My question is does anyone here grow Schomburkia humboldtii? I have the
alba form and the regular form, both are mounted on cork bark. every
year the new growths get smaller and smaller. I just potted it in a very
open mix of lava rock, treefern and charcoal in a plastic pot. Anyone
else try their's in a pot? I've only ever seen Schomb.s grown mounted,
but obviously mine doesn't like my watering habits.

K Barrett

On Jul 27, 8:47 pm, K Barrett wrote:
My question is does anyone here grow Schomburkia humboldtii? I have the
alba form and the regular form, both are mounted on cork bark. every
year the new growths get smaller and smaller. I just potted it in a very
open mix of lava rock, treefern and charcoal in a plastic pot. Anyone
else try their's in a pot? I've only ever seen Schomb.s grown mounted,
but obviously mine doesn't like my watering habits.


I have been growing a schomb. on red lava rock in a pot for several
years. Each year's growth gets bigger, but the blasted thing won't
bloom.

So they do grow well in pots, but what it takes to bloom them has
evaded me so far.

J. Del Col

"jadel" wrote in message
oups.com...
On Jul 27, 8:47 pm, K Barrett wrote:
My question is does anyone here grow Schomburkia humboldtii? I have the
alba form and the regular form, both are mounted on cork bark. every
year the new growths get smaller and smaller. I just potted it in a very
open mix of lava rock, treefern and charcoal in a plastic pot. Anyone
else try their's in a pot? I've only ever seen Schomb.s grown mounted,
but obviously mine doesn't like my watering habits.


I have been growing a schomb. on red lava rock in a pot for several
years. Each year's growth gets bigger, but the blasted thing won't
bloom.

So they do grow well in pots, but what it takes to bloom them has
evaded me so far.

J. Del Col


OK, so now we just gotta get them to bloom! These were moved to
myrmecophilia, so maybe they need slightly more acid? (In nature they grow
with ants who provide formic acid to their roots) Just a guess. But no
one else seems to worry about acid in their growing regimen. Santa Barbara
Orchid Estate just hangs them way high in their GH. I'm assuming you've
giving them enough light. Everyone says to put them high in the GH and that
they grow warm (makes me worry about my low winter temps.)

K Barrett

Hello Schomb growers!
I am not an expert but I do have several Schombs (actually Myr... that
new name. However I'm keeping the Schomb labels until whenever I take
one to a show)
None are humboldtii, although mine are similar large growing ones from
the same area of northern South America. In these areas the temps are
much more constant. The seasons are marked more by a rainy season as
long as December to June, in some places shorter February until April.
***So if you water less in the winter that could be the main reason
you get no blooms.***
I have brysiana, fimbriata, crispa, tibiscinis, superbiens, splendida,
thompsoniana, albopurpurea, undulata, exaltata... those spellings may
be off.
My experience is that they need high amounts of unfiltered light. The
e-glass in many homes and shade cloth in the greenhouse may inhibit
their blooming. In Ecuador I've seen them growing exposed to full
sun. As I recall at maybe 1000 ft above sea level one was a splendida
blooming about 15 ft up in a tree there in June when temps were about
90 degrees. (However don't rush Schombs out into the sun, a gradual
'brightening' is a must. I have sunburned a couple and it is permanent
damage to those leaves).
Of the above, the ones who bloom better for me are brysiana, crispa,
tibiscinis, superbiens and splendida. In my situation in coastal SC
just 20 feet above sea level, most of them bloom from mid April to
early June. (Could there be a connection to cooler temps peaking in
March?) Here is what I do. As K. said, the brightest spot is the best.
I hang them close to the clear corrugated lexan roof. No shade cloth.
(Shadows on a piece of paper should be distinct with crisp edges.)
Mine are all mounted and get watered from the tap several times each
week and I do that all year. Because they are mounted it is unlikely
that I will over water them. I also fertilize with the 'Michigan
formula' at 1/4 strength every other watering also all year (I should
probably use more variety in their diet). During the season before
last I neglected to fertilize much at all and the spikes were few and
blooms were stunted. I noticed the recommendation to use a more acidic
fertilizer. I'll give that some consideration. However I would surmise
that the ants are helpful in pollination rather than adding acidity.
No scientific data here but in spite of having several pseudobulbs, is
it possible that Schombs send an inflorescence when the bulbs grow to
a larger size? When people have told me of blooms from a plant with
two or three bulbs, it turns out they have a division of a mature
plant. Also I would guess that if a plant with larger bulbs puts out
smaller bulbs, it is not in as good of a situation or condition.
Something has changed. The pseudobulbs should be starting the size of
a midget pickle and progress to have larger bulbs to the size of a
small baseball bat, well some of my pseudobulbs are 16" long and 2"
wide.
Schomburgkias are one of favorites. I grow'em for the annual fireworks
display! I don't have the patience to hybridize them. Pollination to
first bloom can be ten years I hear (Don't quote me).
Lee

lee at classicorchid com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So they do grow well in pots, but what it takes to bloom them has
evaded me so far.

