Read more of cultivation of Aerangis spiculata (Finet) Senghas,
Culture:
Light:
1500-2500 fc. Light should be filtered or diffused, and plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 85F (29C), and nights average 73-75F (23-24C), with a diurnal range of 10-12F (6-7C).
Humidity:
Records are not available for this location, but averages from nearby islands indicated probable values of 80-85% most of the year, dropping to near 75% for a month or so in late winter.
Water:
Rainfall at this location on Grande Comore Island is heavy all year, with only a slightly drier period in late winter and early spring. At the weather station on Mayotte Island, however, rainfall is heavy from late spring into autumn. Averages then decrease rather rapidly into a dry season that lasts 4-5 months during winter and early spring. Cultivated plants should be watered often while actively growing, but drainage should be excellent and the roots able to dry rapidly after watering. Conditions around the roots should never be allowed to become stale or soggy. Water should be reduced somewhat in late autumn when plants are no longer actively growing.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers prefer to use a balanced fertilizer throughout the year; but others use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 79-81F (26-27C), and nights average 66-69F (19-21C), with a diurnal range of 12-14F (7-8C). Rainfall in the habitat is a little less in winter and early spring, but averages in the habitat may be lower than indicated in the preceding climate table. Whatever the rainfall averages, however, additional moisture often is available from heavy dew and late-night mist, so the habitat would not become very dry. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants in winter, allowing them to become somewhat dry between waterings. They should never be allowed to dry out completely, however. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Plants may be grown in shallow, well-drained containers or mounted on tree-fern slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If it is difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow pot or basket filled with a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Growers generally use medium-sized fir bark or shredded tree-fern fiber and add varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss to keep the medium open and retain some moisture. Including charcoal in the mix also holds the medium open and prevents souring in the pot. Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down or whenever the plant outgrows its container. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow. This enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
