Determining watering schedule with digital scale

[bodaciousbonsai]

I just use the mental weight of the plant when its wet and dry. easy for me this way

[blackbird2021]

When to water made easy. Let Cattleyas & Phalaenopsis go bone dry (most orchids are killed by overwatering) say for 3 weeks and weigh each one, then let them soak for 10, 15 mins and weigh each one, I take note in grams using kitchen digital scale. u will then know how dry or wet they are when weighing them in days between the following 3 weeks. Just weigh your orchids to know how comfortable they are. u can apply this to other species, but don't kill them through being too dry! Eventually by just lifting them u will be able to judge how dry or wet they are!

[fredfarmer]

I have been using a digital scale to quantify the need for watering my orchids for a long time now. It's especially useful for newly purchased seedlings that are usually sent in small 2 inch pots. They tend to dry out at different rates based on type of orchid and the root density. At first I weigh the orchid seedlings after a good soaking in rain water for the "high" reading and then weigh them periodically (usually 2x day) until they are losing little or no weight to get a "low" reading. I write both the high and low readings on a small removeable label (1"x2") and stick it on the rim of the pot. Thereafter, I water again when the weight reading is close to or lower than the " low" reading. New "high" and "low" readings replace the previous readings. I know it's seems labor intensive but the orchid seedlings seem to thrive using this method.

[realoldbeachbum]

Wow Fred, that sounds like a lot of work, but it it works for you . . . keep doing what works!!! Happy Growing. ROBB

[fredfarmer]

I have less than 3 dozen plants and I'm retired ...and it's the middle of the winter here so ...