Against the "Status Quo" - Orchid Board

stonedragonfarms · #1 07-03-2014, 12:54 PM

If I am correctly interpreting the Went article and it's subsequent lines of derivative research, charged ions are held within the velamen, while uncharged ions are lost; I would suspect that you could simply mist your plants to keep them happy, provided that you accounted also for maintenance of humidity, airflow and the like. I believe that one of the reasons that we water is also to increase localized humidity around the plant.
It would be interesting to to mount up two stellar growing plants (Onc. Gower Ramsey comes to mind) and water one, while only misting the other to see if there is a notable difference in growth and flowering. Perhaps four plants would be needed, then we could also test out the pre-watering and then feeding vs. straight up feeding (both in a watering application and in a misting application...); and just for giggles, a fifth as well...I suspect that I keep the rh high enough in part of my gh that I might be able to maintain a mounted Gower Ramsey without watering it at all (aside from the occasional drip that comes from the glazing or errant throw from the hose)
Adam

Optimist · #2 07-27-2014, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stonedragonfarms

If I am correctly interpreting the Went article and it's subsequent lines of derivative research, charged ions are held within the velamen, while uncharged ions are lost; I would suspect that you could simply mist your plants to keep them happy, provided that you accounted also for maintenance of humidity, airflow and the like. I believe that one of the reasons that we water is also to increase localized humidity around the plant.
It would be interesting to to mount up two stellar growing plants (Onc. Gower Ramsey comes to mind) and water one, while only misting the other to see if there is a notable difference in growth and flowering. Perhaps four plants would be needed, then we could also test out the pre-watering and then feeding vs. straight up feeding (both in a watering application and in a misting application...); and just for giggles, a fifth as well...I suspect that I keep the rh high enough in part of my gh that I might be able to maintain a mounted Gower Ramsey without watering it at all (aside from the occasional drip that comes from the glazing or errant throw from the hose)
Adam

I've thought similar, and started just spritzing a few times a day with water and kelp mix, rather than this soak twenty minutes every 7 to 10 days. I am seeing very good growth, and even a tillandsia I am doing it to seems to be taking off. Any orchid needing more humidity, like he thin rooted oncidiums get a little top covering of sphagham moss. This is only because my plants are outside in arid desert conditions. If I were in Florida, I would not do this.