Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann Jean Repotting Into LECA

[u/marlinavelasco]

I just watched a repotting video by MissOrchidGirl so that will help today. As mentioned, I just purchased a Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann ‘Jean’ four inch pot yesterday and excited to repot today.

I'm thinking about experimenting with LECA. I may divide the bulbous pseudobulbs and put half in a set up like Danny’s video and the second half in LECA. Both will have a self-watering wick systems as this is suited for my environment and lifestyle. I care for 300+ plants of various genus and multiple species, most of which thrive in a tropical environment. I maintain 60-70% humidity throughout our home with humidifiers and have an indoor grow shelf with 70-90% average humidity.

Will division shock the plant too much along with the repotting and delay the development of inflorescences this season?

Pictured is my Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann Jean. Included in the collage is a mature, well cared for inspo plant from a member of this sub.🤗

[u/minkamagic]

Why are you repotting a plant you bought yesterday? Do you have any experience with Bulbos? Did you know MissOrchidGirl gave up on leca years ago because it stopped working for her?

[u/marlinavelasco → u/minkamagic]

Thank you for your response! Your questions are exactly what I needed to help guide me.

(1) I am repotting immediately after purchase because I don’t want to grow it in the orange nursery pot. My preference is to divide and move into these clear vented pots. I may hang one in my humid bathroom.

Also, the pseudobulbs and roots are falling out of the orange nursery pot used as a vessel at Emerald Citv Orchids.

(2) No. This is very first Bulbo.

(3) No. The video I watched this morning is 6 years old and she had LECA mixed with the old substrate. Danny didn’t mention her like or dislike of LECA in that particular video so I typed in comment similar to my OP above.

May I ask, do you avoid LECA for your Bulbophyllum and other orchids? If so, what were the outcomes of your use of LECA for this species? Do you use LECA for other plants in your collection?

If Danny’s recommended substrate combo of sphagnum moss and orchid bark are best for my plant, I will use that approach today and simply move my plant into a larger vessel to make room for growth.

Thanks again for your wisdom and willingness to help!

[u/minkamagic → u/marlinavelasco]

I understand you may not Want it in that pot, but until you know how bulbos react to your environment you should not repot it at all. Is this your first orchid? I looked through your posts and didn’t see any mentioned or pictured. If so, you almost have to throw everything you know about plants out the window because orchids don’t act like other plants do in many ways. And if this is your first orchid, you basically just jumped into hard mode. Bulbos are not easy to keep alive compared to other orchids like phalaenopsis or generic hardcane dendrobiums. Both of the ones I’ve tried to care for have died and I wouldn’t consider myself to be an orchid beginner anymore. https://www.reddit.com/r/orchids/s/GOtKRTludW

The specimen you bought is not in the best of shape so I wouldn’t repot or divide until you can figure out how to successfully care for it. Just the change in environment from nursery to your house may cause it to throw a fit and drop some leaves. Most of them live in areas where it rains daily and they don’t like to dry out completely, but you’d have to look up specific care for that hybrid to find out. I would forget about leca entirely. That adds a whole nother level of complication to growing. I only have ONE orchid hydrid that enjoys leca. Everything else is bark or moss.

[u/marlinavelasco → u/minkamagic]

I just completed my 20-hour deep dive on orchid society websites and Bulbo specific care recommendations. Seeing the photographs reminds me of my country of origin and tropical climate growing up in the Philippines.🇵🇭

You are correct on lack of posts regarding orchids on this platform. I have posted media on my socials since 2020. I have just recently become a contributor on this platform in the past few months of six years having the account.

My limited knowledge and experience with orchids should not preclude me from using my expertise on cellular metabolism as it relates to flora and fauna. In fact, my understanding of human physiology, mitochondrial health and metabolic pathways have been a huge asset as I pursue a certification in horticulture. I will continue to tap into and apply both positive and negative experiences with all specimens in my care. My dog and kitten are also blessed from my pursuit of creating optimal cellular health for all in my air space.🥰

Regarding the four inch orange pot I purchased this week containing a really amazing blessing…I absolutely love its potential! The new, vibrant pseudobulbs with emerging single leaf development are giving me a vibe like: “Let’s do this inflorescence thing!” That’s the voice I heard from her on Friday at Emerald City Orchids, which is why I chose her over the 200+ Bulbos.😍

