Graham, I grow my Paphiopedilums of the section Corypetalum all in clay pots with coconut husk potting media. I follow the instructions posted by AnTec Labs for use of coconut husks for my potting media. The only difference I make is I cap my pots with a 1/2 inch layer of New Zealand or Chilean Sphagnum to reduce the drying out of the base of the plants. It helps promote the growth of new roots. I grow my plants of this group in as much light as I can with out burning the plants. I reduce watering of these plants in the winter, in that they are allowed to dry out some, and in the summer I keep them very moist. I repot every year. Most of the plants of this group especially the hybrids like some fertilizer. I fertilize continuously with a very low level of fertilizer >50 ppm N from March through October and my plants have responded very well to it. I use a variety of fertilizers as I found my plants do better with the variety than with one standard fertilizer. The one thing that is important to blooming this group well is lots of light. I grow mine hanging high in my greenhouse close to the glazing and I move them outside in the summer where I have them in a shade house that has lots of ventilation and they get lots of light. I also allow my plants to get cooled in the fall, I keep these plants out until the first frost warning then they come back in. I read a note years ago by Ray Rands who said they like cool temperatures in the fall and winter, so I use the cool fall to give them a chill. Even with all this I can not get them to bloom yearly, but they do very well for me giving me great flower displays biannually. good luck, Tom Hillson On Nov 9, 2006, at 8:25 PM, Graham Marriott wrote:
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