Just how do you all do it?

[Maree]

I just have to ask the lucky orchid owners with the rather large and beautiful orchid collections, how do you water all of them? Do you water them all at the same time? Do you check each one to see if it needs a drink? Do you always water in the early am? Do you worry about getting water in the crown? I am so curious. I only have 6 and some get watered every Sunday, others every 10 days and some as needed.

[Ross]

I have a pretty complex mix. About half are in a tank in my basement and get "watered" by strong spraying every other day. They get misted every 4 hours during the "lights on" period. The other half fall into one of three categories: water every day/water every other day/ water every week. Depends on the type of plant as to which falls into which category.

[cirillonb]

Maree,
When I started this endeavor somewhat more than a year ago I promised myself the orchids would fit to my busy retired schedule or they would die or quickly belong to someone else.That being said, the best I have been able to do is to have most on a weekly schedule, and the slipper orchids on a twice weekly program. My lone Vanda which was a particular challenge to me gets it every Mon, Wed, and Fri. The 3 mounts are either soaked or sprayed daily,(unless I can't get to them.) All are alive and most thriving.
Nick

[ronaldhanko]

All the miniatures in the growing case every morning (usually) with a tank sprayer until everything is dripping wet and the pots draining (but have very good air movement).

[Maree]

I thought the same thing "I have to get all my orchid on the same schedule". I'm beginning to realize the more orchids I get and the more I diversify the less likely of being successful with that plan. I'm learning it's just part of the enjoyment and challenge.

[flhiker]

All of my mounts get water daily and potted plants with aliflor also get water daily. The rest get watered as needed but I check all my orchids every day. Its the best way I know to get my mind off of work. I use a water picture for african violets, it has a very long narrow spout and it gives me easy control of where the water goes. So I don't get water in the top of Phals.

[utah]

I have all of mine segregated by watering needs. My thirsty ones get checked and, if necessary, watered every day or other day. The rest get checked, then watered every 3 or 4 days (I'm in a very dry area so they dry out quickly). The vandas, however, are set up in an area of the greenhouse over a large tub of water, physan 20, and fertilizer and I turn the pump/sprinkler on them for about 5 minutes daily (while I'm misting and checking the rest of the greenhouse). My mounts get misted daily and soaked a couple times a week.

	Mistking Looking for a misting system? Look no further. Automated misting systems from MistKing are used by multitude of plant enthusiasts and are perfect for Orchids. Systems feature run dry pumps, ZipDrip valve, adjustable black nozzles, per second control! Automatically mist one growing shelf or a greenhouse full of Orchids. See MistKing testimonials

[peeweelovesbooks]

I segregate them by type of orchid, mounts and growing area. The plants mounted and hanging under the mango tree get watered every day. These include: 2 vandas, 1 dimorphorchis lowii, one rhy. gigantea, one aerides, 4 phals that are in baskets with coconut husk fiber only; one brassalova nodosa mounted on epiweb and two phals mounted on swampstick.

I have about 8 phals on plastic and clay ceramic pots that are hanging outside--these are watered every week once per week.

I have dendrobiums, and more phals that are potted inside a covered terrace--these are watered about every week, depending on whether they are wet or not.

I also have on my front porch: 10 cattleyas, one peristeria, 2 angraecums, 1 grammatophyllum speciosum, 4 oncidiums, and 3 epidendrums. These for sure get watered once per week, usually on Sundays or Saturdays, but I check them daily to see whether one specific group needs more watering than the other one. It's usually the catts that need more watering.

I also have a couple of phals inside but these follow the schedule of the phals that are inside the terrace.

I check the orchids daily because it provides a nice time to wind down when I get home from work.

[rogerman]

My plants get watered everyday, no matter what type of plant. At the moment my sprinkler system isn't finished (helps to buy a pump). I have to water often as the temp is too high for anything to stay moist for any length of time.
Unfortunately, I have to do this after work, and by that time it's usually pitch dark at 6 PM

[cb977]

At this time of year, all my hanging vandas and any mounts get misted every day. Everything in pots, gets misted into the pot every two days.

When it's really hot here (which is the majority of the time), the vandas and mounts may get misted twice a day and the pots might get it every day, depending on their needs.

I check every plant every day for signs of problems...it makes for easier clean-up when you catch mealybug or scale infestations or any sign of rotting right away.

I was once told by a very experienced grower and AOS judge that the key to success in orchid-growing is my own shadow...meaning that I should be standing over the plants checking them thoroughly constantly