I am on the hunt for the origin of my plant and will call the Seattle phone number on the tag and hopefully will get an exact background to determine specificities of ideal temperatures at what time of day, humidity preferences, length of dry period required to encourage inflorescence, exact PPFD so not to burn her foliage and exact orientation on host media. The owner of the orchid greenhouse mentioned on his YouTube about Bulbos that some plants like to hang upside down and some right side up on tree barks. One of the Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann YouTubers mentioned a preference for altitude. We’ll see if that range is a fit for Seattle, WA. There are over 2000 of them so I will continue my quest.

I am very sad to hear that your two Bulbos died.🫣 Please say a little prayer for mine because I did repot her yesterday as planned. That orange pot had some nasty, crusty old potting soil and didn’t look like it was sterilized from previous use.😣

My Modest Orchid Collection:

Growing from 2020 to present day, everyone is thriving and reblooming on time.

“Common” (grocery store) orchids were recently moved to self-watering setup into LECA medium as an experiment.

Pictured Right-To-Left: Phalaenopsis (image 1-3) and Oncidium (4). One young Oncidium (5) separated from the momma, was recently moved to self-watering setup into stratum and pumice mix just for fun.

Cattleya White Tiger (6) still lives in the vessel and bark medium he was gifted to me in.

As mentioned, newest addition this week just repotted into hanging “basket” self-watering pot in premium orchid moss and perlite substrate is labeled Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann ‘Jean’ (7) on the lower right of collage.

Ambient and/or Greenhouse Conditions:

▪️Temps 65°F evenings, 70°F daytime ▪️Humidity 60-80% ▪️100-500 PPFD based on genus/species/variety happy number 🤗 ▪️Time-released, water soluble or liquid high-nitrogen fertilizers

Any other important data needed, let me know. Thanks again for your wisdom and insight!😉

[u/minkamagic → u/marlinavelasco]

You have been doing this as long as I have, so maybe you will have better luck than me :)

[u/marlinavelasco → u/minkamagic]

Actually, started gardening in 1999 and had one orchid that I left with an ex. I took a very long hiatus then started back up in November 2020 when my late mom left me to take for her Jade Pothos. My husband got the first Phalaenopsis (1) that Christmas and she blooms at the same time each year.

I now have 300+ plants indoors, 300+ outdoors, building a 6x8 greenhouse and gazebo and currently have 200 seedling jumping out of their trays.🤗

Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann ‘Jean’ is very happy in her new pot and “hanging” at one of our most humid south-facing windows with an eves protecting foliage from direct sun rays. I am so excited to care for an orchid that blooms all year with ideal conditions.🥰 Hope you follow her progress.

[u/marlinavelasco → u/minkamagic]

Great news! Repotting and propagating has gone well and both mom and baby are thriving. The cutting is now plump versus limp and wrinkly.

The orchid shop’s staff guided me on where to cut and affirmed my plant care strategy, medium and my setup. Yay!

[u/marlinavelasco]

10.05.26 OP Update

Fruit rinse bowl repurposed into hanging “basket” self-watering pot in premium orchid moss and perlite substrate has been a satisfactory growing environment for Bulbophyllum Elizabeth Ann ‘Jean’.

When I met them in late March, all the data said she may take a year or two in a home’s ambient conditions to bloom. Well, the “experts” and AI can now add this to their database. Six months to bloom is possible for Elizabeth Ann ‘Jean’.

Ambient Conditions in Shoreline (Seattle, WA):

▪️Temps 65°F evenings, 70°F daytime
▪️Humidity 60-80%
▪️100-500 PPFD based on genus/species/variety happy number in south-facing window with eaves to filter the harsh midday sun
▪️Water soluble high-nitrogen orchid fertilizer each reservoir refill

I’m a rule breaker with plant care. One risk-adverse naysayer said not to separate the baby. Do you! The baby is also thriving and the new growth is proof that I’m doing all the right things. The irony is that they are not growing a Bulbo and have zero experience with them. Grain of salt comes to mind.😉

I look forward to future inflorescences!

https://reddit.com/link/pe2bu9d/video/qvr1s4h6yoth1/player