How to Grow Sobennikoffia robusta

Mix a sandy soil blend, combining equal parts all-purpose potting soil and leaf mold (partially rotten leaves) or peat moss with 2 parts wood shavings or sawdust to 3 parts clean, coarse sand. Terrestrial (earth-growing) orchids such as the Sobennikoffia, in contrast to epiphyte (air-growing) orchids, require soil-based potting mediums, so any mixture should include compost and dirt along with sand to imitate its natural environment.

Fill a 6-inch pot with the soil blend. Start new plants by dropping three or four seeds on top of the soil surface and poking them slightly below or covering them slightly with soil. The seeds need sunlight to germinate, so do not cover them with much dirt. It may take 90 days to a year for the plant to emerge; germination can prove difficult or fail. Alternatively, purchase a young Sobennikoffia robusta, and plant it in your soil blend.

Place your Sobennikoffia robusta orchid where it gets about 3000 foot-candles of light -- also considered "bright shade" -- or about 60-percent shade. Think of it as an area where you can comfortably read the newspaper with neither too little light to see nor too much light. An eastern-facing window with sunlight until noon is about right.

Keep temperatures warm to hot and dry. Night temperatures ranging from 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and daytime temperatures of 80 to 90 F resemble Sobennikoffia robusta's natural growing climate in Madagascar.

Water your Sobennikoffia orchid lightly while it is actively growing. Poke your finger into the soil, and add water when the soil feels dry up to your first knuckle.

Feed your Sobennikoffia robusta every two to three weeks during its actively growing cycle (spring to fall). Add a diluted amount of either liquid fertilizer or a 30-10-10 dry fertilizer. Solutions stronger than half-strength are not typically necessary with the organic ingredients of your potting soil.

Prepare your Sobennikoffia for winter dormancy by decreasing its water in late fall to early winter. Store the plant in night-time temperature ranges with less light, watering it only occasionally -- perhaps every week or two depending on your plant's conditions. Restore your Sobennikoffia to life in early spring by placing it back in sunlight, and watering and feeding it according to schedule.