Watering orchids with vodka

[Diane56Victor]

Ive used molasses. Got it from the feed store as its much cheaper, apparently horses like molasses too.
Just a teaspoon diluted in a little hot water to help it dissolve then top up the bottle to 2 litres with cold water.

[Shadeflower]

that reminds me,
a further test will be to try sugar vs honey.

sugar water is notorious for going mouldy wheras honey water never does!

Now just to test if the plants like honey.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by K-Sci

Any particular kind of sugar?

-K

Granulated. White. Plain.

[Steve83]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Disadvantage of using table sugar is that the runoff is likely to bring ants. Any vodka in the runoff water will just evaporate.

I interpret this as "Try it on a Myrmecophila"

[estación seca]

I wouldn't want to be around a Myrmecophila that couldn't hold its liquor.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by estación seca

But people will be better off focusing on proper temperature, humidity, light and watering than worrying about additives.

Exactly. This was what I was hinting at with my previous post.

I my greenhouse, we:
A. Water more than most growers.
B. Fertilize every 2 weeks with plain old Peters 20:20:20 year round, reducing the strength slightly from Nov through Feb.

With this regimen, we get substantially better growth than other commercial growers. I make this statement based on how plants from other nurseries improve under our conditions.

Two examples to illustrate:

1st photo: I had been on the lookout for Rlc. Donna Kimura 'Asa' for a while. When I found one at another nursery, the plant had black rot. They cut away the diseased part, which left only the two front PBs. In the photo it has grown 2 new PBs + a new lead (the 2nd new PB hides the first, which was shorter). However, you can see the increase in height & girth compared to the older PB on the right.

2nd photo: This is Lc. Irene Newman, a BS meristem coming from Hawaii. As received, it was growing in a single line. Under our conditions, even though not repotted, it immediately set 2 front leads, each of which grew both taller and stockier than the previous HI grown PBs.

Getting this level of improvement under our 'archaic' methods, I do not spend much time worrying about minute additions of this, that or whatever.

[Ray]

Concerning sugars - how easily are they absorbed? Ethanol is a light, C2 compound. Glucose is a C6, and sucrose, which is most of table sugars, is a C12.

Concerning experiments and the use of alcohol in S/H, I have never even tried alcohol on my plants (I prefer to experiment with it on myself), but keep in mind that it has been shown to only work on high light plants that are being culturally “pushed”.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by estación seca

But people will be better off focusing on proper temperature, humidity, light and watering than worrying about additives.

I think you're misunderstanding what drives discussion of topics such as this on the forum. It's not worry. I doubt that anyone in this discussion is worried that they should be having cocktails with their orchids. What drives these discussion is the quest for knowledge, the desire for increased understanding, striving for continuous improvement, the entertainment value, competition, the goal of achievement, and the comradery of the discussion.

A key ingredient in enjoying a hobby is exploring and engaging it. Absent this, there is an increased risk that a hobbyist will lose interest.
-Keith

[WaterWitchin]

When you force narcissus bulbs in winter, adding a shot of vodka to the water helps keep the plant shorter so it doesn't droop over before blooming.

Otherwise, I prefer Grey Goose or Blue Sapphire, tonic water, two slices of lime, over ice.

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by WaterWitchin

When you force narcissus bulbs in winter, adding a shot of vodka to the water helps keep the plant shorter so it doesn't droop over before blooming.

And also prevents them from freezing.