Such a cutie! Once again I'm going to be trying a masde. Looks like you're growing it neofinetia style. Do you keep the spag constantly moist?

Sheila :)

I was going to ask the same question about the Neo style. I don't have Masdies anymore, but that way of growing makes a lot of sense. Too bad I didn't try it when I had them. I still could do it with some of my Pleuros though. That's s a nice color combo.

Kevin

Thanks!
Actually, it is growing on the top of an inverted clay pot that sits in a saucer of water. Here is a pic from before I got the Masdie.:

Does the ceramic wick up the moisture, then? Seems like a great idea because the evaporation of water via the ceramic probably also helps keep the Masde cool. Neat!

Mike

And the Masdie's in/on sphag! Loooove sphag. D'ya think you could put a plant on a clay pot that was about the same circumference as the spread-out roots - to save room, or do you need that much pot surface to keep it moist enough?

Well - can you give more details? Looks as if you've got several plants on this one clay pot. Are those little Bulbo barbigerums? (barbigerae?)

Do you let roots of different plants grow together? Put sphag under and on top of the roots and then secure? Just put sphag on top of roots?

Do the roots grow into the clay?

Ever need to do any maintenance on the pot itself, or is it like other mounts and keeps going almost indefinitely?

I remember seeing this magic contraption of yours before but didn't have any plants that would love it. That was then.

Thanks, Whitecat8

Hey, MB,

This may not be the right place for details about your clay pot set up. Do you have it posted anywhere else? I'm guessing folks here and on your other forums would be interested, and some (moi, for starters) will want to try it.

Thanks, Whitecat8

Now the only problem I can see is potential salt build up. You know, as the pot absorbs water and it evaporates, the salts stay behind. I wonder if that would cause any problems down the road? Still a really nifty idea.

Kevin

Well, and the plants will get fertilized, too....

C'mon, Mr. B, GIVE. WC8

Oh yes, it's spelled Masdevallia, not Masdevalia.

(aren't I a brat?)

What's a misspelling among friends?

And yes, you are. :)

WC8

Extremely healty plant and wonderful blooms. You really know how to grow this one!

I too am concerned about salt build-up. I'll have to make a decision soon. I should have my new masde late next week. I have a clay pot soaking in rain water now. I wonder if instead of a drench with fertilizer water, could I just use a foliar spray to feed the plant? Perhaps twice a month. Other waterings could be almost totally rain water (I add about one cup per gallon of well water). I really want to succeed with this plant. I've already sent one masde to orchid heaven :(

Just curious, is that a tupperware full of Pings to the left of your pot o' little guys?

Also, I really like the collection of different plants on that pot. I might have to try that sometime.

Lovely Masdie, looks happy!

Very nice! Been looking for this one myself as it is a warm grower -- one of the few that are.

Yes, it is a dish of Pings. Pings are great and everyone should have some.

I should probably be more concerned about salt than I am. Maybe if it ever rains i'll take the thing out and let the rain rinse it. It also wouldn't be a problem to rinse it without the saucer catching the runoff, thus leaching it out. I should do that.

And now that I have reformatted my computer I should be stable enough to actually reply to WCs questions! lol

Please repeat them. :)

Mr. B. - you're the best! Too bad you had to reformat your 'puter.

Here are the original questions:

And the Masdie's in/on sphag! Loooove sphag. D'ya think you could put a plant on a clay pot that was about the same circumference as the spread-out roots - to save room, or do you need that much pot surface to keep it moist enough?

Well - can you give more details? Looks as if you've got several plants on this one clay pot. Are those little Bulbo barbigerums? (barbigerae?)

Do you let roots of different plants grow together? Put sphag under and on top of the roots and then secure? Just put sphag on top of roots?

Do the roots grow into the clay?

Ever need to do any maintenance on the pot itself, or is it like other mounts and keeps going almost indefinitely?

I remember seeing this magic contraption of yours before but didn't have any plants that would love it. That was then.

Thanks, Whitecat8

And the Masdie's in/on sphag!
D'ya think you could put a plant on a clay pot that was about the same circumference as the spread-out roots - to save room, or do you need that much pot surface to keep it moist enough?
Well - can you give more details?
Are those little Bulbo barbigerums? (barbigerae?)
Do you let roots of different plants grow together?
Put sphag under and on top of the roots and then secure? Just put sphag on top of roots?
Do the roots grow into the clay?
Ever need to do any maintenance on the pot itself, or is it like other mounts and keeps going almost indefinitely?

Yes!
Yes, I think you could!
...dunno bout pot surfaces...sounds like math to me...
More details!
Two Bulbo species and one Pleuro species on the sides but one is nearly dead probably from temperature issues.
I do not meddle with or regulate orchid roots in any way.
Sphag on top of roots.
The roots grow ONto not INto, the clay.
Hmmm...how long is "almost indefinitely"? So far I've done no maintenance on it. I guess I've had it about two years maybe, more or less.

It is an 'orchid pot', turned upside down. The kind with slits in the sides and a hole in the bottom. The slits are convenient for wedging a tiny orchid into. I assume the inside of the pot must be an ideal environment for small roots. Maybe one day i'll turn it over and look inside! I used fishing line wrapped around the pot to hold the plants on and also to hold the tags on the back side where it gets little light. One could set something up with light all around and use the entire circumference of the pot, plus the top.

I didn't attach the plants on top, just stuck them there in a wad of sphag. In fact i don't *actually* know that they're attached at all!
Ummm....*trying to anticipate other questions*....

It gets some overspray from my mist system, from 2-6 times a day depending on the time of year. I also water it with a turkey baster to keep the saucer full and to give more of a periodic drenching. I've never fertilized it to date.

Just try it with a small rooted, warm or intermediate epiphyte and see how it works. I think if you can get moss to grow on the pot, you should be able to make an orchid happy on it.

Mr. B, you are the best! Thanks for all the detail. Some are flat out naturals w/ a technique like this, but I'm not, so your info will surely save orchids in MN.

Thanks again, WC8