New Brassidium

[sandra]

All I know about this orchid is that it's a Brassidium. Anyone with information on the culture for this orchid, please chime in as I'm at a loss right now for it's care. Prisana, there are many left if you're still interested (the Delray Home Depot on Linton, the Linton exit right off the I95). I'm really not sure what it's potted in, I've never seen this. It almost looks like ground up bark, like sawdust? I'll probably repot it after the flowering in sphag as my other oncidiums are doing nicely with it. I am realllllly out of room for any more orchids but I wanted this one. I just added another shelving unit to the last of available space but on the bright side, I've now got room for a few more!

[fred]

very nice sandy

I thought you had no more room hehe

good idea with the shelving unit.

where there is a will there is a way hehehe

now you have even more room for more orchids

Brassidium culture is the same as Oncidiums

thanks for the pics you have a nice and healthy looking plant.

congrats

[pikevi]

sandra: Beautiful plant,exquisite flowers and excellent photography.

Thanks .

I wonder when my brassidiums will flower

[kmarch]

Very nice indeed! Brassidium is a intergeneric cross between Brassia and Oncidium all of which will do well with good Oncidium culture.

[prisana]

HA ! Looks like someone's been busy...you HAD to go back and get it didn't you ? Tomorrow is my day off , I think I'll go for a drive..Thanks Sandra
P.s it's beautiful..nice choice..

[sandra]

Prisana, as soon as I walked out of Home Depot on Saturday, I regretted leaving without it. Then, when I saw Lisa's thread with her brassidium, well.......I went a little nutty thinking where was my head at to leave empty handed like that!!! (I didn't really leave empty handed....I had a mini cattleya in one hand.) When I saw them today, I thought of you and asked the sales clerk if they would hold one for my friend (you). No dice otherwise, I would have rushed home and pm'd you. And wait till you see the cattleyas! Post the pic of yours as soon as you get home! Can't wait to see yours! Drive safely.

Originally Posted by prisana

HA ! Looks like someone's been busy...you HAD to go back and get it didn't you ? Tomorrow is my day off , I think I'll go for a drive..Thanks Sandra
P.s it's beautiful..nice choice..

[kel80]

Hi Sandra, that is beautiful! I have one that I also purchased at the Depot.

I really don't know how to take care of it either-it's also an experiment with me. So far, mine has been doing very well on the balcony where it receives morning sun for a few hours and then afternoon sun around 2 PM ish. Watering is same with the oncidiums as others have suggested.

Good luck, that is one gorgeous plant you have!

[palito]

nice plant!! congratulations! and it looks in perfect shape

I'd like to try some more of those intergenerics, i'm trying 3 seedlings so far to see if i dont kill them.

[boxerfan]

Beautiful Brsdm. ! You may be able to get some clues to it's origin if you Google "Brassidium". Since my Brassia wilted a bit after going outside and our heat index is around 100* right now with little to no breeze, I'm waiting until it cools down into the 80's later this week before I try it outside. Congratulations, Lisa

[prisana]

Sandra, I didn't go get me an orchid today, instead I bought a bromeliad basket for our neighbor's little boy who passed away last night. I just don't feel right to indulge myself just yet, but maybe in a few days...

[fred]

prisana

that is very sad please pass on our Condolences to your neighbor

from all of us here at orchidgeeks

thinking of you to prisana

[sandra]

I have been trying to figure out what this plant is potted in and I think I know...Peat Moss...but not 100% sure. Yesterday while shopping I found a bag of it and it definitely looks identical to what this is growing in.

I know nothing about peat moss.

Question: Should I re-pot this brassidium after the flowering? It doesn't need a lot of water to retain the moisture which is a good thing but the overall health of the plant is obviously the ultimate goal. What should I do?

[sandra]

*****bumping this up*****
Anybody who can advise about peat moss?

[Vivienne]

Sorry Sandra - no clue, but the plant is lovely. My local Lowe's never gets anything but Phals that they promptly overwater and over price. Pooh. Thank goodness for my local orchid doc!!!

prisana - my sympathies to your neighbors. Losing young ones is so very difficult.

