Culture

Doug Pulley says:

puttem in a basket "line it with moss, and fill it with mix around the roots. I use approx 75% small bark, 15% sm-med perlite, 5% charcoal and 5% hapuu. Osmunda also works well."

"Stanhopeas do best in cool to intermediate temperatures, but will easily tolerate 40-100F. They     will grow well in low to high light, but seem to do best in medium light."

Daily waterings are not to much in the spring and summer. Taper in the fall, and, for some, keep     cool and dry in winter. Fertilizer recommendations are "30-10-10 every two weeks in
April-September, less in other seasons."

Pests are mainly spider mites and scale.

[Doug Pulley is a "hobby grower" in the SF Bay area. His greenhouse is open by appointment. I     believe he's involved with several local societies (Malahini, & Santa Clara Valley).]

My experience is pretty much based on anecdotal evidence. I'm not a scientific grower. Fertilizing schedules and concoctions? Notta. Investigations of optimized foot-candles? Nope. Hang'em up and tamper? Yep.

What does my anecdotal evidence suggest? For one, these guys really are heavy feeders. I've whacked several non-bloomers with heavy weekly doses just daring them to cough. Not even a blip.  OK...even more food, more light, and more water! Take that.

Single bulb divisions do do well from bigger plants. I've been snipping off and potting up Embreea singles for friends. No crummy little leads here; strong, and large. Quick growers. St_wardii, Coryanthes, Gong's, Peristeria.  The little guys (Sieve, Sotero, Poly, Paph) seem to not do as well.  

Good air movement is crucial when new growth is forming. Some of these guys are rot prone to begin with. If it's time to water and it's overcast and cool, and you've got a growth spurt happening, let'em dry rather than trying to keep on schedule.

There's a saying "a fish rots from the head down". Don't know the meaning exactly but it's an attention getter. I have had several plants begin to rot from "the head" down. Backbulbs (that have lost their leaves naturally) on Trevoria-Schlimia-Coeliopsis style plants seem to be susceptible. Why? <Shrug> could be they don't like water in that "dehisced" dish. I don't give these guys an all-over misting anymore. See what happens...

Finally, don't "over-tamper". My biggest failing. Fiddle, twiddle, change this, change that. The best cure for this is to visit the greenhouse of an accomplished grower or two. Finding out that you spend more time with 100 or so plants than the guy with 1000 or so is enlightening.