I cooked my Vanila Orchid

[lordkiwi]

So I just bought my first orchid. A Vanilla from Logee's. I emptied my dehumidifier into a bucket and dropped the Vanilla in to hydrate. So the next day it got near 100 degrees. Did mention the bucket was black and outside?

Anyway I cooked it. its been over a week and I have black stim rot near the base. that piece I sperated from the other part still attached to the roots in peat moss. The leaf down there is blacking. The rest of the plant is tinged with brown. Some of the air roots dont look fine.

What can I do is there anything I can do?

[Ray]

Hope and pray?

Pitch it and replace it.

[Bulbopedilum]

Ouch. Do you have a picture?

I agree with Ray; from the title I thought you made some vanilla extract... turns out you cooked the whole plant... hope it somehow lives...

[Swimmingorchids]

sry to hear.

Ps: I know water out the dehumidifier is water extracted from the air but it's not the same process as distillation.

I don't think it is safe to drink or to give to pets so I wouldn't give it to orchids either. Too late now but why use dehumidifier water.

There certainly eint any orchids out there thinking after a nice rain fall - hmm bit rainy, need to find myself a good dehumidifier bar

distilled water is sterilized. Dehumidifier water is water sucked from all the mouldy bits in your home and contains bacteria and biological contaminants (mould). It can also contain traces of heavy metals

[lordkiwi]

Dehumidifer water might contain some biological particals found in air. However it is perfectly 100% clear of heavy metals, calcium and salts. It absolutly is distilled water its just not sterile water.

[Bulbopedilum]

Article:
Don't Drink the Water (From Your Dehumidifier): Essential Answer | STANFORD magazine

This paragraph:
"Moreover, the condensate can contain lead and other metal residues from the component parts of the dehumidifier."

If it's not sterile water I don't think it counts as distilled (I think)

[lordkiwi]

Originally Posted by Bulbopedilum

Article:
Don't Drink the Water (From Your Dehumidifier): Essential Answer | STANFORD magazine

This paragraph:
"Moreover, the condensate can contain lead and other metal residues from the component parts of the dehumidifier."

If it's not sterile water I don't think it counts as distilled (I think)

Sterile is not part of the definition of distilled
What is the Difference Between Distilled & Sterile Water? | LEAFtv And apparently distilled water is anti bacterial.

By no means am I saying the water should be drunk. The author is well meaning but even in 2010 Lead had been removed from plumbing since 1986 and official banned for all uses since 2006. If a plant is sensitive to air based molds I might consider boiling first but nothing in nature likes perfectly pure water. Rain water is so far from pure water and generally that would be my first choice to water anything with baring high regional pollution levels.

[Ray]

Originally Posted by Swimmingorchids

I know water out the dehumidifier is water extracted from the air but it's not the same process as distillation.

Isn't it though?

Distillation: Heat is applied to water by a burner or heated coil, causing it to evaporate. The vapor is cooled, precipitating the pure water.

Dehumidifier: Heat is applied to the water by the sun, causing it to evaporate. The vapor is cooled, precipitating pure water.

The fins of modern dehumidifiers are aluminum, with no heavy metals. The contact time is so short, very little metal is ionized into the water. Lining in southeastern NC, about a mile from the ocean and 50 feet from the Intracoastal Waterway, we have a LOT of humidity. The condensation line from our central air conditioner is used to water shrubs, and they love it.

[lordkiwi]

Images

[Swimmingorchids]

I use rain water. Beats anything else each to their own. I will say the only downside is that rainwater smells a bit sometimes

As to distilled water and dehumidifer water being the same, definetely not which is why I said distilled water is sterilized - because the process involves boiling all the water. Boiling water sterilizes it.

In a dehumidifier the process involves water condensing on cold pipes and dripping into a collection tray like water condensing on a cold window.

But I suppose if you boil your dehumidifier water at least then it will also be sterilized...

Does anyone want to do a side by side comparrison of rain water vs boiled dehumidifer water vs distilledd water ?