[prisana]

Vivienne, thank you..I can't imagine the pain they're going through..

Sandra----Is it grown in peat moss "only" ? Maybe the peat is just sitting on the top of the rest of the medium..did you peek inside the pot yet ? Sometimes the growers just add newer or different medium on the top before sending them out to the stores...it costs less than repotting the entire thing. I don't remember having seen an orchid growing in just peat moss..but anything is possible .

[sandra]

Prisana, I'm 90% sure it's peat moss and yes, the entire plant is in it. I noticed that all the phals were too. It looks like ground up bark and sawdust. I'm very puzzled, don't have a clue what it is but I think I need to re-pot after flowering. I did a search on the forum and nothing significant came up....oh well.

My condolences to your neighbors prisana.

[fred]

sandy peat moss holds no plant nutrients it is made up of dead sphag ground up bark and sawdust.

You can add some peat moss to your mix but its not classed as a good medium to use on its own.

So do you repot after flowering I would

[sandra]

Fred, thanks for this. I've had a hard time finding out any information on this. I'm not taking any chances and will repot as soon as it's done flowering. I'm going to use small bark medium with this one...I think.

[sandra]

This morning I was watering some of my orchids and my brassidium or miltassia (not sure what the plant is) held all the water fed. I know the medium is not bark and I'm still persuaded to think it's peat-moss (although, not 100% sure) but the plant held all the water.......not good.

I know that once the plant has finished blooming, to repot it. It's in full bloom now and I don't want to lose the flowers but, I don't want to lose the plant either.

Should I take action now and re-pot or should I wait? I need advice on this. Please advise!

P.S. Prisana, have you been to Home Depot lately? If you go, would you check the orchids out (of course you will!!!!) and let me know what you think the medium is in these latest batches? I noticed that all the orchids (except cattleyas) were all planted in this stuff, whatever it is.......

[Tobi]

Sandra,
I have my Miltassia Charles Fitch "Izumi" and Brassidiium Shooting Star in
medium bark with charcoal and perlite. I ground up a little Spag. also. They
are in the east window of my room and have done well for 3 years. New spikes and flowers yearly. As for sacrificing your blooms, maybe one of the
senior members can tell you if it's worth doing it. If it's for the best for the
mother-ship then I would sacrifice!!

[fred]

Sandy
I have repotted an orchid in bloom a few times.
It can be done by laying the pot on its side.
Being gentle slowly take the orchid out of the pot with out disturbing the root system to much and being careful not to damage the flower spike.
Then repot.

I hope this helps you.

[sandra]

Well, I couldn't stand it, not knowing what this stuff was in my orchid so I re-potted it. I still don't know if it was peat moss but it was nasty, whatever it was. There was maybe, a small handful of bark and some sphag only at the root ball. I cleaned it up and potted it with bark, perlite, coir, charcoal and mixed some sphag into it.

That tag that I scanned a while back attached to the orchids, "when the flowers die, discard the plant.....", the grower wants to make sure this is what happens by the way in which this was potted. I don't know why else they would mistreat by not giving them the right medium to thrive in. $$$$$$$, that's why!

[palito]

i dont blame the nurseries for potting them in wahtever cheap stuff they can find that keeps humidity, since those orchids sold in big stores are meant to be live bouquets, an impulse buy when you see the pretty flowers.

For a very low price you can have a blooming orchid every month of the year and never worry about having to actually care for it. Just discard the plant when the flowers wilt and get a new one in a new color or shape. It would be would be much more expensive to get fresh roses every week of the year than to get a new disposable NOID phal every month of the year

[BillC]

Sandra, do you think the plant was grown in the medium which was in the pot when you bought it? I would be interested to learn the answer.

