Misting Question - Orchid Board

Kristen616 · #1 05-07-2008, 12:00 PM

I've read on here a lot about misting the leaves of your orchids, but I've also read elsewhere not to get any water on the leaves of your orchids...also what about "crown rot"? Should you just mist the ends of the leaves? I have 3 phals and just ordered 2 Oncidiums from Oak Hill. I also run a humidifier for about 4 hours a day.

So what is your personal experience? Im clearly a newbie orchid grower so I'd love to hear suggestions or comments about misting.

Thanks!!!

quiltergal · #2 05-07-2008, 01:22 PM

I don't bother with misting at all. If you are running a humidifier then you really don't need to mist.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #3 05-07-2008, 01:40 PM

No need to mist if your humidity is around 50% or 60% or higher.

You got a humidifier, no need to mist.

Crown rot only happens when you allow water to sit in the leaf axils of the plant for a long period of time. Even when there is a little bit of water in there but the water doesn't dry out fast enough or drain out of there, it'll cause crown rot. In nature, the plants are adapted to avoid this. Some use the method of the way they grow to prevent water from sitting in the leaf axils. Some use the method of the way the leaves are arranged to that.

Research the way the plants you want to grow grows in nature. It'll make a lot of sense.

You can even try growing them the way they grow in nature and play around by watering their leaves, simulating a rainy situation, to see how the water runs away or in some cases towards the leaf axils.

I did this with a Dichaea sp. and a Glossorhyncha sp. just to see the difference of how water runs down the plant when it rains. What a surprise to learn that two plants that look similar in vegetation that grow pendulously in nature have two very different methods of water dispersal.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #4 05-07-2008, 01:41 PM

Good air circulation around the plants help to prevent root rot and crown rot too.

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 05-07-2008, 01:43 PM

There is a thread in this forum where someone was asking how Phals grow in nature. I highly recommend reading the thread and looking at the links to the pics. If you're a complete newbie, you'll be surprised.

cb977 · #6 05-07-2008, 02:07 PM

I mist everyday, very lightly on the leaves and early in the day so they dry quickly. If water accumulates in the crowns, I dab it out with the corner of a paper towel.

All of my Phal species plants are hung upside down or sideways and the water just runs off

Pippin · #7 05-07-2008, 02:55 PM

I don't mist. Good humidity in the growing area is important and you did the right thing putting a humidifier in. Misting will increase the local humidity for seconds, minutes at the most, so it is not really efficient.
Well... if you really feel like doing something for your orchids go ahead and mist, it won't hurt them (won't help either)

Royal · #8 05-07-2008, 03:21 PM

I don't mist either, well sometimes I do, but it's really a temporary solution to a permanent issue. The humidifier is the way to go. Grouping your plants together also increases the humidity. It won't hurt as long as no water sits on them all night long.

cb977 · #9 05-07-2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pippin

I don't mist. Good humidity in the growing area is important and you did the right thing putting a humidifier in. Misting will increase the local humidity for seconds, minutes at the most, so it is not really efficient.
Well... if you really feel like doing something for your orchids go ahead and mist, it won't hurt them (won't help either)

Hi Pippin

Just felt the need to clarify what I wrote earlier...

I have a lot of vandas and mounts in my collection so I must mist everyday most of the year. When the really hot temps come (like today at 90!) they'll get misted at least twice.

Kristen616 · #10 05-07-2008, 04:31 PM

thanks for the imput everyone. I think for now I won't mist...makes life easier!