J. Del Col

OK, so now we just gotta get them to bloom! These were moved to
myrmecophilia, so maybe they need slightly more acid? (In nature they grow
with ants who provide formic acid to their roots) Just a guess. But no
one else seems to worry about acid in their growing regimen. Santa Barbara
Orchid Estate just hangs them way high in their GH. I'm assuming you've
giving them enough light. Everyone says to put them high in the GH and that
they grow warm (makes me worry about my low winter temps.)

K Barrett- Hide quoted text -

Hi there Lee & just want to say thanks for your culture tips especially re
the watering in winter.
Also Lee, where do you get all your Schombo's from?
Cheers Wendy
"Lee" wrote in message
ups.com...

Hello Schomb growers!
I am not an expert but I do have several Schombs (actually Myr... that
new name. However I'm keeping the Schomb labels until whenever I take
one to a show)
None are humboldtii, although mine are similar large growing ones from
the same area of northern South America. In these areas the temps are
much more constant. The seasons are marked more by a rainy season as
long as December to June, in some places shorter February until April.
***So if you water less in the winter that could be the main reason
you get no blooms.***
I have brysiana, fimbriata, crispa, tibiscinis, superbiens, splendida,
thompsoniana, albopurpurea, undulata, exaltata... those spellings may
be off.
My experience is that they need high amounts of unfiltered light. The
e-glass in many homes and shade cloth in the greenhouse may inhibit
their blooming. In Ecuador I've seen them growing exposed to full
sun. As I recall at maybe 1000 ft above sea level one was a splendida
blooming about 15 ft up in a tree there in June when temps were about
90 degrees. (However don't rush Schombs out into the sun, a gradual
'brightening' is a must. I have sunburned a couple and it is permanent
damage to those leaves).
Of the above, the ones who bloom better for me are brysiana, crispa,
tibiscinis, superbiens and splendida. In my situation in coastal SC
just 20 feet above sea level, most of them bloom from mid April to
early June. (Could there be a connection to cooler temps peaking in
March?) Here is what I do. As K. said, the brightest spot is the best.
I hang them close to the clear corrugated lexan roof. No shade cloth.
(Shadows on a piece of paper should be distinct with crisp edges.)
Mine are all mounted and get watered from the tap several times each
week and I do that all year. Because they are mounted it is unlikely
that I will over water them. I also fertilize with the 'Michigan
formula' at 1/4 strength every other watering also all year (I should
probably use more variety in their diet). During the season before
last I neglected to fertilize much at all and the spikes were few and
blooms were stunted. I noticed the recommendation to use a more acidic
fertilizer. I'll give that some consideration. However I would surmise
that the ants are helpful in pollination rather than adding acidity.
No scientific data here but in spite of having several pseudobulbs, is
it possible that Schombs send an inflorescence when the bulbs grow to
a larger size? When people have told me of blooms from a plant with
two or three bulbs, it turns out they have a division of a mature
plant. Also I would guess that if a plant with larger bulbs puts out
smaller bulbs, it is not in as good of a situation or condition.
Something has changed. The pseudobulbs should be starting the size of
a midget pickle and progress to have larger bulbs to the size of a
small baseball bat, well some of my pseudobulbs are 16" long and 2"
wide.
Schomburgkias are one of favorites. I grow'em for the annual fireworks
display! I don't have the patience to hybridize them. Pollination to
first bloom can be ten years I hear (Don't quote me).
Lee

lee at classicorchid com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So they do grow well in pots, but what it takes to bloom them has
evaded me so far.

J. Del Col

OK, so now we just gotta get them to bloom! These were moved to
myrmecophilia, so maybe they need slightly more acid? (In nature they
grow
with ants who provide formic acid to their roots) Just a guess. But no
one else seems to worry about acid in their growing regimen. Santa
Barbara
Orchid Estate just hangs them way high in their GH. I'm assuming you've
giving them enough light. Everyone says to put them high in the GH and
that
they grow warm (makes me worry about my low winter temps.)

