid 40s F for consecutive
nights without harm.