Sanitation at watering time

[camille1585]

I don't like to waste water and don't have time to soak everyone one by one because it would take me all weekend, but disease transfer is an issue with group soaks. I took the middle road, and divided my orchids into what I call 'soaking groups'. Each watering the same exact group of orchids goes in the bucket at the same time. Then I dump out, rinse quickly and soak the next group. That way if there is a disease issue I'm not aware of, it only risks spreading to a few. Still bad, but not as bad as contaminating everyone.

[Junebug]

Most of my chids are exposed to the elements. During hot weather the mounted one's get spritzed twice a day with city water or shallow well water. My potted plants are grown in very loose/open media which promotes rapid drainage during the rainy season. I water the potted ones the same way as the mounts, but less often.

Now here's where it gets weird...

I also collect rainwater and use it to water the chids, and to mix and distribute their fertilizer. The rainwater is stored in a large plastic container. When I forget to replace the lid, it develops algae growth and mosquito larvae and looks like swamp water, but my chids respond well to the nasty looking stuff. I top the swamp water off with city water during dry spells to keep my growth of algae going.

About every 10 days my plants get a dose of the swamp water. I remove about 3 gallons, place it in a manageable sized container. Then I pour cup fulls over the mount or on top of the media and recycle whatever drains back into the container to the next plant. This method is far from sanitary, but it's been working just fine.

I frequently check my plants for signs of insect damage and disease. If I have concerns I water those plants separately. Newly acquired plants are also watered on an individual basis. They get treated like all the others once they pass the quarantine stage.

[Izzie]

Interesting, looks like we're across the "board" here!

[Rosiefuture]

For my indoor orchids in the kitchen I fill the sink with tepid water and add the fertilizer. I then dunk each one for a few seconds and put it on the side to drain. Then they go back onto the shelves and window sill. For my orchids in my orchid room I make up a bucket of tepid weak fertilizer. I pour about half a cup full on each. They sit on plastic trays with those fake Shammy cloths in them, keeps them moist but not sitting in a puddle.

Outside I use a hose to water and I have an electric sprayer for the fertilizing.

Marion

[RosieC]

My indoor chids all have decorative outer pots and they each get soaked in their own pot.

The greenhouse ones tend to get soaked in the same bucket as each other. I know it's a risk for disease and new chids don't go in the same bucket until I'm relatively happy over their health.

A couple of ones in big heavy outdoor pots just get water run through them regularly.

[Royal]

I water with a hose, or in the sink. I never (intentionally) let water from one plant drain into another. I'm not a total freak about it, but I try to limit my risk. They make plenty of remedies for bugs, bacteria, and fungi - but NO product will kill a virus.

[Tropicgirl]

Originally Posted by Izzie

D: you guys and your unsanitary watering- scandalous!

Yes, it seems like we're all dabbling in the forbidden!



I admit, I have used the same container with the same water for some of mine. And on the lattice wall, they do drip on each other. But I do try to put the questionables on the bottom so they don't drip on any of the others.

But now that I'm switching to s/h that won't be an issue for much longer, except for my mounts that will be on the lattice wall.

[Cym Ladye]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

They make plenty of remedies for bugs, bacteria, and fungi - but NO product will kill a virus.

I think what you mean here is that "no product will kill a virus without killing its host". There are many products which will kill orchid viruses, including the simple 5% clorox solution to sterilize containers and potting tools. I agree with you otherwise.

That said, the best way to spread virus and all sorts of in-pot varmits, is to "community" soak or use the same container for different plants without sterilizing it in between. Those who blithely do this and say "So far, so good" remind me of the person who crosses the street without looking and says "I haven't been hit yet"!

Spending good money for lovely plants and then playing Russian Roulette because of being too lazy to sterilize when necessary, makes no sense to me. That is all part of orchid growing... work to get pleasure...

CL

[trdyl]

Before I grew in S/H, indoors I would load them into the bath tub for a 15 minutes shower. Outside they got the hose treatment.

[Royal]

Originally Posted by Cym Ladye

I think what you mean here is that "no product will kill a virus without killing its host". There are many products which will kill orchid viruses, including the simple 5% clorox solution to sterilize containers and potting tools. I agree with you otherwise.

Yes, of course. I was speaking in the context of ailments in an orchid collection. I should have said "no product will cure a virus."

I'm glad you made that point, though. There are steps you can take to minimize transmission of a virus. I keep a mini butane torch with my clippers and sterilize after each cut. I also soak my plastic pots in bleach if they are to be re-used. I toss used clay pots, or commit them to "regular" plants.