K Barrett- Hide quoted text -

Hi Lee! Thanks for your advice. I have a division of a mature plant and
the pseudobulbs keep gettign smaller and smaller.. Probably now the size of
my pinkie finger. I've had it for 3-4 years now. I tend to water once a
week, and humidity in the GH is about 50%, sometimes higher. So I stuck it
in pot with a very well draining medium (treefern and lava rock.). I
figure nothing ventured nothing gained, and its insane to keep trying the
same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I don't know whether the idea of a more acidic fertilizer is a viable one.
Like I say Ive never heard anyone have trouble with acidity., SBOE doesn't
worry about it. And fertilizer is really pretty acidic if you get right
down to it. I think my trouble is 1) water. 2) heat. I tend to let the GH
get about 50-55 in the winter.... I don't think they like it that low.

Thanks for the food for thought!

K barrett
"Lee" wrote in message
ups.com...

Hello Schomb growers!
I am not an expert but I do have several Schombs (actually Myr... that
new name. However I'm keeping the Schomb labels until whenever I take
one to a show)
None are humboldtii, although mine are similar large growing ones from
the same area of northern South America. In these areas the temps are
much more constant. The seasons are marked more by a rainy season as
long as December to June, in some places shorter February until April.
***So if you water less in the winter that could be the main reason
you get no blooms.***
I have brysiana, fimbriata, crispa, tibiscinis, superbiens, splendida,
thompsoniana, albopurpurea, undulata, exaltata... those spellings may
be off.
My experience is that they need high amounts of unfiltered light. The
e-glass in many homes and shade cloth in the greenhouse may inhibit
their blooming. In Ecuador I've seen them growing exposed to full
sun. As I recall at maybe 1000 ft above sea level one was a splendida
blooming about 15 ft up in a tree there in June when temps were about
90 degrees. (However don't rush Schombs out into the sun, a gradual
'brightening' is a must. I have sunburned a couple and it is permanent
damage to those leaves).
Of the above, the ones who bloom better for me are brysiana, crispa,
tibiscinis, superbiens and splendida. In my situation in coastal SC
just 20 feet above sea level, most of them bloom from mid April to
early June. (Could there be a connection to cooler temps peaking in
March?) Here is what I do. As K. said, the brightest spot is the best.
I hang them close to the clear corrugated lexan roof. No shade cloth.
(Shadows on a piece of paper should be distinct with crisp edges.)
Mine are all mounted and get watered from the tap several times each
week and I do that all year. Because they are mounted it is unlikely
that I will over water them. I also fertilize with the 'Michigan
formula' at 1/4 strength every other watering also all year (I should
probably use more variety in their diet). During the season before
last I neglected to fertilize much at all and the spikes were few and
blooms were stunted. I noticed the recommendation to use a more acidic
fertilizer. I'll give that some consideration. However I would surmise
that the ants are helpful in pollination rather than adding acidity.
No scientific data here but in spite of having several pseudobulbs, is
it possible that Schombs send an inflorescence when the bulbs grow to
a larger size? When people have told me of blooms from a plant with
two or three bulbs, it turns out they have a division of a mature
plant. Also I would guess that if a plant with larger bulbs puts out
smaller bulbs, it is not in as good of a situation or condition.
Something has changed. The pseudobulbs should be starting the size of
a midget pickle and progress to have larger bulbs to the size of a
small baseball bat, well some of my pseudobulbs are 16" long and 2"
wide.
Schomburgkias are one of favorites. I grow'em for the annual fireworks
display! I don't have the patience to hybridize them. Pollination to
first bloom can be ten years I hear (Don't quote me).
Lee

lee at classicorchid com

------------------------------------------------------------------------------


So they do grow well in pots, but what it takes to bloom them has
evaded me so far.

J. Del Col

OK, so now we just gotta get them to bloom! These were moved to
myrmecophilia, so maybe they need slightly more acid? (In nature they
grow
with ants who provide formic acid to their roots) Just a guess. But no
one else seems to worry about acid in their growing regimen. Santa
Barbara
Orchid Estate just hangs them way high in their GH. I'm assuming you've
giving them enough light. Everyone says to put them high in the GH and
that
they grow warm (makes me worry about my low winter temps.)

