Read more of Cultivation of Mystacidium venosum Harv. ex Rolfe
Light:
1800-3500 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. Plants growing in shaded conditions usually have leaves and spurs that are longer than plants grown in brighter light.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 78-80F (26-27C), and nights average 66-68F (19-20C), with a diurnal range of 12F (7C). Even with the differences in elevation, there is little difference in summertime temperatures between the low-lying coastal habitats and the higher-elevation mountain habitats. Comparisons between the habitats may be made by checking the climate table accompanying Mystacidium braybonae, a species said to grow on the same trees with Mystacidium venosum in the mountains of Northern (Transvaal) Province.
Humidity:
70-75% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for 2-3 months in winter.
Water:
Rainfall is light to moderate throughout the year, with a somewhat drier period in winter. Cultivated plants should be watered often while actively growing, but drainage should be excellent with the roots allowed to dry out between waterings. Conditions around the roots should never be allowed to become stale or soggy.
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 and then switch to one high in phosphates in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 71-72F (22C), and nights average 51-54F (11-12C), with a diurnal range of 17-20F (10-11C). Because of the range in habitat elevation, these plants should adapt to conditions similar to those required by Mystacidium braybonae, with night temperatures in winter as much as 10F (6C) cooler than indicated in the preceding climate table. Rainfall in the habitat is rather low in winter, but some additional moisture from heavy dew often is available. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants, but they should not be left completely without water for long periods. Occasional early-morning mistings between infrequent light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas while also providing the dry winter rest necessary to promote blooming. The dry season in the inland mountain regions is longer and more severe than in the low-lying coastal regions, and while these plants require a dry winter rest, it does not need to be as long or as severe as the rest provided for Mystacidium braybonae. Fertilizer should be reduced or eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
La Croix & 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
