Hi guys:

I love besseae. I think they are beautiful and really want to grow them well. However, I can't keep them alive! One leaf after another, starting with the oldest, gets a black leaf tip then slowly dies back. I've send two from different growers to Davy Jones and another two are in the downward spiral. I've checked the roots and they are stagnant neither growing nor dying back.

I grow them in sphagnum moss in a tray of water of about an inch. My well water quality is very good- ~40ppm. They are flushed once a week and fertilized weakly. The humidity is about 60-70%, night lows are 60F and day highs are 75F. It's winter so the light levels are fairly low at ~1200fc so I'm confident that it's not sunburn.

They are in same grow room as my paphs which in general are very happy. I also have a couple phrag hybrids- Jason Fischer and another besseae hybrid that I cannot recall off the top of my head. They are growing but more slowly than I would expect.

I'm at work so I don't have a picture of them but I think you get the jist of it.

Any ideas what I can do to improve my culture?

Kelly

Kelly -

Stop fertilizing all together. It sounds like fertilizer burn, and these plants do not need very much at all. I experience fertilizer burn when I fertilize more than twice a month at half strength. I have switched to an oganic fertilizer (fish emulsion) on the advice of a couple of other growers. The water quality looks great, but you can always try rainwater. Remember that the more you fertilize plants, the MORE light and water they need, but at a certain point your returns start flatttening out then diminishing. Lastly, what kind of sphag do you use? And how often do you repot?

Hi Kelly,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble growing Phrag. besseae. Whenever I hear of someone who grows Phrag. besseaes in water having problems with black leaf tips and poor root growth , it's almost always due to over-fertilization. They are very light feeders. Also, I have never been able to sustain optimal growth of besseae roots in 100 % sphagnum moss, regardless of it's origin. We use a bark mix of 3 parts sdlg bark, 1 part coarse perlite and 1 part # 3 charcoal for our besseaes, and water every three or four days depending on light levels in the greenhouse. We fertilize every eighth watering with a balanced fertilizer at the equivalent of 1/8 tsp/gal. If you're growing in water, the pots should be taken out of the tray, fertilized and allowed to drain before placing them back in the tray. The water in the tray should be discarded weekly and replaced with fresh water - preferably rain water or R/O. Even with low solids water in the tray, never just add water to make up for evaporation - always throw the old stuff out. In habitat (Ecuador) , Phrag. besseae grows in low light - about 800 to 1200 fc in the habitats we visited, and the seepage water that flows down the granite cliff faces has an average conductivity of only 18 microsiemens, or about 10 ppm total dissolved solids. Good air movement is also present. I'm attaching a photo we took of Phrag. besseae in situ. This is a great species to grow, and it's definitely possible to grow it well in a home environment.

Best Regards,

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1033/phragbesseaehabitatecuavx3.th.jpg (http://img337.imageshack.us/my.php?image=phragbesseaehabitatecuavx3.jpg)

Thank you for answering me so quickly guys! I didn't think that I was over-fertilizing but what you all are saying makes sense so I'll cut it out entirely and see if they improve. I use NZ moss from Oak Hill mixed with coarse perlite. I haven't been able to keep them alive long enough to need a repot but the most recent two I have had for about six months. Thank you for the mix recommendations Tom- I'm writing it down now.

I'll set up some rainwater tanks also. We have been getting a ton of rain in Virginia so I should take advantage of it.

Your expert advice is really appreciated. Thank you!!

Hi Kelly,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble growing Phrag. besseae. Whenever I hear of someone who grows Phrag. besseaes in water having problems with black leaf tips and poor root growth , it's almost always due to over-fertilization. They are very light feeders. Also, I have never been able to sustain optimal growth of besseae roots in 100 % sphagnum moss, regardless of it's origin. We use a bark mix of 3 parts sdlg bark, 1 part coarse perlite and 1 part # 3 charcoal for our besseaes, and water every three or four days depending on light levels in the greenhouse. We fertilize every eighth watering with a balanced fertilizer at the equivalent of 1/8 tsp/gal. If you're growing in water, the pots should be taken out of the tray, fertilized and allowed to drain before placing them back in the tray. The water in the tray should be discarded weekly and replaced with fresh water - preferably rain water or R/O. Even with low solids water in the tray, never just add water to make up for evaporation - always throw the old stuff out. In habitat (Ecuador) , Phrag. besseae grows in low light - about 800 to 1200 fc in the habitats we visited, and the seepage water that flows down the granite cliff faces has an average conductivity of only 18 microsiemens, or about 10 ppm total dissolved solids. Good air movement is also present. I'm attaching a photo we took of Phrag. besseae in situ. This is a great species to grow, and it's definitely possible to grow it well in a home environment.

Best Regards,

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1033/phragbesseaehabitatecuavx3.th.jpg (http://img337.imageshack.us/my.php?image=phragbesseaehabitatecuavx3.jpg)


Thank you Tom, your informations has the merit to be precise, we appreciate those.

Very informative thread!:thumbsup:

<--- Changed...LOL

Now that title sounds like the perfect one for me! I'm taking notes here... :p

Hi Kelly,

Sorry to hear you're having trouble growing Phrag. besseae. Whenever I hear of someone who grows Phrag. besseaes in water having problems with black leaf tips and poor root growth , it's almost always due to over-fertilization. They are very light feeders. Also, I have never been able to sustain optimal growth of besseae roots in 100 % sphagnum moss, regardless of it's origin. We use a bark mix of 3 parts sdlg bark, 1 part coarse perlite and 1 part # 3 charcoal for our besseaes, and water every three or four days depending on light levels in the greenhouse. We fertilize every eighth watering with a balanced fertilizer at the equivalent of 1/8 tsp/gal. If you're growing in water, the pots should be taken out of the tray, fertilized and allowed to drain before placing them back in the tray. The water in the tray should be discarded weekly and replaced with fresh water - preferably rain water or R/O. Even with low solids water in the tray, never just add water to make up for evaporation - always throw the old stuff out. In habitat (Ecuador) , Phrag. besseae grows in low light - about 800 to 1200 fc in the habitats we visited, and the seepage water that flows down the granite cliff faces has an average conductivity of only 18 microsiemens, or about 10 ppm total dissolved solids. Good air movement is also present. I'm attaching a photo we took of Phrag. besseae in situ. This is a great species to grow, and it's definitely possible to grow it well in a home environment.

Best Regards,

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/1033/phragbesseaehabitatecuavx3.th.jpg (http://img337.imageshack.us/my.php?image=phragbesseaehabitatecuavx3.jpg)

Thanks for the info Tom. I have grown a lot of besseae hybrids okay but have not done well with besseae the species. You've inspired me to try again.

e-spice

I would love to grow a phrag but just too scared to try one but I'm taking notes so maybe one day. Great tips thanks Tom!