Orchids

Phew ! Almost lost the will to live, but she did have a lot to share! Interesting stuff.

 

I keep my vandas in big poundshop plastic containers filled with the big clay granules. They get filled up with water (and plant food), left for a few hours, then drained. It seems to work.
I follow this chap on YouTube who seems to succeed in reviving orchids : Meo vat cuoc song
@meovatcuocsongLNV
He uses cheap plastic containers for everything

 

I'm trying that method also @ricky101 after I saw your post, atm it appears to be working with new roots forming, but mostly outside the container.

 

Nothing dramatic happening with ours at the moment, just draining the water off on Saturday so they get a bit of a dry stage. then refilling on Monday with a weak fertiliser solution.
Not bothering to remove any green algae that forms on the roots as those vidoes show using chemicals ! - sure that does not happen in the wild !

Bet you could almost hang them by the stem and just spray the roots regularly with water and get equally good results ?

When we had a larger orchid enclosure we did try to automate a mains water spray system using a special spray nozzle but it was just far to strong to our area.
Have not found any type of small spray like the typical 1 or 2 ltr hand sprayers that can be readily automated using mains or 12v power etc. which really need 2 or 3 outlets to spray our little orchid bench.

 

Some of my containers are a bit iffy as its only experimental, but the roots look greener and more active, the leaves are more turgid, not had flowers yet.
I've just been putting about a quarter inch drop of water in the containers and only putting more once its evaporated.

 

Hi All,

Just interested to know how your glass jar orchids are going on ?

We have 4 in jars and they all seem to be doing very well, two growing strong flowering spikes, one growing nicely and one has some lower leaves going very orange /dried , but the crown is putting up new shoots and otherwise looking healthy.

To us it seems an easier way to do the watering than ones in bark.

While looking around ytube on the glass jar subject, noticed quiet a few posts on using garlic water as a spray for the leaves as well as watering.
Can see it would be a good presticide , though they also say it contains lots of minerals the orchids needs.
Seems these are lots of different recipes for the garlic water, from simple 24hr cold water ones to some more exotic methods doaking for several days.
Has anyone tried a Garlic water recipe ?

 

I've not got any flowering yet but I spray every day with dilute feed, the plants still looking and growing well, no root rot.
I dont think I'll try garlic water, sounds like it could get a bit smelly to me, unless you keep making fresh stuff all the time.

 

Not very well I don’t think ! Granted, I’m not very diligent in the dry/wet sequence, so tend to change over, when it catches my eye. Naughty !

I have lost a leaf or two, not grown new ones, and as it has never flowered for me, I’m not expecting much. However, I think the roots are not looking very healthy, should I give up on it ????

 

Id say too much water, I only have a dribble in mine, but apart from that, is it in full sun?

 

Hi Pete
I have all my orchids in the kitchen window, which is north east facing, so in summer, when the sun rises early, I guess there’s sun on them till I get up at 8, but I try to roll down the blinds, when I know it is going to be a sunny day ! From late morning there is no direct sun, just plenty of light.

I only have about a cm of water in that vase on the picture. It just looks a bit green with brown roots !!!

 

That's quite an interesting video, @ricky101 ! It might be an idea I could try with a yellow Orchid that I had to repot earlier this year as most of its roots had died. I put it in new Orchid compost & it has continued to live but I'm not sure it has made any new growth during the summer.

I have 2 white ones as well & I also repotted them in the spring with new compost & they have flowered magnificently this year! They are 3 or 4 years old & have flowered for me every year. The yellow one also used to flower every year until this year. I almost lost it.

I'll see if I can find a glass jar tomorrow & will dry her method.
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This is the yellow Orchid before repotting in the spring this year. I cut away the dead roots & repotted it & it has continued to live.

 

It looks quiet healthy and its got some good fleshy roots so we would just keep it in there and see what happens.
We are not being too careful about how much water we put in the bottom, surely in the wild it will vary at lot depending on the rain. We do tip the water out on Saturday ,letting it have a dryish period , then refilling with fertilised water on Monday, just wiping away any green algae on the glass, but leaving the roots well alone.

 

As its not doing anything for you, and as it looks quiet healthy like @Kitte s with some good fleshy roots would give it a try.

To us the jar method seems much easier to care for and so far the 4 they are doing as least as good as the potted ones.

You can buy thee of these just the other day jars from most stores for £2-3 , just got a couple the other day to pop a couple mre into.
https://groceries.asda.com/product/...e-clear-glass-clip-lid-canister/1000164256169

 

I've only got the smallest amount of water in mine, the roots are really only good for extracting the moisture from the damp air in the glass, is my thinking, as in the wild the roots would not sit in water, I dont think.

 

Just as a byline, any recommendation for a small mister thats ideal for use in the house, so many to choose from with so many different prices.
We have used the typical 500ml /1ltr hand sprayers but they can be bit too powerful around furnishings, assume these dinky ones are better ?