First Time Growing Phragmipediums

[Hunhunt]

I've never grown any Phragmipediums before so thought I would give it a try. I ordered a P. Sedenii and a P. Memoria Mariza Rolando from Ecuagenera in October of 2023. The plants arrived in great shape and were very robust plants. The Sedenii seems to have adjusted well to it's new home but the Memoria Mariza Rolando apparently does not like our well water. We live on a limestone butte so the water contains a lot of CaCO3. I was not surprised given the reputation for P. Kovachi and water alkalinity. Regardless, the Kovachi hybrid has rewarded us with a bloom. The Sedenii has been sequentially blooming for about 5 months now. I think I'm encouraged enough to try a few more Phragmipedium hybrids. To try to resolve the water quality issue with the Kovachi hybrid I will probably collect some snow melt water for now. Rain water is not a viable option as we live in Great Basin Desert. Before investing in an RO unit for just the one plant I want to try snowmelt to see if the plant will respond favorably.

[Ray]

There is no question that purer water is an improvement over a supply with a high mineral content - for all orchids.

Just how hard is the water and what is the alkalinity?

[Hunhunt]

Haven't ever had our water tested for hardness and alkalinity. Are the test strips commonly available on places like Amazon adequate or would samples need to be submitted to a testing lab? The water heater definitely finds lots of Ca CO3.

[estación seca]

If you're on a municipal water system they publish an annual water quality report on their Web site. If you're on a well you need water analyses occasionally for safety.

[Waterdog111]

Glad you said that Es., as I get my water from a community well for a set amount and although my plants, not just orchids, take it very well. I was wondering why my clay pots always seem to have a white residue on them. I live , and also the community well only a few hundred feet away from a very small river that flows into the bay,then the gulf. My orchids do very well on the straight water from that.

[lobotomizedgoat]

Lovely blooms! If you're looking for another easy hybrid, we have a Phrag. Nicholle Tower that spends at least 3/4 of the year in bloom despite our mediocre tap water. Our longest Sedenii bloom was maybe 4-5 months, iirc.