When should I water??

[ColombianOrchid]

Hello Guys!!

I'm the proud owner of 6 beautiful phals, 1 of them is potted in moss, 2 are potted in this mix of bark w/ something that looks like dirt, and the other 3 I repotted in SCHULTZ professional bark medium.

The orchid in moss stays pretty damp, the other two in the bark/dirt mix stay a little less damp and cool; but my other three in SCHULTZ bark seem to dry up pretty fast (it has been 3 days since I last water and I think I need to rewater).

The temperatures in my house are pretty steady, it gets to 65 - 70 F during the day, and it goes down to 60 - 65 at night, and the plants get plenty of light.

I have attached a few photos of one of my plants potted in SCHULTZ bark.

Could someone give some advise on how to calculate when to water??

[terrestrial_man]

As per our Chat, repot all into the Schultz mix. Then water every 3 days irregardless. When flowering is over then go to the once a week cycle but return to the 3 day cycle once new growth is spotted.
In one year check the mix in one of the pots by knocking out the plant and mix. If ok repot using same. If the bottom of the mix is decomposing or the roots look questionable (not whitish or firm) then repot all the plants into fresh mix. You can use the same pots. Be sure to remove any old dried up roots by hand. Do not use any tool to cut one plant on any other plant. Also you may want to wash your hands after handling each plant. This is to protect against spreading any viral disease as a precaution.

Also dont forget to fertilize. I recommend Miracle Gro Liquid Plant Food. It comes as a liquid that you mix about a couple of ounces with a gallon of water and water the plant. This food is so weak that you can use it with every watering and be safe. I would stop feeding once the flowering is over and resume when you see new leaves being formed and starting to grow.

These plants enjoy hot days into the 80s. Also NO DIRECT SUNLIGHT. Watch for discoloration on the leaves. If reddening is occurring move into a shadier spot.

Phallies love warm days in the 80sF or higher, cooler nights to 62F or higher, humidity in the 80%, and good air circulation. The best way to grow is in baskets and water daily! With baskets you can move them outside in summer to hang from a tree branch where they will get good air and shade. Your outside humidity may be suitable for them.

Read up on them and their natural habitats to get an feeling on what they normally experience. Been to 'Nam? That kind of feeling! (less the war of course!)

[Tindomul]

Whats this shultz mix that you can water every three days????

[dave b]

Watering times can vary for any given orchid in different growing conditions. The clay pots in your photos cause quicker evaporation of the moisture than plastic pots would. New bark dries out quick, till it gets saturated with repeated waterings over time. The amount of air movement and humidity are big factors also. In time, you will learn to tell when its time based on the combination of the factors above.

As mentioned, Phals like it warm / hot, and dont like to dry out too much. The mix should retain some moisture at all times, nearing dryness between waterings. Start picking up your pots regularly when they are dry and with them fully watered and feel the difference in weight. Clay will get cool to the touch when its wet inside. Stick you finger down in the mix, and see how deep till its cool and wet. Water when needed.

I throw a lot of my orchids outside for the summer (do at your own risk), and im amazed at the growth spurts from my phals during the warm wet spells when the get rained on and sit around wet. I get worried at times that they are too wet, but im letting them rough it. The air movement is strong outside, and they love it. Water does get in the crown of all my orchids that are outside, and everything you read tells you to never let water sit in the crown. I do go out and pour off crown water sometimes, to speed up drying.

[dave b]

I just noticed the bit of clear plastic pot on the edge of one of the photos. There is a lot of research coming out, showing the benefit of growing Phals in clear or translucent plastic pots. Recent articles in Orchids (AOS) have been publishing parts of the research coming out of Texas A&M and Taiwan. The roots benefit from the photosynthesis that clear pots allow. More roots seem to stay in the pots (rather than aerial) and they hug the pots thriving in the moist bright region.