Orchid in massive vase with no media

[dianecty]

Hi everyone! I just wanted to reply to the question. I have been putting my orchids with little or no medium in a regular pot with holes at the bottom and the sides. I just put enough lava rock so that the plant does not fall over. If it stands up with nothing in the pot, then I just leave it the way it is - with no medium.

There is of course, no risk of root rot although they do dry out quickly. You might have to water everyday or every other day is fine. I just water with a misty kind of hose and let the water drain out of the bottom of the pot.

I just came back from the PHilippines and all lot of people there just tie their orchid roots to a tree branch, cover it with a section of coconut shell and that's it! The coconut shell is optional.

My cousin just sticks hers in ivy and she doesn't even water any of her orchids!! They do well. Temperature in the PHilippines ranges from around 85F-95F everyday. So orchids are used to hot weather. I think it is because the Philippines is very humid so that even if it doesn't rain, the roots just get water from the air.

So the answer to your question, I think is, it is ok to do it without medium, just as long as there is good drainage and air in the pot.

Good luck!!

[nenella]

I believe it has a lot to do with a) what species of orchid it is ?
b) growing conditions ?....
I have an Ascocendum Miniatum - bare root that sits in a vase, I soak her every day for 30 mins & she has put out 2 flower stalks in 2 months, 2 new roots and grown 2 leaves... she sits in a west facing window at about 50cms from a window (protected by a net curtain)...
the watering part is the most important !
i have noticed that on rainy days I dont have to water as much every 2 days is ok.....

[Kuldking]

Viia it seems to me that you have visited Hortes. They have a selection of orchids there like that. I have seen phalaenopsis and vanda.
The main problem I see on growing orchids like that is that a lot of orchids like some air circulation. For example I have a electric fan in the room where my orchids are. It is set with a timer so after every hour or so it starts to work and moves the air around.
In the class vase (what is quite high so the plant is completely inside it) there is no moving air.
Good thing about those vases is that they hold the humidity level high if you leave some water in it.

[Kuldking]

I will post a pic what I found from internet just to give a rough idea how the vase looks like. The orchid vases I have seen are wider in the middle than the one on this pic

[Viia]

Hortes hmm sounds familiar :P Ah you managed to find a pic lol I searched for quite a while and found nothing. I also went back to the shop to take a picture but the orchid had been sold. But yes it looked pretty much like that except the vase was a lot bigger and the plant didn't look so cramped.

That's a good point about the circulation though. It still seems that watering would be a bit difficult when the vase is really big and the flowers are also in there though. But it's a very interesting style

[Kuldking]

I guess the point is to leave a bit of water in there so it would keep the humidity high.
But with Phals they usually put some medium in the vase. Actually the plant is in a plastic pot with lots of holes and there is some medium inside. Then the phal is put to the vase. The pot won't reach the bottom of the vase. I guess you have to take the orchid out of the vase to water it.
If you are still in Tallinn then you can go and check the gardening centre Hortes where they usually sell them. Hortes

[Bird Song Farm]

Hmmmmm, very interesting and I have the vase........

Al

[Hawaiian Sunshine]

I too would like to see a photo of this method of culture. I have not seen anything like you describe. The photo would be a topic of interesting conversation here.

[Buds!]

Originally Posted by nenella

I believe it has a lot to do with a) what species of orchid it is ?
b) growing conditions ?....
.....

Nenella: I absolutely agree with you. Growing conditons are just as important when attemping vase culture. I managed to kill one vanda already!

Are you giving your Ascocendum Miniatum any additional ventilation?

My success with my second vase attempt. Two spikes in 2 months and I can't wait for the blooms!



Hawaiian sunshine- The thread below may interest you:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...ass-vases.html

[Viia]

Oh ok I didn't see it in Hortes then, but I have been there. Not in Tallinn any more though I saw it at the flower shop in Kristiine Keskus and I'm 99% sure it wasn't in a small pot, just seemed to be all bare roots. I would be inclined to think it was simply a display except for the fact that it had a large root system shaped to the v-shaped vase.