An Update on My Tolumnia Orchids

[@vickieescobar163]

I grow mine in clay pots with horticultural charcoal... I water twice a week and grow in a lot of sun.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

As long as the roots look good with growing tips, sounds fine. If they are doing ok don't change anything but you may need to water more often if it's warm?

[@sherrywalker4619]

I do love my Tolumnias!

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

Under-appreciated orchids by many.

[@juliesmart9255]

Hi, tolumnia's, are next on my must have list, once my Vanda is here . Will they grow in pots or baskets? Much love Ju xxx

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

Tolumnias need plenty of air around the roots so they can dry very fast - apart from that, they are easy to look after. I've seen them grown successfully in tiny clay pots with no media, small open plastic baskets with no media, pots with some large pieces of lava rock so many choices. Mine are all mounted with a small amount of moss around the base but most of the roots push out away from the moss once they are growing well. I water mine everyday during the growing season but they are dry within a few hours.

[@paulsaunders6492]

Very very helpful - thank you so much. I'm hoping that changes in line with your advice will benefit my ailing tolumnias.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

You're welcome.

[@michaelpye5972]

The better growers here (Sub tropics Australia) grow tolumnias on pieces of fence palings. No moss. Just water every day about 6 am. One bloke starts with moss but it falls off over time and he leaves i that way.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

They naturally grow on twigs and small branches so would be bare-rooted watered by daily morning dew. Watering frequency would depend on air humidity though - if my air was drier, I would probably water twice a day in warmer weather.

[@lynnbrooks5503]

Michael Pye . Aren’t the palings treated though?

[@michaelpye5972]

These cam straight from the mill, as off cuts

[@YnseSchaap]

The Red Oak scare of '18 I was thinking about that yesterday scavenging for wood, Rick uses wood not the bark this shouldn't be the problem because the part with the tannine is the bark, all oak forest in my neighborhood were planted for the leather industrie in the 1800's (straight trunks went to the coal mines for supporting the mine shafts) I have some antique de-barking tools from that time. I think the black and white fungus are invaders not present in the tree but outsiders coming in after the tree has died and being activated after being watered frequently ( I could be miles off ;-)

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

Fungal spores are almost indestructible in nature so could stay in the bark or just below for ever but like you say, would burst onto life with added water. And any mould/fungus really speeds up the decaying process. Although there are lots of Oak species growing in the UK, apart from our native Oak, they are planted in parks etc and are rarely found out in the forests.

[@YnseSchaap]

I'm not sure which oak is used here, we have two native species and the rest is planted for human use. Just over a 150 years ago I would have been living on a treeless sand ridge covered with heather and patches of shifting sand, not at all what it is today

[@kareneaton190]

Thanks for helpful video. My growing method is to use hanging net pots, bark, perlite, charcoal. Second lot of spikes started.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

With Tolumnias, I don't think it matters too much what media is used as long as the roots get plenty of air and dry quickly. But if the air is drier, something that holds moisture a little longer is good.

[@denisenoak9401]

Nice Tolumnias! Mine are doing ok after putting into slated plastic pots recently. Although they like drying out, I think mine dry out way to fast, so I'm going to consider adding a few pieces of lava rock into their basket!

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

I've seen Tolumnias doing really well growing on chunks of lava rock.

[@sherrywalker4619]

Great video Roger! Thanks!!!

[@denisesorchidparadise1411]

some driftwood comes from lakes, no salt!

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

Yes - freshwater driftwood is a real luxury. Someone in Scotland collects pieces and sells them on Ebay but they are larger 'ornamental' pieces and very expensive. Also, aquatic shops sell a form of hardwood that has come from freshwater, but where that comes from is extremely acidic water an it's full of a dark brown dye from peat - turned my fish tank dark brown over night.

[@rose2fame1]

My Dendrobium zeppelin x kingianum bud just opened. I looked at the tag it’s zeppelin not zip. Pretty fuchsia color with white spotted lip. Nice fragrance. Another cane has a inflorescence showing as well. A new cane forming. I think this is going to turn out to be a stunner. Let me know I can send you a photo if you like.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

I'm always happy to see pics of people's orchids (you can use the channel email : [e-mail])

[@willemh3319]

how often do you water these and how (ina bowl or spray) i love them and want to mount them on corkbark hve some nice pieces from portugal from my nurse pieces are 3,5 ft long👍👍

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

All of my Tolumnias are mounted and in the warmer weather during the growing season, they get watered every day. In duller/cooler weather, every other day and in Winter every 3rd or 4th day. I pour water all over the mounts when I water. If in a hurry, I may use a sprayer.

[@willemh3319]

did you not do a video on rinsing charcoal some rime ago?

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

I haven't used charcoal as far as I remember?

[@usaklein]

Excellent information as usual. Thank you so much. I am in the process of mounting my Tolumnia so it can be healthier and less worry of overwatering! Do you use any string to tie the orchid, moss to the cork? Could not see it very well. So invisible. Lovely collection. Thank you again.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

I use fishing line to tie the roots and moss to the mount - the reason? you can't see it. But I have to be careful not to pull it too tight as it can cut into the plant.

[@Druexotics]

So I was wondering when you say that when moss drys the acidy goes away but if you think about it as the water dries wouldn’t the acid actually be concentrating just think about your critic acid it a powder that you dissolve and add water to dilute it so if you take water away it would get stronger could that have an affect on the roots

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

I didn't say it 'goes away' - just that it has little effect - without water, the roots would have nothing to absorb and the low levels of feed that I use would leave very little residual. If the moss starts to decompose on these plants, the roots show it up quite well so it can be changed when required. They also get flushed every now and then. All forms of decomposition need moisture - these plants are only wet for a very short time.

[@patsfreund9164]

Really appreciate the discussion of the Tolumnias. I recently added them to my collection. Over the past weekend I put them on cypress mounts. Hoping they'll do as well as yours. Do you grow any Dtps orchids? I was gifted one in an orchid order. It has taken me a couple of months to get used to their growth habits. It was touch and go for a while, but I have finally figured out what they need. Thanks for another helpful video.

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

Tolumnias seem to do ok going on almost anything as long as the roots don't stay wet for long. I haven't got any Doritaenopsis orchids.

[@Paul-mn8ql]

So what is the routine with those guys? Water as required. How often do you fertilize? With what? How often do you re-moss them on the mount?

[@RogersOrchidsGardenandBonsai]

All my mounted orchids get treated the same (except the resting type Dendrobiums which have specific Winter care). I cooler weather (Winter), I water every 3rd day. As the longer days and warmer temps arrive in Spring it increases to every day unless there is a sequence of dull days when it would be every 2nd day. I feed my orchids when they are actively growing (hardly any feed during Winter) and use the MSU formula at about 120-140ppm frequently when in growth. This year, I'm including an occasional CalMAG feed at around 80ppm and of course I flush the orchids every couple of weeks. I only use a small amount of moss around the base of the plant but allow the roots to spread out on the mount where there is no moss. Last year, they were all remounted with fresh moss so I will probably think about changing the moss next Spring. During the growing season, these orchids like to be watered every day in the morning and allowed to dry during the same day so I don't have too much moss - that also allows for a 'gentle water' in the Winter as apposed to a good soaking this time of year.