Mine stays outside all year long ... well, except for tonight - we are predicted to have temp's in the 30's the next few nights, possibly a freeze Friday night ... so, I moved a lot of things up against the south side of the house and covered them with old blankets ... my orchids and hoyas came inside the house - everything else is crammed into my enclosed Florida Room/Porch (unheated) and a lot of things are out on the deck still ... no room inside our small house! I will just throw some blankets over the tops at night. Usually it is only real cold for a couple of hours so hopefully nothing will suffer too much!
look!
Yes it is going to be very cold!!! I am hoping my green house will be warm enough.
Imadigger and plantladylin let me know when your plants are large enough for cutting for trade. I really like the looks of them.
Sandy the epi nut
wren...don't forget I owe you some rhipsalis cuttings this spring, and I was going to send a bunch of different rhipsalis.
That sounds great!!!! And yes I have the memory of a fly!!!!
Sandy the cold epi nut.
I water weekly-winter and summer, but less in winter. I use a liquid houseplant fertilizer in spring, summer, and early fall. Just plain well water in winter. The epis/rhips are in the shade (indirect light) for the summer on a porch or in an open garage area. I don't let them get rained on much or they die. In the fall they come into a cool room for the winter (55 degrees F). This is the third year I've gotten this rhipsalis to bloom. It's always the earliest one to bloom.
I think they are gorgeous. Mine are happily living in an aviary with 46 birds right now and I watered yesterday and was suprised by how actively they were growing. I thought they were kind of supposed to go dormant around this time of year...
I have been reading on the epi forum and some one brought up a good point. Our plants ancestors came from the jungles of south America and there is no winter down there only a wet/dry season. Also the seasons are reversed. South America is in it's so called summer now. I wonder if the drier is more important than the cooler. If you see what I mean.
Besides your plants are being fertilize in a more natural way.
Sandy the epi nut.
I hadn't thought of that. I am keeping them drier now, but I was wondering since they are growing so actively should I not be watering more.
I was in epiforum, but I got to where I couldn't log on. Don't know what happened. Oh well. Not a big problem.
If they are happy and growing I would keep doing what you are doing. I think that is the best route with any plant. There are so many different theories(?) out there that we just have to go with what feels right and works for us.
Sandy the epi nut
went out to my greenhouse today, and had to take a pic of this rhipsalis in bloom.
That looks great.
Wonderful! Do you know which one it is? I have large one that looks similar. Mine is growing new sections but no buds yet. I would love for it to bloom now since I've had it for 4 years with no blooms. I'll check the name and take a pic and see if it is indeed the same one.
It's micrantha. Here's a pic. do you think it's the same?
I need a larger greenhouse!!!!!!!! Y'all are tempting me!!!!!
Sandy the Epi nut
I find my big ones at HD and a Greenhouse in VT. The rest are cuttings. I have a large art studio in my restored barn where I live which is set at 55F. I no longer do any art now that I have a studio for the first time. But I have epis and orchids and now clivias in there. I seem to have become more eccentric (or is it excellent) with age. Here are pics. I started with one epi and one orchid so there is hope for everyone!
Orchids in the middle and right side.
Here's what they are looking at today.
Epis around the orchids.
But wait...there's more!
Then I have taken over my office with warm orchids, huernias, and cactus. And the living space has my hoya and amaryllis collections. Then in the summer, I have 3 acres of gardens. And I wonder why I never seem to have any free time. I need to retire.
But Kathy, what would you do with all your free time when you retired? More plants, right? :)
Sarah
Nice collection. Retiring will not help!!!! You will just find more to do. LOL
Sandy the epi nut
That is a different plant then mine. I have micranta too though...I have a bunch of different ones. I dont remember what its name is right now though, and my greenhouse is soooo crowded right now that it was hard to even get in there to take the pic....I think come this spring I am going to make a photo album of all the rhipsalis with their names, as people are always asking me for names.
Sounds like a good plan, lismil. I hope I didn't stress you by asking.
I guess you are all correct-I would be a lot worse!
lismil, I have a cutting just like yours. Its rhip. pilocarpa. The stems are about 1/4" wide. Very tiny, and very dainty flowers that bloom right on the ends.
Mine is growing in a 2 1/2" pot. Here is closeup of the flower. If you go back and read the first post and earlier posts, you will see the same plant pictured.
So pretty!
I believe it is R. cereoides, but cant be sure without the tag. Its not fuzzy looking like the pilocarpa.
Lismil, and all, what temp. do you maintain in your greenhouse for your Rhapsalis and other Orchid cactus? Care to share please?
I keep mine in 55 degrees minimum in winter.
heres some more pics from last summer
Mine have seen as low as high 30s on really cold nights...they don't seem to mind...but I prefer to keep them in 50s
another
I just try to keep mine above freezing. But this is the first year with my new green/shade house.
We do not have many freezing days, my main problem will be to keep them from over heating.
It get down into the upper 30's in there the other day but all my plants where fine.
and another...wish I had the names right now
heres the tree I hang all my epis in
Very nice lismil. I like the ricrac. I lost my cutting from my GH getting too cold.
Thanks everyone for sharing your tips on how to care for these lovely plants. I personally have not seen one of these in blooms, I can't hardy wait.....