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U. reniformis Setup Good?

Hello everyone!
I have recently gotten a reniformis.
I have it potted in a 14" net pot with a mix of LFS, orchid bark, and perlite.

I'm keeping it drier as it gets established, as per a recommendation in a really old CPN article.
Can it be kept like this successfully long term?

Do you have any other comments on my setup?
Thanks everyone!!
 
it depends on what you consider long term...problem with LFS and bark is that they tend to break down which leads to compaction--the one thing these utrics hate. would be better if you used live sphagnum instead. the live sphag will continue to grow, preventing compaction.
 
I have recently gotten a reniformis.
Do you know what 'size' it is ---- the diameter of the leaves when mature?
 
No I don't know which one it is.
I would have used live sphagnum if I had more than the 3 strands it came packed in.
Thanks for the info about compaction!
 
I grow several clones of both the larger & the smaller sizes. While they all grow well, the smaller versions are virtually bombproof and very vigorous. The larger size is somewhat more picky (however, Bob Z. has a large-form rennie that blooms all summer for him).

The larger pot is probably a good idea but monitor it for going anaerobic (as Amp warns). When I first started to grow this species, I did multiple media tests - for me, they grew best in peat-based mixes (which is opposite what I found with all of the true Orchidioides). I'll probably try to use a very coarse Nep media with some peat in it next time I do some repotting - ideally in a large pot. Based on the people who have had (& haven't had) success flowering these guys - I'm inclined to believe that both seasonal photoperiod & temperature variation may be important (& possibly a winter drying-out period).

So far, I've only had one clone flower for me - one of the weedier small forms - several months ago.

This field trip thread is one I found very interesting (besides all the great pics). In it, the author noted:
There were two forms of Utricularia reniformis there. One with small leaves, that was usually found in shady locations, growing as a reophitic in river margins, and other with big leaves growing in grassy swamps or partialy shaded swampy florest margins.
This was the first (& only) time I've come across comments about different habitats for the two types.
 
I have the larger reneformis 'Big Sister' clone from BobZ. Growing it as he recommended, in a sandy peat.

It's the pot in the back by the droso. Can't see anything other than leaves though.. sorry.

IMG_3779_zpsef3f6e99.jpg
 
Hello everyone!
I have it potted in a 14" net pot with a mix of LFS, orchid bark, and perlite.
That's similar to my setup - I used dried NZ Sphagnum moss/orchid bark/perlite mix in a mesh pot. I find that the plant prefers to grow from the bottom of the mesh pot, rather than the top. I think this is because it prefers the wetter conditions due to the pot sitting in a saucer of water. You can see in the picture below that the bigger leaves are those coming from the bottom of the pot. Mine really slowed down a few months ago and I thought I was going to lose it, with the leaves getting smaller and less of them but then I fed it with plant food and it has put on a growth spurt.

Lknvw.jpg
 
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I find that the plant prefers to grow from the bottom of the mesh pot, rather than the top.
Yes - good reminder - all of my clones (large or small) find their way to the bottom of the pot and tend to enjoy the conditions there more than the top. I periodically ponder how I might make the plant more happy with this trait - possibly potting it in a shallow tray?
 
  • #10
Yes, I think it probably would grow better in a shallow tray. Repotting would be easier too, as repotting from a net pot means that you lose most of the leaves.
 
  • #11
What do you folks think of growing some of the rene big sister in a mesh pot consisting of only pure live LFS? I really like the look of all the leaves coming out of those pots from every which way.
 
  • #12
I grow several clones of both the larger & the smaller sizes. While they all grow well, the smaller versions are virtually bombproof and very vigorous. The larger size is somewhat more picky (however, Bob Z. has a large-form rennie that blooms all summer for him).

