Read more of cultivation of Liparis nervosa (Thunb.) Lindl.
Light:
2000-3000 fc. Moderately bright filter or diffused light is suggested initially. Plants should not be exposed to direct midday sun. Strong air movement should be provided at all times to help reduce the risk of fungal infections.
Temperatures:
Throughout the year, days average 74-78F (24-26C), and nights average 58-60F (15-16C), with a diurnal range of 16-20F (9-11C). These conditions are common for more equatorial habitats. Plants found in Florida experience warmer summer temperatures and somewhat cooler nights in winter, but average minimum values in winter should not drop below 50F (10C). Although record low temperatures in the Florida habitat are well below freezing, but plants are probably protected from extremes and cultivated plants will be healthier if not exposed to extremes.
Humidity:
85–90% year-round.
Water:
Rainfall in the Ecuadorian habitat is very heavy all year, but in other habitats there may be a dry season. However, plants grow in very moist areas so cultivated plants should never dry out. They should be watered heavily, but drainage should be excellent, and conditions around the roots must never be stale or soggy.
Fertilizer:
1/4–1/2 recommended strength, applied weekly. A high-nitrogen fertilizer is beneficial from spring to midsummer, but a fertilizer high in phosphates should be used in late summer and autumn.
Rest period:
Growing conditions should be maintained all year. Cultivated plants need less water when they are not actively growing, particularly in winter when plants are grown in the dark, short-day conditions common in temperate latitudes. Some growers report that they keep their plants dry when leaves die back after flowering, but we suggest that plants should not dry out completely or be without water for long periods. 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 with an open, fast-draining terrestrial mix that retains some moisture but does not become soggy. Growers generally use small-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. Some growers suggest a medium such as those used for Phaius species, which is a mix of equal parts of soil, rotted cow manure, and peat or chopped sphagnum moss with a top dressing of rotted manure added each spring when growth resumes. If growers object to using manure, a soilless mix of 1/3 fine fir bark, 1/3 perlite, 1/6 sand, and 1/6 peat moss may be used. Plants should be repotted immediately if the medium stays soggy between waterings or when the plant outgrows its container. Repotting should be done just as new roots start to grow, so that the plant can 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