K Barrett- Hide quoted text -

Bloom Baby Bloom! !&%#@ *%@!* orchid or you're outa here! To the
raffle table...
Wendy,
I picked up most of my Schombs from a hobbyist hybridizer who was
liquidating his collection. I bought a few at different shows from
Plantio La Orquidea who I think have a place in Sarasota. Hmm... They
may be a good source for culture info. I picked up a couple at
Redlands this year.

K., Your GH is a bit warmer, mine drops down to 45 on a few nights
with many nights to 50 with my goal to maintain 60 near the Vandas.
I also thought about the length of day. You know, check the climate
where they bloom naturally. I tried but have not found those stats on
hours of daylight, temps and rainfall. Worth thinking about.

Its probably easier suggested but we should do whatever nurtures
larger pseudobulbs. I have an obviously younger exaltata with about
ten pseudobulbs all about 2.5 inches long. (I recently removed about 5
older dried pseudobulbs.) The exaltata can produce a 7 ft long
inflorescence. It will take a long, long time for my plant to send
such a spike.
I went out to measure the bulbs and found two brysianas. One I'll call
a seedling with nine bulbs 1-2" long. The other has numerous bulbs
upto 16" long. It is hard to think of them as the same specie. I can
only imagine that I will be waiting eons for the small one to bloom!

Tell me...I'm curious... Has anyone noticed a Shomb spiking on a
pseudobulb less than 6 inches long?
Bloom Baby Bloom!
Lee

lee at classicorchid com


On Jul 29, 8:29 pm, "K Barrett" wrote:
Hi Lee! Thanks for your advice. I have a division of a mature plant and
the pseudobulbs keep gettign smaller and smaller.. Probably now the size of
my pinkie finger. I've had it for 3-4 years now. I tend to water once a
week, and humidity in the GH is about 50%, sometimes higher. So I stuck it
in pot with a very well draining medium (treefern and lava rock.). I
figure nothing ventured nothing gained, and its insane to keep trying the
same thing over and over and expecting different results.

I don't know whether the idea of a more acidic fertilizer is a viable one.
Like I say Ive never heard anyone have trouble with acidity., SBOE doesn't
worry about it. And fertilizer is really pretty acidic if you get right
down to it. I think my trouble is 1) water. 2) heat. I tend to let the GH
get about 50-55 in the winter.... I don't think they like it that low.

Thanks for the food for thought!

K barrett"Lee" wrote in message

ups.com...

KB,

FWIW...I have Schom. tibicinis that I've been growing for 5 years. It was a
bleached out plant on a mount of tree fern when I got it. When I got it
home I split it in two and put them in a large vanda basket and packed tree
fern chunks around it.

I traded one of them with Al for Schomburkia splendida. That Schom I also
moved from the pot to a large vanda basket and put a large slab of cork in
back of the plant to grow up. This species will crawl out of the
pot/basket. Now I'm in the fourth year on this plant (maybe 3 I lose count)
and this summer I added some aliflor/cocohusk mix to the basket because it
was drying out too quickly.

Both of these are growing outdoors for the summer in full sun from about
8:00 am through 2:00 pm each day. (last year I burned a leaf on the
tibicinis when I put it outdoors because I moved it out too quickly).

The tibicinis usually blooms in the spring/early summer. This year it
didn't initiate growth until I moved it outside (so it didn't burn!). I now
have two growths with 15 inch long spikes that should mature in mid-fall.
The splendida is a fall bloomer and has grown a nice growth that should put
it on schedule.

During the winter these plants rest high on the shelf in the brightest and
hottest part. They get watered once a week and misted on occasion. The
night temp in my greenhouse can get as low as 60.

I also have a Schom. superbiens alba that I haven't bloomed in 4 years but I
have it in full sun this summer and it's looking good at this point. The
new growths are almost bleached out and if this isn't enough sun for it then
I give up!

So my recommendation would be for Schombo.....Lots and lots of light. Give
it everything you got (after hardening off). Feed year around. Keep it
warm in winter. Pot them up in a loose airy mixture in an open basket or
train it to grow in a treefern or cork mount.

Good growing,
Gene



"K Barrett" wrote in message
. ..
My question is does anyone here grow Schomburkia humboldtii? I have the
alba form and the regular form, both are mounted on cork bark. every year
the new growths get smaller and smaller. I just potted it in a very open
mix of lava rock, treefern and charcoal in a plastic pot. Anyone else try
their's in a pot? I've only ever seen Schomb.s grown mounted, but
obviously mine doesn't like my watering habits.

K Barrett