The larger pot is probably a good idea but monitor it for going anaerobic (as Amp warns). When I first started to grow this species, I did multiple media tests - for me, they grew best in peat-based mixes (which is opposite what I found with all of the true Orchidioides). I'll probably try to use a very coarse Nep media with some peat in it next time I do some repotting - ideally in a large pot. Based on the people who have had (& haven't had) success flowering these guys - I'm inclined to believe that both seasonal photoperiod & temperature variation may be important (& possibly a winter drying-out period).

So far, I've only had one clone flower for me - one of the weedier small forms - several months ago.

This field trip thread is one I found very interesting (besides all the great pics). In it, the author noted:
This was the first (& only) time I've come across comments about different habitats for the two types.


The small leaved ones apparently are another species . The really small leaved forms might all be Utricularia cornigera which may account for them having a different ecological needs and habitat requirements.

http://www.upjs.sk/public/media/4479/131-143-studnicka-upr.pdf

http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=35435&st=-5
 
  • #13
Thanks alot everyone!

It is still looking good, no wilting or damage from shipping/repotting, so I'm optimistic about this setup, especially now that I've seen that something similar has been successful!

Unfourtunately, I cannot say the same about my humboldtii...
But that is another thread...
 
  • #14
Yes, I think it probably would grow better in a shallow tray. Repotting would be easier too, as repotting from a net pot means that you lose most of the leaves.
Sounds like a plan. I think I'll look for a small tray of some sort next time I'm out & about - one that won't degrade in the sun after a month or three.

What do you folks think of growing some of the rene big sister in a mesh pot consisting of only pure live LFS? I really like the look of all the leaves coming out of those pots from every which way.
As Carl mentions above, repotting would be much easier if root/leaves aren't tangled all through the mesh. I like the tray idea myself - just need to decide on media... :scratch:

Unfourtunately, I cannot say the same about my humboldtii...
But that is another thread...
Yes - so what happened to your humbo? ???
 
  • #15
Sounds like a plan. I think I'll look for a small tray of some sort next time I'm out & about - one that won't degrade in the sun after a month or three.

Ron, maybe one of those saucers meant to go under pots for water runoff would work? I use those for a bunch of my orchids.
 
  • #16
Ron, maybe one of those saucers meant to go under pots for water runoff would work? I use those for a bunch of my orchids.
That's an option but I find the clear plastic type rarely last much longer than a season and since it'll probably be on my windowsill, I'd prefer something rectangular for space considerations.
 
  • #17
Yes - so what happened to your humbo? ???

What happened was the leaves died off from acclimatization, and when I had written that post it just looked like an empty pot, now it looks like an empty pot with little green stolons coming out from it, so I guess it has acclimatized...

Anyway, thanks again for the help`
 
  • #18
Today, I transferred a U. reniformis I received in the fall from its small pot to a shallow tray as mentioned above. However, before the transfer, I snapped a pic of the same clone - one in a peat-based media & one in pure live LFS. Similarly-sized, small divisions were placed in each pot back in September. The results are the same as when I did this same experiment several years ago with a different clone (with the original Orchidioides species, I get the opposite result). Neither has been fertilized.
Ureniformismediacomparisonenfant011913RS_zps2155aabe.jpg
 
  • #19
Wow!
I will probably keep this plant in the medium it is in.
I think I have the large form as the newly emerging leaves are on stems that are already 4" long or so, and they are still growing.

On another note, by humbo has finally gotten used to the conditions and begun to produce a few small stolons.

Anyway, thanks for the help again any my plant is doing great....
 
  • #20
Greetings all,
I know I am resurrecting a 3 month old thread here but I thought I would throw in a comment. Personally, I never really had the best of luck with U. reiniformis (and sadly, my plant did finally expire) but I thought I would mention that I had a chance to visit the botanical conservatory at UC Davis. I am not sure which form of U. reiniformis I saw (or rather which species now that they have split) but they had it growing in live LFS- almost in a sphagnum slurry type setup. It was the best looking U. reiniformis I have seen. Next time I get a chance to grow this species, I hope to give that technique a shot.
 
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