Too Much Time Tending Orchids? - Page 2 - Orchid Board

Izzie · #11 07-13-2010, 01:28 PM

My schedule is pretty similar to yours, J.
I only have 14 'chids in my collection so far- having so little room, I've now limited myself to very select ones that meet certain criteria (miniature and fragrant) instead of a lot of noids.

About 20min every day to mist and thoroughly check over everyone.
And then about every 4-5 days the 2-3" pots get thoroughly watered (about 30min), and then about once a week to 10 days, everyone else gets watered (maybe 45 min). So maybe 3-4 hours a week? The time spent soaking adds to the time- which is about 10-20min.

Once I came up with a more efficient watering system, everything takes much less time. I set out all the bowls I use to soak, and chuck them in a rubbermaid with bleach to soak for a while. Soak the plants, set them out on towels to finish draining, and sterilize the bowls again for the next batch.
While everyone is soaking or stuff is sterilizing, I check all the plants for growth and pests.

peeweelovesbooks · #12 07-13-2010, 02:04 PM

Well,

I just bought three 5-gallon buckets, and that cut my fertilizing time quite a bit.

I can now fertilize my entire (well, not really, but the great majority of it) collection in about 1 hour.

jrodpad · #13 07-13-2010, 02:14 PM

Excellent - so with 9 people weighing in, we average out to approximately 7 hours per week.

Interesting, I expected the number to increase with more people chiming in. Where are all the people with massive collections?

Swamper has the title right now for most hours at 17 per week. Can anyone out there top that?

- J

Rosiefuture · #14 07-13-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jrodpad

Excellent - so with 9 people weighing in, we average out to approximately 7 hours per week.

Interesting, I expected the number to increase with more people chiming in. Where are all the people with massive collections?

Swamper has the title right now for most hours at 17 per week. Can anyone out there top that?

- J

Hi J, Well I have over 300 orchids, about 100 indoor and 200 outside, it maybe more that this, I'll have to actually count them. As it's winter here in Oz most of my time is spent with the indoor plants, probably 10 hours a week plus two hours with the outside ones. I don't have to water the outside ones at the moment but when it heats up again the time will increase.

So I reckon around 12+ a week for me.

Marion

Angurek · #15 07-13-2010, 05:44 PM

It really depends on the weather conditions. On hot, sunny days, it takes me anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours to get everything watered, depending on how many orchids are dry. My thirstiest orchids are, by far, my vandas, which I water in the shower every day for about 10 minutes daily (these sometimes get second waterings, depending on how hot it is). My pescoroids are also heavy drinkers, but I only leave them soaking for 1-3 minutes. All my other plants get watered every other day.

If I had to give a total, it would be anywhere from 14-20 hours each week. I really pamper my plants LOL.

Lorraine · #16 07-13-2010, 05:50 PM

I've never really tried to think about how much time I spend with my collection. I'm looking at them most of the time since they are on my patio with 11 sliding glass doors. I set up a watering system so I only need to turn it off to fertalize each week. I check on them multiple times a day since they are looking at me as I pass by to take to dog out & back in. I always see something I need to do..spray..mark with a butterfly clip if there is a spike, move if too much sun/rain. Then update my spreadsheet & bloom records then sign into OB and then look up new chids to add to my "Wish List". It seems like there are not enough hours to take care of these guys but they are blooming and I'm happy

fotofashion · #17 07-13-2010, 06:12 PM

Does the 30 or so minutes I spent outdoors with the flashlight last night at 10:30 pm picking off more than 15 snails count?

I am keeping a real lookout for spikes and sheaths. I am having a problem with snails and grasshoppers so I plan to cover the spikes with netting, there goes some more time. The net bags that come with "baggy" orchids from Lowe's seem to be helping with the insect and snail problem but I don't have enough so I will go to the fabric store to buy nylon net. More time.
I give my plants a lookover in the am and another in the pm every day. Try to fertilize each week-an hour or so.
Another thing is getting a database together. Hey, Lorraine would you be willing to share with me just which database you use. DH found one to use with Office but I really don't like it.
I dread to think the time I will need to spend in the fall when I put the orchids back into the GH. Many need repotting.
I imagine my ramblings don't help much with the tally but it is interesting to ponder just how much time here and there we spend on our obsession.

And don't even mention how much time I spend here.

Beverly A.

jrodpad · #18 07-13-2010, 06:31 PM

If my quick math is right, we're now up to an average of 8.6 hours per week based on 11 confessions. Now we seem to be trending in the right direction.

Interestingly, Swamper seems to have lost the title -Carl has bested him with a 20 hour per week high!

Lorraine and Beverly, care to take a guess at an average week's work? I'd love to add you two to the running tally.

- J

marydaniellesantos · #19 07-13-2010, 07:07 PM

Probably anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour a day... sometimes more. (not including flasking

)

nenella · #20 07-13-2010, 07:40 PM

I have NO IDEA!!! I have about a 100 - grown indoors,no extra lights or anything. I soak most of them..each for 15 mins a week . I have 5 which I soak every day.12 others 'that are mounted' and on average water every 2 days .. other Oncidiums types every 2/3 days .. etc......It all depends on the weather (as I try & leave the windows open max time) ; the humidity in the air as well as what the roots tell me,and the skewer of course....... I wish I had a green house etc.......... !!