Bill

[Tobi]

Sandy,
I'm glad that you repotted if the moss was that nasty. How were the roots
themselves? Anyway, I think you did the right thing and hopefully the Orchid
Gods will be with you on this one.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by BillC

Sandra, do you think the plant was grown in the medium which was in the pot when you bought it? I would be interested to learn the answer.
Bill

Me too Bill. I'm too novice to assume 'anything is possible' when it comes to this. I know you can grow them in a shoebox so the gurus say but aside from bark mix, sphag. and hydroponics, I've heard nothing about this mix, whatever it was. Muddy and retaining all the water is not expected, this much I know...I think? I seem to think it wasn't grown in this stuff because when I de-potted, it fell away immediately but the sphag and little bit of bark was nested well inbetween the roots and attached to them as if it was there for a long while. And nobody here seemed to know anything about peat moss to advise for or against and further on......

[sandra]

Originally Posted by Tobi

Sandy,
I'm glad that you repotted if the moss was that nasty. How were the roots
themselves? Anyway, I think you did the right thing and hopefully the Orchid
Gods will be with you on this one.

Tobi, the roots were in very good shape. You don't happen to know anything about growing in peat moss, do you?

[fred]

this is about all i could find about peat moss

http://www.repotme.com/selectablend/PeatMoss.pl

http://www.repotme.com/cgi-bin/alacarte.cgi?media=PM

Sandy I have also had a look on the net about peat moss most say that peat moss can be added to a bark mix.
I have also read that peat moss can be used the same as sphagnum moss also that peat moss hold water like a household spoge.

I disagree slightly as peat moss goes muddy with age.

So would I use peat moss only to grow an orchid no not when I have sphagnum moss

[sandra]

Fred, after seeing these links, it was definitely peat moss that it was growing in. They say it can be blended in with the other mixes so I wonder what it's benefit is to using it? Nutrients? So, I'm to assume that peat moss should not be by itself, the only medium when potting orchids, correct? You never read anything about it here. I'm one confused and stumped geek here.

Originally Posted by fred

this is about all i could find about peat moss

http://www.repotme.com/selectablend/PeatMoss.pl

http://www.repotme.com/cgi-bin/alacarte.cgi?media=PM

Sandy I have also had a look on the net about peat moss most say that peat moss can be added to a bark mix.
I have also read that peat moss can be used the same as sphagnum moss also that peat moss hold water like a household spoge.

I disagree slightly as peat moss goes muddy with age.

So would I use peat moss only to grow an orchid no not when I have sphagnum moss

[prisana]

Sandra, no I haven't been to HD , but that will change today... It's been a week !!! oh boy.. I better go without my wallet..I'll let you know if I see anything potted in similar mix...

[sandra]

Originally Posted by prisana

Sandra, no I haven't been to HD , but that will change today... It's been a week !!! oh boy.. I better go without my wallet..I'll let you know if I see anything potted in similar mix...

Prisana, if you go without your wallet, you'll be one sorry young lady!

P.S. Was just at the Home Depot on Linton in Delray the other day. 2 cattleyas left and they were in the saddest shape I've ever seen. . If you were thinking of taking that drive, don't bother.

[fred]

Quote]So, I'm to assume that peat moss should not be by itself, the only medium when potting orchids, correct?

I would not use peat on its own as the peat has no Nutrients at all.
You can also see that with the link below

http://www.sulinkiai.lt/psl/raw_material.html

May be it might be an idea to start a thread on peat moss ?

[Tobi]

Sandy,
I found some info from someone who uses peat to grow orchids
www.stonybrookorchids.com/faq.htm

[BillC]

Hi folks, I thought this article from Britannica might be of interest:

Peat Moss also called bog moss , or sphagnum moss any of more than 160 species of plants of the subclass Sphagnidae, of the order Sphagnales, comprising the family Sphagnaceae, which contains one genus, Sphagnum. The pale green to deep red plants, up to 30 cm (about 12 inches) tall, form dense clumps around ponds, in swamps and bogs, on moist, acid cliffs, and on lakeshores from tropical to subpolar regions. The veinless leaves and stem cortex contain many interconnected, enlarged dead cells, with external openings through which water can enter; the plants hold up to 20 times their weight in water.

