Read more of Cultivation of Aeranthes ramosa Rolfe
Culture:
Light:
500-1400 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. Hillerman & Holst (1986) reported that this orchid grows in light ranging from 400-500 fc. in winter to 1000-1400 fc. in summer.
Temperatures:
Summer days average 78-80F (26-27C), and nights average 60-61F (16C), with a diurnal range of 17-20F (10-11C).
Humidity:
75-80% most of the year, dropping to near 65% for a short time in spring.
Water:
Rainfall is very heavy from late spring to early autumn. Amounts then decrease fairly rapidly at the beginning of the 5-month dry season, which lasts from late autumn to early spring. Cultivated plants should be watered heavily while actively growing. Water should be reduced after new growth is completed in autumn.
Fertilizer:
1/4-1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly when plants are actively growing. Many growers use a balanced fertilizer all year. Others, however, prefer to use a high-nitrogen fertilizer from spring to midsummer and then switch to a high-phosphate formula in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Winter days average 68- 70F (20- -21C), and nights average 48-50F (9-10C), with a diurnal range of 19-22F (11- -12C). Rainfall in the habitat is low in winter, but additional moisture usually is available from heavy dew and mist. Cultivated plants need less water in winter, but they should not dry out completely or stay dry for long periods. Fairly regular early-morning mistings between infrequently light waterings should provide sufficient moisture in most growing areas. Hillerman and Holst (1986) report misting their plants about 5 times per week. 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. Hillerman & Holst (1986) recommended potting in finer fir bark. Shredded tree-fern fiber may also be used, and varying amounts of chunky perlite and/or chopped sphagnum moss may be added to the potting mix 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
