Hello all! I picked up about a month and a half ago a piece of Habenaria rhodocheila 'Nuana'. Its in a small 3" pot in Promix. It was still dormant, and I bought basically a pot of dirt. Well its still not up yet. It this normal. How long to break ground? I bought and figured I would then do my reading on it, and not coming up with a lot of info. I have been trying to keep it just barely moist without going bone dry but not really wetting it. It's in a warm place with good air circulation. Getting phal/parvi light, not that there are any leaves or anything. :help:

I don't grow Habenaria but here is a LINK (http://www.slipperorchidforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7371&highlight=Habenaria) for you. Hope you find it helpful!

Hey Ty, don't worry, it will come up once it feels consistent warmth. These are true tropicals and need continuous warmth to be stimulated into growth. A friend of mine in Europe says his aren't up yet either. I have several species and they have just really gotten going for me lately, so relax.

Regarding the mix to grow them in; it should be very well draining, water retentive, and also have a strong organic component. Do watch the watering until it starts to grow and try to keep it warm (above 70F is best).

Tom thanks! I grow it under lights and the temps really have been consistant since I got it in the 70s. So i guess I should try to keep it a bit more moist but never soggy and just wait. It'd be a bummer if the thing konks out on me before ever breaking ground. :fcrossed:

The other way is doing it the way hens doing their eggs.
Basically, you sit on it to keep it warm, once a while moving the Promix around a little bit to check the plant & balance the temperature.;)

Tom thanks! I grow it under lights and the temps really have been consistant since I got it in the 70s. So i guess I should try to keep it a bit more moist but never soggy and just wait. It'd be a bummer if the thing konks out on me before ever breaking ground. :fcrossed:

I DO NOT WATER my Habernarias until I see growth.

I DO NOT WATER my Habernarias until I see growth.

Good point, especially if the temperatures remain cool.

I grow indoors under lights. Should I wait too? The fans and lights dry it out pretty quickly.

I grow indoors under lights. Should I wait too? The fans and lights dry it out pretty quickly.

I may be wrong, but most orchids when they're dormant have no use for water. Watering will only encourage rot. I treat my Habenarias, deciduous Lycastes, and my Stenoglottis longifolia the same way. One of my Habenarias came out of dormancy about a month ago, so I started watering it. The other didn't, so I left it alone. It just started growing this past week, so I am watering and fertilizing it now. If you think the tubers are getting too dry, just lightly water or mist the surface once every few weeks. It shouldn't hurt the plant and it will make you feel better.;)

Keep it away from the fans, too. Excessive air movement in a home growing environment, I believe leads to dessication and the death of far too many orchids in the home. Fans are necessary in a greenhouse or closed growing room where the humidity is artificially high, but with normal house humidity very gentle air movement is all that is necessary. I hope this helps.:D

Ok, Im a convert. I will stop watering it...and looking at it. <insert the watched pot proverb here> So I'll wait and post when I see something.

Update on a bit more info...I talked to the guy who made the division and offered it at a local society auction and he said his werent up yet either and that he had watered once and was thinking about watering again. I said I would try opposite and do nothing...we'll see what happens.

It sounds like a game of waiting!!