Peat moss forms several types of bogs in northern areas. Compression and chemical breakdown of dead plants and other vegetable debris cause formation of the organic substance known as peat, which is harvested and dried for use as fuel. Dried peat moss has been used for surgical dressings, diapers, lamp wicks, bedding, and stable litter. It is commonly employed as a packing material by florists and shippers of live aquatic animals and as a seedbed cover and soil additive by gardeners, who value its ability to increase soil moisture, porosity, and acidity. Peat mosses are valuable in erosion control, and properly drained peat bogs provide useful agricultural land.

Bill

[BillC]

Once more into the breach, This may also be interesting :

Hoffman A H Inc. 15503 8qt. Sphagnum Peat Moss
Back to: Home > Home and Garden> Garden> Hoffman A H Inc. 15503 8qt. Sphagnum Peat Moss

Price Range $3.31 - $10.97

8 QT, Sphagnum Peat Moss, Premium Grade Of Coarse Canadian Peat Moss, When Mixed With Soil, Increases The Soil 's Capacity To Hold Water & Nutrients, Can Be Blended With Perlite & Vermiculite When Custom Soilless Potting Mix Is Desired.

[prisana]

Sandra, Home Depot by my house didn't have anything worth spending my pennies for. The only thing nice there was one lone Onc. 'Sweet Sugar and it was potted in coir and bark mixed nothing else resembled peat was found there this time...

[kmarch]

Sandra,

If you are very careful about the watering (in other words don't water very often at all) you'll probably be ok to wait until the plant has finished blooming. The reason we say after blooming is best is:
1) because many orchids go into a rest period after blooming and do not require or consume much energy and therefore do not depend as heavily on their root system for sustenance
2) because the next phase is growing new growths and new roots and we want the new roots to quickly get established in the new mix.

Repotting an orchid at a time when it is consuming a lot of energy (therefore relying on its root system) is in my humble opinion not a good idea.

If you are very careful about watering, watering very sparingly, maybe checking with the skewer method to see how wet it is inside you will be ok for the next month or so until the plant stops blooming.

There is such a thing as "coir peat" which is essentially ground up coir. i use it in my Paph mix to retain moisture.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by kmarch

Sandra,
Repotting an orchid at a time when it is consuming a lot of energy (therefore relying on its root system) is in my humble opinion not a good idea.

TOO LATE! Kevin, I repotted it yesterday. I couldn't stand it. In the back of my head I was remembering the tag I scanned about discarding the plant when the flowers die and imagined this was a big scam by the growers/sellers to inhibit growth rather than encourage it. I'm almost sure it was peat moss because I happened to see a bag of it at Target and it looked exactly the same. I think there may have been some finely ground bark in the mix also. From what I've found (which isn't much) about peat-moss, it's not something to use alone but along with, for water retention purposes....but never solely.

If you happen to read this post, can you give an example of when peat moss would be recommended as an addition to other mixes? You mentioned you use it in your paphs. Why that and not sphag?

Oh, and while I was picking up the plant to bring it over to the table to re-pot, I knocked over my hot pink phal whose last bud (of 6) just bloomed! ....and then there were 5....

[sandra]

Originally Posted by BillC

Can Be Blended With Perlite & Vermiculite When Custom Soilless Potting Mix Is Desired.

Bill, very interesting. Thank you. Have you ever heard of anyone using this for their orchids? I don't know anything about vermiculite. Will have to look this up.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by prisana

Sandra, Home Depot by my house didn't have anything worth spending my pennies for. The only thing nice there was one lone Onc. 'Sweet Sugar and it was potted in coir and bark mixed nothing else resembled peat was found there this time...

