Read more of Cultivation of Mystacidium braybonae Summerh.,
Light:
1800-2500 fc. Plants should be grown in moderate shade. 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 85-86F (29-30C), and nights average 64-65F (18C), with a diurnal range of 21F (12C).
Humidity:
60-65% in summer and early autumn, dropping to 50-55% from late autumn through the following spring. Averages in the habitat are probably somewhat greater than indicated in the preceding climate table, however.
Water:
Rainfall in the habitat is moderate from late spring into early autumn. Amounts then drop fairly rapidly into a dry season that extends from midautumn into early spring. Cultivated plants should watered regularly while actively growing, but their roots should be able to dry fairly rapidly after watering. Water should be reduced after new growth has matured in late autumn.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers 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 72-76F (22-24C), and nights average 41-46F (5-8C), with a diurnal range of 30-31F (17C). Rainfall in the habitat is low for 5-6 months from midautum into early spring, but humidity is high enough so that the large range in temperatures results in heavy dew and late-night and early-morning mist during most of the dry season. Water should be greatly reduced for cultivated plants in winter, but they should not be left completely without water for long periods. If humidity is high, occasional early-morning mistings between occasional light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Fertilizer should be eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
La Croix (1997) reported that plants in this genus do not grow well in containers and suggested that they be mounted on cork or rough-barked slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, however, and during hot, dry weather they may need several waterings a day. If growers find it difficult to keep mounted plants moist enough, they may be grown in a shallow basket using a very open, fast-draining medium that has excellent drainage, is well aerated, and allows the medium to dry rapidly after watering. Using large chunks of cork and/or charcoal in the way that vandas are grown should produce satisfactory results.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
