Coelogyne mooreana culture?

[orchidaddict789]

I just got a coel. mooreana and I felt like I had to repot it because the bark looked broken down with spiders, cobweb/mold, and some other strange critters. Its roots were thin, brownish, and not very numerous, and it has 2 half-mature growths and 4 mature bulbs, which are slightly wrinkled. I repotted it into fresh fir bark and the same size pot.

So now, from what I've read, my plant is going to sulk for the next 2-3 years by doing nothing at all. Great. Does mooreana sulk as much as other coel species? Is there anything I can do to mitigate the sulking? And to make the plant more comfortable? I'm thinking about humidity, watering, and light. I read that coelogynes like 85% humidity during summer, but indoors, the humidity is only around 50-60% and with a humidity tray I can add 10% more. Is this okay? Next, I read that it likes frequent watering during the growing season. I'm not sure how much is too much, though...should I keep it constantly moist like Masdies? And I'm wondering what sort of light I should give it. I read it likes medium light, but I don't know if lower light will be easier on my recently stressed plant.

Thanks!

[katrina]

I've heard that Coels sulk a lot too but in my experience...this is not true across the board. My best example is my Coel pandurata...I ripped that poor thing off a cork mount leaving it w/nearly zero roots and it bloomed beautifully the next bloom cycle.

On the other hand, my ochracea will sulk if I look at it wrong.

Coel mooreana is what is referred to as a "cool" growing Coel. What this means it lots and lots of water during the active growing season and slightly less water during the Winter months. I never let any of mine go completely dry during the Winter but I let the "cool" growers go just about dry before I water.

The warm growers like pandurata I keep moist in the Winter.

This time of the year all of my Coels are heavy "drinkers". In previous years I've had trouble keeping them moist enough so last year I started putting saucers of water under their pots and that did the trick for me. I use the little clear, plastic saucers...put about 1/4-1/2" water in them and let the plant soak it up. When the saucer is dry I refill. Depending on the plant that saucer can be dry before the next day....some really "drink" it up fast. Each week I flush the plant and fill the saucer again and re-start that process. I find my pbulbs are much plumper and the plants are healthier since I started this method.

I have all of my Coels in net baskets w/leca in the bottom (about 2-3" deep) and above that a chunky mix w/a heavy amount of sphag for moisture retention. I just repotted my glandulosa a month ago and the roots had grown down into the leca and wound themselves in and out of the weave on the bottom of the basket. It obviously loved sitting in the water.

Most coels appreciate a good deal of light. I don't grow mooreana but OW says it likes between 1500 and 2500 footcandles. I would set that one next to my catts if it's been acclimated to high light. If it's just getting acclimated I would start it out in slightly lower light (just below catt level) and work it up to the higher end.

I find that all of my Coels bloom better in the higher end of their limits. Some I have in light higher than what is recommended.

Lastly, the biggest issue I find w/some of the Coels is their liking...or rather not liking...tap water. Specifically my fimbriata and orchracea. Both will get the brown tips on their leaves when I water them w/tap. It took me awhile to figure out what it was but now I'm watering them w/distilled or rain water and trying to turn the leaf tip issue around. None of my others have ever been bothered by tap so I didn't put 2 and 2 together very quickly w/this issue. Just a heads up in case you see some brown leaf tips.

Almost forgot...I don't worry about the humidity. As long as they are getting enough moisture, I don't find them to be picky or fussy about the humidity.

[koshki]

Thanks orchidaddict for starting this thread, and to Kat for your advice!

I've got a mooreana, too, and it is definitely sulking. One the other hand, I have a cristata that has so many growths it will nearly double in size this summer.

I took the cristata inside last week because it suddenly turned yellow, and I think it was from the sustained heat. The mooreana hasn't done anything but sit and stare back at me! I took the cristata back out today because it was getting dried out too quickly inside and got shrively. Sheesh!

How frequently do you feed them, and how much?