Well, Home Depot didn't want your money today prisana! They've got to be due for another shipment any day. It's been 2 whole weeks and everything is beginning to look a lot picked over on the orchid tables there.

They had the same onc. at my HD and it was potted in the same mysterious stuff I keep believing is peat moss but I know you're more keen to know the difference than little ol' beginner, me! Do coir and peat look similar? And if it was coir mix used in my plant, would that be a bad thing....even though it's too late as I repotted yesterday. Do you/have you ever used coir mix or peat moss as the primary medium for potting your orchids?

[BillC]

Sandra, Essentially vermiculite is a member of the silicate group of minerals, resembling mica in appearance, and when heated has the ability to expand its volume many times. It was used extensively in horticulture in the same way as perlite is used now. For some reason it has fallen out of favour and perlite is now the accepted materiel for potting mixes.

In connection with orchids, Tobi's link to Stony Brook Orchids shows that they have been using peat moss and perlite in a 4 to1 mix for many years. The article, (an answer to an FAQ) , offers many good reasons for this mix.


Bill

[sandra]

Tobi, I seemed to have overlook your response here and have just now read the article you attached. Now I'm thoroughly confused. The guesswork with the bark is one thing I'm always uncomfortable about and according to this article, it would solve the problem for me. Sphag is good on my small oncidiums but I have a feeling I'm keeping my large onc.s too wet.

Here I go again.....I'm going to repot my phals and onc.s in the peat moss with perlite.

Thanks for this article.....and adding to my confusion!

Originally Posted by Tobi

Sandy,
I found some info from someone who uses peat to grow orchids
www.stonybrookorchids.com/faq.htm

[prisana]

Originally Posted by sandra

Well, Home Depot didn't want your money today prisana! They've got to be due for another shipment any day. It's been 2 whole weeks and everything is beginning to look a lot picked over on the orchid tables there.

They had the same onc. at my HD and it was potted in the same mysterious stuff I keep believing is peat moss but I know you're more keen to know the difference than little ol' beginner, me! Do coir and peat look similar? And if it was coir mix used in my plant, would that be a bad thing....even though it's too late as I repotted yesterday. Do you/have you ever used coir mix or peat moss as the primary medium for potting your orchids?

Sandra, It could also be one of those coir pith or coco-peat extracted from the coconut husk fibers, it could resemble peat..it's the corky particles found between the coconut fiber. I've heard of some growers that used that. It's peat-free but just a substitution for peat...I've never grown anything in just peat , but I've used coconut chips from my trees and they work great...you could check out some infor on coir pith and see if it looks anything like what you see in your pot...good luck

[sandra]

Old thread here but new news. I've just discovered this plant is Miltassia Shelob 'Tolkien' AM/AOS. So now, I'm somewhat confused here. Is this an oncidium/miltonia? brassia/miltonia? or what I thought all along, brassia/oncidium, which seems doubtful now?

P.S. This plant is bursting with spikes. It loves me!

[Vivienne]

very awesome news!

Miltassia = Miltonia x Brassia

I know exactly what you mean about confused. Struggling with that myself right now.

[Vivienne]

Check out my post Identification # something or other.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by Vivienne

very awesome news!

Miltassia = Miltonia x Brassia

I know exactly what you mean about confused. Struggling with that myself right now.

I pretty much knew this Vivienne when I found it's name. There we go again with wrong id's as all the tags had them listed as brassidiums. I just needed this confirmed. Thank you my friend . Now, if I get lucky enough to id my new brassidum (I think), I'll sleep well tonight. What are you struggling with? I'll have to catch up on some of the posts here.

[Tobi]

Sandra,
Tis a very lovely orchid. I have a Miltassia Charles M. Fitch, which I've had
for 3 years. Very tall striking plant with gorgeous blooms on a long spike. I
keep it in the east window of my 4 season room and it's seems to love it there. Culture is very similar to other Oncidiums. I did read somewhere that
they like a higher minimum temperature than the other Oncidium alliance.
Glad you finally got an ID on it.