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Miltassia question
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Posted by bill_ri_z6b (My Page) on Wed, Oct 7, 09 at 16:24
| Still a newbie with orchids, I just bought a MTSSA Shelob "Webmaster" and I was wondering if these tend to rebloom from the same flower spike as some other types of orchids do. Or is it best to cut the flower stem off after the blooms fade? It will be in an east window. Any other growing tips are welcome. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Miltassia question
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| Miltassias do NOT rebloom on the same spike, so go ahead and cut it when the spike dies back. |
RE: Miltassia question
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- Posted by jamcm Ottawa Area, Canada (My Page) on
Thu, Oct 8, 09 at 9:29
| This will pretty much grow as an Oncidium would. I'm enclosing a link to a culture sheet that should be a lot of help to you. Just know that your plant is a cross between a Brassia and a Miltonia, so it should be grown with intermediate-warm temperatures. Good growing! Julie |
Here is a link that might be useful: COC Oncidium etc. culture sheet
RE: Miltassia question
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Thanks for the replies! Julie, I have it in an East window. I can move it to a south facing window in the same room which is normal house temp, but this south window opens to a sunroom and not directly to the outdoors, so it's not really full sun/light exposure, while the east window faces the outdoors. The south window would get more hours of light, but the east would be more intense but fewer hours. If I put the orchid directly in the sunroom it would get sufficient light no problem, but it's an unheated room, great for my Cymbidiums, but I think too cool for the Miltassia, as winter nights can hit 50º if it's really cold outside. Which do you think would be best?
Bill |
RE: Miltassia question
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- Posted by jamcm Ottawa Area, Canada (My Page) on
Thu, Oct 8, 09 at 15:42
| Hi Bill, Light levels drop by half every foot away you get from the light source, so a south-facing window "blocked" by a sunroom would probably not be the best option. (I could be wrong, but you'd need a light meter to measure the actual amount of light your plant would receive there.) And 50 degrees sounds a little cold to me. Some Oncidium relatives would love it, but not this guy. So the East-facing window it is, but this will likely not be enough light to get it to grow well, much less rebloom. It might hang in until the warmer temps return, when you can put it in that sunroom (with a little time to acclimate to that much more light), but providing some supplemental artificial light would likely be your very best bet for now. It doesn't have to be complicated - a lamp with a flexible neck and 23W or higher a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL - these are the twisty, energy saving bulbs - 23W would be around a 100W equivalent) would do wonders. A timer could turn it on and off for you, too. I have my plants in a room down the hall and I find that the light going on around 6:30 a.m. almost simulates a sunrise. You know you're sun deprived when you find yourself thinking this... Julie |
RE: Miltassia question
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Julie,
Thanks again. I suppose I could also move it to the sunroom during the day. If the sun is out it will be 70º or so, then take it back into the heated area at night. My african violet is in that east window and it blooms all year no problem, so I wonder if the Miltassia would get enough light there? |
RE: Miltassia question
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- Posted by jamcm Ottawa Area, Canada (My Page) on
Fri, Oct 9, 09 at 0:43
| African violets, like Phalaenopsis orchids, require relatively low light levels. This will not be enough for your Miltassia. You'll definitely need more light, either through a better exposure or with artificial supplemental light. You could move it to your solarium, but 70 is not superwarm, and these guys do enjoy warmer temps. But this will be winter, so it should be ok. Keep it in the heated areas when there's no sun, though. Another thing to keep in mind is that most orchids are not actively growing during the winter - it's a combination of less light, cooler temps and other seasonal cues. This means it will not be using as much water and will dry slower. It's crucial not to overwater your Miltassia. You'll probably notice that it'll just look perkier when temps start getting warmer and brighter this spring. Julie |
RE: Miltassia question
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RE: Miltassia question
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| Mtssa will flower with less light then normally suggested. I used to grow mine in 2500 foot candles of light but due to space problems I had to move them to the Phal section at about 1700 fc. They are grwoing faster and flowering more than in the higher light. There are other factors such as Vermi-liquid, and root hormones applied regularily but the lower light seems to have been a benefit. As to temperature they will take your sunroom easily. I grow them outside in temperatures down to 40 degrees and they can survive down to freezing. There is another cultivar called 'The Weed'. They are easy to grow as the name applies. |
RE: Miltassia question
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Jerry,
Thanks for the info. I have had success with Cymbidiums and Phal. in that sunroom, so maybe the Mtssa will be ok. I'll have to find a way to measure light in various places too.
Bill |
RE: Miltassia question
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 This is my signature plant. It is a reliable bloomer and will do well in your sun room. 50 degrees is no problem, even 40 for a limited number of hours. If your Phals are fine in the sun room than the temperature is well within the range of almost any Oncidium hybrid. The same goes for light. Cymbidiums need much more light than this guy, so it will bloom in a spot where the light is between the Cym light level and the Phal light level. |
RE: Miltassia question
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Richard,
That's a nice plant! Which Miltassia is it? Mine is labeled as "Mtssa Shelob Webmaster" and the flower is very similar but is yellow where yours is pinkish. Flower shape, spotting and structure are nearly identical. You've given me hope that I can keep this alive and hopefully have it bloom again next year.
Bill |
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