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Maxillaria striata... urgent !

Discussion in 'Orchid Culture' started by Andreja Schulz, Jun 6, 2013.

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  1. Jun 6, 2013 #1
    Andreja Schulz

    Andreja Schulz Member

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    Location:
    Ljubljana, Slovenia, EU
    Hi !
    Two years ago I fell in love in Banos (Ecuador) with a beautiful specimen of Maxillaria striata .
    Finally I got it some days ago.
    Please help me ! I know it likes cool ( no problem for me ) but I would like to know her special wishes !
    - better mounted or potted
    - watering ??? I am afraid to water Maxillarias
    - the light ???
    - humidity is about 70 %

    Please Marni, you know a lot about this species, help me !
    In Banos I saw her free on the balcony in some rotten pot .... blooming with min. 10 blossoms !

    Thank you in advance !
    Regards
    Andreja
     
  2. Jun 6, 2013 #2
    Marni

    Marni Well-Known Member Staff Member Supporting Member

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    Andreja, I grow a number of plants of Max striata and find them quite easy. They will bloom down some of the time, so if you can pot it in a basket that is best, but a pot works fine to. I have not been able to grow the big maxillarias mounted as they just get too heavy and pull themselves off the mount. I use a fine bark mix with some pumice and treefern threads (not powder) in a relatively small pot. They have very fine, wiry roots and do better when they get a bit root bound. Don't be afraid to water them, they can approach dryness between waterings, but shouldn't go a long time dry. I grow them in moderately bright light so the leaves are a medium green. I don't find them fussy about humidity. Some of them grow in my cold house where the humidity is quite low during the day in summer. They have done well for me with 50F nights and also with 45F. Congratulations on getting a great species.
     
  3. Jun 7, 2013 #3
    Andreja Schulz

    Andreja Schulz Member

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    Thank you very much Marni, your information arrived just in time.I already potted it in the basket but I used too big bark ! I should be smarter seeing its fine roots, I was really angry at myself ! I also added no sphagnum at all, it would be too wet .
    The shipment came 2 days ago so it was really a must to pot them all. There are also 2 new Scaphosepalum, 3 new Draculs and Restrepia echo which was already very long time on my list.

    Thank you again !

    Best regards

    Andreja