Read more of Cultivation of Angraecum germinyanum Hook.f.
Culture:
Light:
1000-2000 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 81-82F (27-28C), and nights average 61-62F (16-17C), with a diurnal range of 20-21F (11-12C).
Humidity:
70-75% most of the year, dropping to 60-65% for 2-3 months in late winter and early spring. Averages may be somewhat greater in the habitat than indicated in the preceding climate table, however.
Water:
Rainfall in the habitat is heavy from late spring to early autumn. Amounts then drop abruptly resulting in a 5-month dry season that lasts from late autumn to early spring. Plants should be watered heavily while actively growing. Water should be reduced in autumn after new growths mature, however.
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 prefer to use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer, then switch to a high-phosphate formula in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 71-74F (22-23C), and nights average 49-50F (9-10C), with a diurnal range of 22-25F (12-14C). Rainfall is low in winter, but the large diurnal temperature range and high relatively humidity indicate that heavy dew and late-night mist provides additional moisture during most of the dry season. Water should be reduced for cultivated plants in winter, but should not be eliminated completely. Occasional early-morning misting between infrequent light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Mounted plants should probably be misted lightly once a day. Fertilizer should be eliminated until new growth starts and heavier watering is resumed in spring.
Growing media:
Plants may be grown in well-drained containers or mounted on cork or tree-fern slabs. Mounted plants need high humidity, and during hot, dry weather, they may require several waterings a day. Many growers find it difficult to keep mounted plants sufficiently moist, so plants often are grown in pots or baskets using an open, fast-draining medium. Hillerman and Holst (1986) recommended using a fine fir-bark mix or coconut fiber. Usually, chunky perlite is added to the mix to help keep the medium open and also retain some moisture. Growers in dry regions often include chopped sphagnum moss in the mix to help retain moisture. Including charcoal in the mix helps hold the medium open and helps prevent souring. Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium starts to break down, at least every year or so. Repotting is best done just as new roots start to grow, which enables the plant to become reestablished in the shortest possible time.
Miscellaneous notes:
Hillerman and Holst (1986) discuss numerous varieties.
References:
This information is quoted from a Charles and Margaret Baker culture sheet, with permission from Troy Meyers
