How to care for orchid compot?

[Craig]

im also wondering about the jar idea, but u know there might not be alot of air movement, i have a strawberry container it has airslats for air movement but its also clear and small so it would hold humidity, ive also got a pie container with no airholes and no air movement similar to the jar idea, im just not sure if mold might develop if there is no air circulation like in the pie box or jar? can anyone give us some advice on these containers and the fertalizer amounts for these babies??

[adlemsi]

I'm thinking of keeping them in the bell jar only at night, just so they air out during the day. Sort of of like tucking them in at night. I watered them yesterday morning and last night they were almost dry. I watered them again this morning. I wonder if I'll have to water daily at this rate...doesn't sound right. I definitely need a better idea on the amounts of fertilizer and feeding needed, how often to use them, and in what combination? I'm wondering if I should include some K-L-N as well.

The leaf span on my the seedlings average between 1" and 2 1/2". We did have a horrible heat wave during the past four days or so, but I had the ceiling fan on all day and the AC on for short intervals.

[Craig]

Hot up there in Bronx huh , we had bad storms here most of all last week, a tornado touched down about 3mi away , i live in a somewhat rural area countryside,outside of the city, but its hot here now also ,, i think the KLN idea you have is a good one , i would go with it,, in a light form, i wish we could get some good advice here, but its interesting to see what we come up with here,, i need to get some KLN myself, i cant buy it here local i guess i will have to order some, i have herd that its great for young orchids, ,, im interested to here how things go with your orchids i hope mine get here today,,, im gonna do what you have done sofar , i guess im gonna use the strawberry container idea and moist spag i like the idea about the jar at night kinda keeps em free from the boogie burglar huh,, so anyways, i will let you know how it goes if they ever get here,, i hope i dont killem all within a day.

[adlemsi]

I think the strawberry container sounds good, just because there will be better air flow. I don't think it's possible to kill all the seedlings within a day unless you unpot them and leave them out to dry out I don't know if you should do the same things I've done so far, but I guess since we haven't gotten much feedback, it wouldn't hurt to try.

I really wish someone with more (A LOT more ) experience would give us some sort of guidance with our compots. I feel like we have a "blind leading the blind" situation going here.

with your orchids!

[Craig]

Adelemsi, well i didnt use the strawberry contianer after all, i went somwhat with your idea, being sealed off from the air, also kinda like orchidohol said, i used the pie containers, and i sealed them shut,, these are Encylcia, they are somewhat long bladed, i did order come new catts they are Waleriana V.Alba,they are a solid white Catt, they are pretty, sboorchid.com is where they are coming from, they are bigger orchids, but anyways i wanted to ask you, ive got about 7 phals ,they are bigger older orchids, but i am looking for some phals that are flasked or in compots like you have now, do you know where i can look or somebody i might email? i like phals alot, i would love to have a compot of them, the Encyc, are neat looking, and i do like them, but they are not excactly my very favorite or anything , the tiny phals like you have woud be way cool, well i figured id ask you, i hope your plants are doing well, i will talk to you later .

[adlemsi]

I bought my Phal. compots on eBay from sym4. Very good communication, answered my questions quickly (I wished I had asked more, lol), and delivered really fast after combining my purchases.

Your orchids sound very pretty. I'd love to see pics when they're bigger!

[adlemsi]

Here are of my Phal. Stuartiana and Phal. Amabilis 'Olympic Beauty' compots.

[dianecty]

Hi! I just started caring for orchids March of this year. I have experienced a lot of root rot using bark.

Needless to say, I don't use it anymore. I use lava rock instead for my mature orchids. I only use enough to make the orchid stand up and not fall over and so I use very little. The roots are all exposed even the ones that are supposed to be buried under bark. This technique works for me because I love to water my orchids.

However, what is strange is that when I use sphag for my seedlings, they thrive!!

I think the reason for this is that once a plant is used to a certain medium, no matter what it is, it will thrive in that medium. Even if sphag supposedly retains a lot of water, for some reason the roots don't rot. Don't know why. I don't pack it tightly. Again, I only use enough to surround the roots and so that the sphag does not fall to the bottom of my styrofoam cup. I put holes at the bottom and on the lower sides of the cup and then try to leave the orchid and sphag hanging in the air in the upper part of the cup. Sometimes, I put some lava rock at the bottom so that there is always air space.

I do use KLN and it does work!! My plants are growing lots of roots, lots of stubs that I hope will become roots or spikes or pseudobulbs!!

Again, just my . These styles of potting might work for you. I just do what works for me.

I am not a conventional orchid gardener. I just bear the "principles" in mind.

[Craig]

Adelemsi, i really love ure little phals, and i like big phals, all kinds really, that is really cool,, i have about 7 total 4 of them, they are small, i will have look back at my list to name them all,, i like my lil Shillariana's with there spotted leaves, im gonna mount those somehow? im looking at compay called Robert Bedard.com, they have one called flight of birds flutterbye or somthing crazy like that,, it looks like cherry red with white frosting on it,, they look kinda neon in the picture, there is also company called phoenixorchids.com they have some crazy looking phals also,, check em out sometime if you have time,, they are unreal looking, i dont know, maybe the the guy is putting some kinds of light behind them because they look like they flourese or take on a neon look,, but anyways, if you see any phals in flasks or compots please let me know i cant find any! im gonna look at your ebay sellr now and see what he has,,, maybe i will drop him an email,, talk to you latr.

[adlemsi]

I happened to find the eBay listings for the compots i bought when I did a search for Phals. I figured I could give it a try and hope I don't kill them all.

Because I have the compots, I'm not looking for more orchids. I still look and I'm starting a wish list of orchids I want to buy when my living arrangements change and I have more space and time to dedicate to their care. I'm focusing on phals until I feel comfortable with them. Then I might move on to other types of orchids later on. What would be a good follow up orchid type after Phals?