Media for Pleione maculata

[Jer99]

We've been raising orchids for a few years with fairly good success. We just picked up a few bulbs of Pleione maculata. They are shooting up what looks like a tiny leave sprout from the bulb.
What media do a place them in?
Do I just place them on the surface?
Do I let them dry out at this point between light waterings?

Any help would be appreciated.
jerry

[Hristo]

Hi Jerry,
Check out Paul Cumbletons Pleione site..
http://www.pleione.info/

[Eric Locke]

Jerry

I find Maculata best grown in a mixture containing 50 - 75% moss. Other ingredients could include - fine grade bark , perlite and composted bark.
These should never be buried in the mixture but simply placed on the surface and held in place with a little  live moss . Keep these in a warm place above 15 deg c in reasonable light and only enough water at this stage to keep the compost just moist.

Eric

[Jer99]

Thanks Eric -
I checked out the .info site but there wasnt a lot of helpful information relating to my question.
THanks again...

[Paul Cumbleton]

Hi Jerry,
Sorry my website doesn't address your specific question, but Eric's has given a good answer. P. maculata needs much more warmth in winter than most other Pleiones. Like Eric, I keep the compost just a little damp at this stage. Some growers, despite the new leaf growth evident at the current time, keep their compost for maculata completley dry until spring and start watering around the same time as for their other Pleiones. I have tried both methods and oddly found that either seems to work quite well. But having a little moisture there for the new roots to seek out is my preference.

Paul

[Eric Locke]

I always find Maculata is growing quite strongly by mid Feb.
One of my pots photographed today.

Eric

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Looking strong and healthy Eric !!