Tolumnia Tutorial: Light, Water & Fertilizer, August 2024

[@tejasnarayanappa3736]

Thank u so much Amy was waiting for this video for a long time.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

You're welcome 😊 Thanks so much for requesting it!

[@annavoeggia816]

Great information. Your collection has grown, 25 Tolumnias! They are great little orchids.😊

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Yes they are! I love growing them! :)

[@rickl.orchids]

......Amy, this was a wonderful tutorial on your tolumnia care.....Im sure it answered a bunch of questions for others......I love that you enjoy research on orchids, .....and to get even more information,..... you spoke with the growers that grew them. You truly have a growers heart.....Getting a peak at your beautiful orchids and hearing your very informative talk, is such a great way to start a day......Yours look beautiful, and the blooms show they are happy....25 Tolumnias, has to be one of the largest collections I've heard of. ..The Tolumnia's I had,... I grew mounted, or bare root in clay pots....They grow fast under the correct conditions....They grew along side my cattleyas in very bright light.......I keep promising myself Ill get some more......and after seeing yours.....I think I will........getting a blessing from you is my favorite part......

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi Rick! It's always good to hear from you...your comments are so thoughtful. This was a viewer requested video, and you know how when you're covering a requested topic you have to research. And think. :) I do enjoy researching and learning, it seems like growing orchids is a continual steep learning curve. lol! I started buying these and I'm kinda hooked. The colors are so vibrant and they're really charming...and they don't take up much space...and they're economical...and I just like them a lot! Hope you add some to your collection, especially if you're promising yourself some more. :) Many blessings to you and Jan. Thanks so much for all your kind words and your encouragement. It means a lot to me.

[@shirleyholt898]

Hi Amy. Your video was really great. Very informative and helpful. I have 9 Tolumnia’s. 7 are highbreds and two are species. My species are on tree fern mounts, the others are in self watering pots so they never dry out. They are in western window and under grow lights. I’m glad you mentioned 12 hours of light. I was going to reduce the light as the day light grows shorter,but I’ll keep it at 12 like you said. They are fun orchids to grow and don’t take up too much space. Thanks and be blessed. 😇🥰💐🙏🏻

[@OrchidWhisperer]

Hi Shirley! Thanks so much for saying that...and for sharing how you grow them. So you have all your hybrids in self watering pots, that's a great idea. I'm going to have to start bottom watering some of my larger ones...it's getting hard to water around them correctly. I do keep them under 12 hours of LED lights all year long, same as my species Phals. I keep my Thanksgiving cacti in the sunroom and the Tolumnias in the house so that the 12 hours of light doesn't confuse the cacti. I believe the cacti need more than 12 hours of total darkness to induce blooming. Have a great weekend, sweet friend! :)

[@deem2781]

Hello Amy, your orchids are beautiful. If you want to enjoy even more orchids, come to Orchid Fest in Dayton, Ohio, August 24th 9am to 5pm and August 25th11am to 3pm at Emmanuel Lutheran Church. I would love to meet you. Lot of fun . So glad you came back to your tube channel. I enjoy your videos.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@deem2781 hi and thanks so much for the invitation! That sounds like fun! I appreciate your sweet comment, so nice of you to say. Happy 😇 growing! Amy

[@NURS3898]

Great info, I have 4 hybrids and grow them outside, all summer. My first year growing them. Put them tree fern bark. they get all morning sun and are doing well.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@NURS3898 thanks for sharing! Tree fern is a great medium choice! 😇

[@Joe-nj3bb]

I don't have any Tolumnias yet, but the foliage reminds of Brassavola nodosa cattleyas and the flowers remind of Miltonias. 😁

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@Joe-nj3bb these are fun to grow...if you decide to get them. The blooms are amazing for such a small plant.

[@munk_ljuv]

My tolumnias had root system problem. The moment new roots touched medium, they would dry up. I think that I maybe got a very finicky bach because I tried different mediums, went from tap to distiled watter(they were almost always moist) NOTHING CHANGED! I will buy them in future and see what happens, but my first 3 were vicious!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

If the root system is damaged, Tolumnias take a long time to rebound. I use r/o water because the roots are so sensitive. Depending on your tap water quality, that alone can cause damage. I wish you lots of success with them in the future!

[@craftyirina]

Love learning from you! 💕 thank you for sharing your love and knowledge! May God Bless you Richly! 🙏💕

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@craftyirina aw, thanks for your sweet comment! 😇 It made my day! ❤️🌸

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Great video!!! Such good information. I have four (under disc lights), which I bought in late winter, one bloomed but the others have not bloomed. They are in moss topped with bark. Feeding them MSU. I may have let them dry out before watering. So I’m thinking the wick technique maybe for the two small ones.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@lenorepeloso2378 👋 Hi Lenore! I'm thinking the ones that haven't bloomed yet are adjusting to our home conditions...or they might have a season they're going to bloom. The wicking method has been easier for the small ones, and saves me time. Have a great weekend, dear friend! 😇🌸❤️🐶

[@lenorepeloso2378]

Ok, I will assume they are adjusting. Thanks.

[@hillbillyorchids]

I only have 1 species tolumnia. Tolumnia velutina. It grows opposite. Needs dryer conditions. Its potted in big bark. Really airy. I tried mine with more moisture and it was starting to die! Now its turned around and growing new fans! 😊trial and error! 😂 we learn. 😂😂

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@hillbillyorchids oh yes, we learn...and sometimes the learning curve is steep! 🤣 I've read the species care is quite different from the hybrids. I let mine dry out in the beginning, with not good results...they shriveled like a prune. Interesting, they must have used a thirsty one for these hybrids! Lol! Have a great weekend, Paula! 😇🌸❤️

[@MK-yu3tc]

I love Tolumnias. They are tiny and doesn't require a lot of your grow space. What's your opinion on bottom watering Toluminas. I have read that Toluminas often suffer when water gets trapped in between their fans which can cause fungal attack. I tried mounting Tolumnias but they didn't survive in my type of tropical climate.

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@MK-yu3tc I was just thinking today that I need to experiment with bottom watering. I have a few that are filling up their pots and there's not a lot of room around the fans to water. Do I'm going to give it a try. That's another good point for growing them in moss...the capillary action that it provides dispersed the water evenly throughout the pot. Happy 😇 growing! 🌸

[@LizE2654]

So happy to have this tutorial. I’ve been trying to grow tolumnias, but they haven’t been blooming for me. They are under halo grow lights. Not sure what the problem is. A few of them have new fans so I’m hopeful. Do they have a specific bloom season or can it be at any time? How much water do you keep in the pot for the wicking? Thanks!

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@LizE2654 I'm so glad this was helpful! If your Tolumnias are growing new fans, that's a really good sign. There's no specific time that they bloom, but I've noticed more of mine are in Bloom late winter and spring. And some tend to have their own ideas on when to bloom. Lol. I add water in the reservoir below the surface of the platform they're on. And I change the water weekly. Have a great weekend! 😇🌸❤️

[@LizE2654]

@@OrchidWhisperer great. Thanks!

[@virginiadendy]

You said, “He was mad at me.” Love that! Going to have to get one 🎉 ❤ 😇🐠🪽

[@OrchidWhisperer]

@@virginiadendy 👋 hello, my friend! 😊 Yes, he was beyond pouting...he was really mad! Poor lil guy. Lol. They're a lot of fun to grow...let me know if you get one! 😇🌸❤️

[@virginiadendy]

@@OrchidWhisperer 💜