How to re-pot a Masdevallia orchid: these cold/cool growing terrestrial orchids are a breeze!

Another lock-down - another online lock-down orchid purchase!! And this beautiful white Masdevallia coccinea alba ‘Lemforder’ arrived looking super healthy...but...potted in sphagnum moss and POLYSTYRENE! Now I get why someone MIGHT use polystyrene as part of their mix: it's light, it's cheap, it aerates the media ....but...but...WHAT orchid is going to choose to wrap it's tender roots around and THROUGH a bubble of extruded petrochemical that will NEVER break down! Well, my Masdevallia has no choice in the matter and so here's a simple 101 on re-potting of these easy to grow cold/cool loving terrestrial orchids. We also check in on my Masdevallia coccinea alba ‘Snowtree' X 'Blanca' which I've never seen bloom, can't remember what it looks like, but that has four flowers emerging to show you just what a Masdevallia flower spike looks like. I also mention mycorrhizal fungi in this potting video and you'll be able to find that online wherever you are. The shell grit I use is actually a chicken supplement which I get from a pet shop. And lastly here is the link to my previous Masdevallia care video: • How to grow and care f...

[@loribadgero1035]

Happy to have found this video, Matthew! I hope my new Masdevallia makes it. It was a bit tenuous when it arrived, as it appeared to have been overwatered, and I found most of the roots dead today. A quick clean up and an attempt to stimulate some new roots have been made, but NOW I will be giving it a bit better growing conditions. It was cool enough, but in an area where it got some filtered afternoon light that was pretty bright. I unpotted it because of leaves yellowing and found the root problem. The entire picture would have been confusing, had I not found your highly informative video. Yay! Matthew to the rescue, again. 🎉❤🤗👍🪴. Wish me luck.

[@helloplantlovers]

Oh I'm glad! Good luck with it - I've found them to be fairly easy to get back on track!

[@ot7stan207]

sounds fantastic for san francisco by the ocean!

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching!

[@TheOrchidSaGa]

Very nice plant, and I love hearing you talk about your plants. :D thank you for sharing.

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching!

[@masondanshortyfaddoul2596]

Nice one Matthew, looking forward to seeing the flowers

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching!

[@christinenorton2510]

Great video as allways. Lovely healthy looking plants.

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching!

[@breafisher3706]

Thanks for another great video! I'm glad I'm not alone in my judgement of growers who put that garbage in pots. I thought maybe I was being snobbish about it lol

[@helloplantlovers]

Ha! Thanks for watching....and here's to natural potting medium!

[@andreianifourcault2245]

Fantastic plants!!! Thank you

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching!

[@PaNdeM0niuM]

The polystyrene + Sphagnum combo is for cost effectiveness. Especially for orchid nurseries that grow thousands of plants. The Sphagnum retains the moisture, which means nurseries dont have to water as much, thus saving on water bills and time. And the polystyrene acts to increase aeration and drainage, to prevent root rot. Also, bark can be expensive, especially for nurseries that have thousands of plants.

[@sergiol114]

Ooooo I think you got 2 of the same species there, the coccinea alba, because from what I know the part in the apostrophes are just varietal names, and the one that’s about to bloom is a cross of 2 different varieties. I am looking forward for an update! I can’t grow these guys since I live in a low elevation tropical environment, so I love seeing everyone’s masdies here on KZbin. Happy growing!

[@helloplantlovers]

I think you're right!!! Heigh ho.....we'll see! I'll report back!

[@sergiol114]

@@helloplantlovers Looking forward to it, can’t wait! Thanks for the reply ^^.

[@costadenae4692]

Great video, masdevallia has been on my wish list for a while now. the reason I hesitate is that I have very little space left for any new orchids, but you are making it hard for me to resist lol. happy growing

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching! They take up a spot that not much else thrives in...but...they flower (for me) once a year and the blooms don't last THAT long...but they are beautiful!!

[@HoneybeeCocobutter0806]

I have the same kind of thing growing from my Maxillara tenufolia

[@helloplantlovers]

Do you!!!!! What could it be! How bizarre! I'm not going to be re-potting that one for a bit so they'll have to co-exist.

[@HoneybeeCocobutter0806]

@@helloplantlovers Yes all the way across the planet in Virginia, USA! It doesn’t seem to harm it. I keep it because I’m curious.

[@helloplantlovers]

@@HoneybeeCocobutter0806 Now that is odd! Well...if either of ours flowers or we discover what it is...leave a message!! If they were flask plants there COULD have been other seeds that found their way into the material? I've had baby ferns come with de-flasked orchids that had germinated at the same time.

[@hithanks1]

Great video! Do you have any miniature orchids?

[@helloplantlovers]

Thanks for watching - um - I have some that have miniature in their name, and some that are definitely smaller - but funnily enough yesterday I JUST thought I'd bought a Haraella Retrocalla which is a fabulous cold-warm growing miniature - only to be told by the grower that 'it wasn't in the best of condition'. So no! But if I do find any that fit my environment I will!

[@ot7stan207]

is that fir or pine bark and does it matter sir?

[@helloplantlovers]

Depends where you are as to what will work best, but anything free draining and moisture retentive would be fine; small bark pieces + perlite + sphagnum moss is my mix.

[@ot7stan207]

@@helloplantlovers I live in foggy San Francisco !

[@helloplantlovers]

@@ot7stan207 Then the above mix would work!

[@PaNdeM0niuM]

Masdevallia are epiphytes

[@adamseward358]

Not Masdevallia coccinea though