Any advice on Paphiopedilums? MORE THAN WELCOME!!!
Following is based on under-lights culture:
Water quality is very important. Try to avoid tap water. They like rainwater or dehumidifier water.
Use a well drained mix. I am old-fashioned & I use a mix of fir bark, tree fern, perlite, a little charcoal, and Acrylamide crystals.
Repot frequently, 2 years at the most.
Don't overpot. Use a pot just big enough to fit the root ball.
Don't overwater. Let them dry out a little bit between waterings.
Unless you have a greenhouse, put them outdoors in the shade for the summer. Watch for sunburn. (I don't grow any of the big multiflorals that need full sun.)
There is a little mite that gets into them. If you see tiny pits on the leaves, you have to spray.
If a Paph is reluctant to bloom, give it a cool dry rest for a month. I put them in the unheated guest room for the month of December without food, water, sunlight, or a visit from their lawyer.
Paphs are among my oldest orchids, including my first orchid, Paph. venustum, almost 33 years.
My two AMs, and a silver medal from the Eastern Orchid Congress, were to Paphs.
Iris
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