[orchids4me]

Good info Katrina would happen to grow the usitana? Wondered if you had tips for that one. I have a flask hardened off and am curently watering using distilled as I do at first with all the babies. No brown tips yet is the good thing sometimes when hardening off I get that with various types during hardenening off process. They are in sphag presently. Just wondered about culture for these since on Coel.topic
The only babies I have doing horribly are Max variabilis lot of the leaves turned black after opening them up to air no more lid for green house on the tray they are doing better but look horrible presently like they got burnt in fire lol (blasted them with brookins recipe in case also last night see if it helps stop what's going on) they aren't under any lights haven't adapted them that far yet just get some light dappled sun in the morning but not much yet)
Thanks Katrina
Emmaye

[katrina]

I feed the Coels the same as I do most of my other orchids. I shoot for once a week during this time of the year...I'm not perfect about it though. If I have to miss more than 2 weeks in a row due to rain or whatever...smart or not...I increase the strength of my fertilizer the next time. BUT I don't double the strength when temps are over 90.

If temps are near 100...I will hold off fertilizing all together until it cools a bit. I know fertilizing when temps are that high can cause stress for some plants...I don't know if that transfers to orchids but it's what I do.

Katherine I know you were doing some testing w/granular. I put the slow release granular in my glandulosa and viscosa (formerly graminifolia) last Fall and both plants did fine w/it. I used less than called for because I wasn't sure how they would do...I was being very cautious w/it. I can't say I had any better growth...but I know they didn't experience any problems from it.

Emmaye -- no clue about the usitana. OW doesn't even have any culture info. However, it does say it's from Phillipines so that would tell me it is most likely a "warm" growing Coel...meaning maintain the same growing conditions year round. I've almost bought this one a couple of times but for one reason or another it got bounced from the shopping trip. Wish I could be more help.

[koshki]

Kat, as it turns out, I never found the granular I was looking for, and then everybody went outdoors where fertilizing them is much easier. Plus it finally crossed my little pea-brain that I could mix it up and put it in a spray bottle and just go around and zap my little darlings "in situ" so to speak.

And after finally sorting out exactly how much to give them, I'm now doing a bit better at feeding them regularly.

[kmarch]

With coelogyne, one culture does not fit all as they come fomr distinctly different climates. Coel loke mooriana and cristata are mountainous species and are cool growing. Down into the 40-50sF or even colder in winter, and slightly drier.

Coelogyne like speciosa are intermediate growers. They can take a lot fo water and consistentent temps all year round.

Still others like Coel pandurata are intermediate to warm growers and appreciate good water and humidity.

[orchidaddict789]

Thanks for the great info! Here's an update...I placed it in a shady part of the house right after repotting, and now that the weather has cooled down (60s-70s at night, 80s in the day), I've placed it outside. It's been getting some rainwater and if it doesn't rain, I hose it down along with my other plants.

I didn't know they like that much water! The fir bark I used was bone dry when it came out of the bag, and it seems difficult to wet. I've been drenching the pot thoroughly after each watering. Hmm I think I'll try the sancer trick... when's a good time to decrease watering (early fall, late fall, early winter?)?

Today, I noticed a tiny new growth! However, the other two growths have hardly changed at all. I guess it's sulking alright.

I've been using very light water soluble orchid fertilizer and Superthrive. I discovered some of my orchids from different vendors have granular fertilizer sprinkled on the surface, but I never tried using it personally.

[Brooke]

No it is not sulking, a new growth appeared

It probably would have been better to have it outside since you got it to enjoy more light and higher humidity. Just because it is a cool-er grower doesn't mean it has to stay outside until the temps dip into the 40's, it just means they can handle those temps. My cool growing Coel. never go below 60 and do great.

Decrease the water when the light intensity decreases. Most of my wet growing types come out of their saucers when my sunlight goes somewhere else - probably FL to get away from the winters

All of that applies except to my Coel. lawrenceana because the spikes will dry up if I don't water it daily, sun or no sun.

Brooke