How does my Phalaenopsis setup look?

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Swimmingorchids

Translation - shut up till I'm an old man.

Incorrect translation. The correct translation is - teach good techniques in a few years time from now. Not just after a relatively short time of orchid growing (like 1 year of growing).

It's ok to teach people things, even now. It's good to teach good techniques. If you're going to teach people some other method ...... that's ok. For example, if growing orchids in generally still-air, then show them how you compensate for possible issues, such as applying particular treatments every once in a while.

Or, if you have success in still-air growing for orchids after a few years, then no problem.

[Swimmingorchids]

before I do post an update once I have become an old man - I think it is an important topic to discuss though instead of dismissing it completely. I mean most guides say a high humidity environemnt with restricted airflow will lead to a rapid death for orchids. I have been quite surprised at my limited success so far.
But atleast I did find a guide that speaks my language if anyone is interested. It clearly lists humidity as more important than airflow for orchids and states that fans can detrimentally dry out leaves 5 common mistakes to avoid when growing your orchids in-doors

but then again I can also find 10 guides that will state exactly the opposite

[SouthPark]

Ok...... at that link you gave, there is a line that says "Therefore, only water your orchid with three cubes of ice each week, or equivalent to 1/4 cup of water."

When I see a post that mentions ice-cubes ..... the alarm bells immediately begin to sound. This doesn't mean that all of their post is no good. In fact, a lot of good information is in contained there. But, you got to admit ----- when you see them write 'ice cubes' ..... we have to wonder a few things about that writer.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Swimmingorchids

but then again I can also find 10 guides that will state exactly the opposite

That's why there is no substitute for experience and observation. All the "guides" are based on what worked for one person or a few, under particular conditions and for an unknown period of time. And orchids don't do anything fast, they even die slowly (and usually don't indicate that they are in distress until they are beyond saving)

In fact, the only guide that I have seen that qualifies all the advice by saying "research the particular species" and "these are general considerations" is the very recently-released American Orchid Society Guide to Orchids and Their Culture, by Mary Gerritsen and Ron Parsons. I am generally no fan of the AOS... their culture information has been maybe good for growing in south Florida, USA but where I live mostly useless. They finally got it right... Currently sold out but a second printing will be available within a month or so.

I have seen nothing online that I would consider useful other than as a broad starting point. And Southpark is correct, the mention of "ice cubes" is an instant disqualifier.

[SouthPark]

I agree with Roberta, about people writing based on their own experience. I have seen/heard orchid growers (long time experience - not on this orchidboard forum - but articles written in Australia) teach people that orchid roots need to dry out before the next watering.

But that's not true. They don't need to dry out every time after watering. Every once in a while is fine, as it keeps the 'bugs' at bay - drying out every once in a while. If there's good air-circulation, and water movement due to air-circulation, then the roots can be wet pretty much indefinitely. What gets the plant and the roots is real-world situation - such as wet roots plus light can mean organism growth on the roots, including algae etc. But drying every once in a while reduces that sort of issue, or even eliminates it.

On the other hand, if those issues can be controlled or compensated for - in other ways - then that's fine. The aim is to get an orchid growing system going, which keeps orchids healthy for years and years - preferrably a system that isn't too fiddly and requires a whole bunch of manual control effort.

Also ...... Swimmingorchids ...... teaching different techniques --- good reliable techniques -- is fine. I have no problem at all if those methods you use turn out to be good ones. Just got to make sure that if a particular method is known to likely lead to certain issues, then show what can be done effectively to address those issues. All of us here obviously like growing orchids. That's you, me and everybody here. I'll likely be and want to be picking up nice tips that you have as well.

[aliceinwl]

Orchids represent such a diverse group of plants there is no set of conditions that is going to work for them all. Some of mine really seem to like air flow others tolerate relatively still household air fine. In a still air environment, low humidity may actually work in your favor because accidental drips of water into the crown will still dry relatively quickly.

