These easy to grow moisture loving orchids must never be allowed to go dry. Always stand them in a saucer of rainwater 1 to 1 1/2 inch deep and change the water two to three times a week. They prefer a position which does not receive direct sunlight. Apply a very weak high nitrogen feed every two weeks from the end of February to flowering which is around the end of May. Just a finger pinch in one gallon of rainwater is enough, after standing in the weak feed for a day, water from above with rainwater to rinse any feed out of the compost. Then place it back in the saucer of fresh rainwater. Feed again every two weeks from early September to the end of October to encourage new growth before winter.
September and March are the best time to split or repot. Hold the plant gently in a bucket of rainwater and gently tease the old compost away. Then carefully tease any larger shoots from the main mother roots any dead stems or leaves can be removed.
After flowering cut off any dead flowers but leave the main stem so it can feed the roots as it dies back. Remove the old dead flower stems late autumn.
The compost we use for our Disa is 9 parts coarse perlite, 5 parts Sphagnum Moss and 3 parts sphagnum peat. (We are at present trailing several peat substitutes)
By removing any damaged or dying leaves Disa rarely suffer from pest and diseases, aphids can sometimes appear but are easily sorted by using an off the shelf ready mix insecticide.
Hoyland Plant Centre
www.somethingforthegarden.co.uk
Tel: 01226 744466
Remember to use Rainwater and not tap water
& Keep them frost free!