For complex hybrid Phalaenopsis, I think light, temperature, and media/watering are the most important factors. I think in terms of the original orchids that started this thread, based on the long term plant’s growth and general vigor, its needs are being met. I don’t think fans and humidity trays are necessary for healthy windowsill hybrid Phals. If the media is old, repotting into good fresh media is probably the most important thing that needs to be done to maintain plant health.

If one really wants to up humidity, just cover the whole windowsill with orchids and the water evaporating from the media will probably contribute as much to humidity as the tray

[Swimmingorchids]

yeah i knew the ice cubes was a bad start to that article and I have slept on the matter and I think I might be bringing across the wrong message so from now on I'll say a fan is needed I suppose unless you are willing to experiment (like me)

To me the main argument would be that (in our climate at least) a majority of orchids die in winter when our central heating kicks in and dries the winter air to a crisp.

Humid stagnant air will kill most plants - my orchids are taking it like they are loving it. Thriving in fact.

Whereas 1 day in my living room with no fan even has made my latest orchid addition this week go leathery(it is a rescue) - I know once it goes into my high humidity setup it will perk right back again.

I do use convectional air exchange created by a 5 degree difference between my orchids and living room and a 4% ventilation area.

So stagnant air might be detrimental but my argument is that dry air is far worse.

Also in an ideal world I would have a humidifier, a fan, a heater and every other gadget needed to keep em happy but this is not an ideal world

I will report back in 10 years time

[SouthPark]

Originally Posted by Swimmingorchids

No fans. I will report back in 10 years time

Sharing the results in say 3 years time should be quite ok.

I do use convectional air exchange created by a 5 degree difference between my orchids and living room and a 4% ventilation area.

Now that's the sort of details that suggest the orchids are benefitting from a particular setup.

[SaraJean]

Originally Posted by Swimmingorchids

Humid stagnant air will kill most plants - my orchids are taking it like they are loving it. Thriving in fact.

And for me, humid and stagnant is quite the killer. I’ve lost many orchids, and gotten some pretty nasty looking leaves, in these conditions before I figured out what was going on. Now I have a fan running 24/7 in the shade house during the months where it’s normal to have 85%-100% humidity, high temps, and zero air movement. Nothing like a day or night in August to remind you that you live in the swamp... Maybe I should try a ghost orchid, I hear they like those conditions lol

Originally Posted by Roberta

the very recently-released American Orchid Society Guide to Orchids and Their Culture, by Mary Gerritsen and Ron Parsons. I am generally no fan of the AOS... their culture information has been maybe good for growing in south Florida, USA but where I live mostly useless. They finally got it right... Currently sold out but a second printing will be available within a month or so.

I’m glad to hear that they are doing a second printing. I missed purchasing it in it’s first release and have heard several growers discussing how excellent and well rounded they found it to be (some of them have been growing orchids almost as long as I’ve been alive). They highly recommend it for any experience level



Orquideaborracha (love the user name, btw), welcome to the orchid board! I really doubt that the humidity trays are doing anything to add to the humidity levels around the plants. When I had some orchids in small grow tent, the trays did help, but not in an open room. Once I moved them back to a windowsill, my hygrometer did not pick up any increase in the humidity directly around the orchids. When I hung two large Pothos behind them, that actually did more to raise the humidity than the humidity trays. I keep using the trays for the few I keep indoors though since they catch any water runoff, so they are good for something. As long as you are accommodating for the low humidity by making sure your Phals stay hydrated, you should be fine. Those are pretty sturdy orchids

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by SaraJean

I’m glad to hear that they are doing a second printing. I missed purchasing it in it’s first release and have heard several growers discussing how excellent and well rounded they found it to be (some of them have been growing orchids almost as long as I’ve been alive). They highly recommend it for any experience level

Mary Gerritsen may still have some copies - she was selling them at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate Open House in July, that's where I got both the info that AOS had sold out and that another printing was in the works, to be delivered soon. If you want her email address, send me a PM.