Problems watering orchids in sphagnum moss

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by Bafflepitch

Wow, fast replies. Thanks!

I am in Louisiana, humidity is not in short supply here, even inside. Maybe that is keeping the moss moist too long? A good watering will keep the moss wet for weeks!

I may need to try a different medium for my plants. I really don't want to harm another one.

Some plants that need constant moisture need sphag moss. When I use it I don't compact it, then I generally mist the moss with a spray bottle. I don't pour water on it. I want the media moist not water logged.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by dreamerfb2

Wow! Milorganite, unless mistaken, is processed Human! Supposed to be very good!
I have been gifted two potinaras "little toshee", in small plastic pots of sphagnum. What I know about orchids is that I always kill them. It is obvious to me now is that I'm keeping them too wet. I live on the Northern California coast where it's cool and "generally" humid.
I've put the cids outside but am concerned that 50 degrees overnight, and 60-65 daytime are too cool.
Filtered sunlight, and/or shade under the eves.
The giftee said tray of pebbles watered for moisture/ humidity. I have new leaves, (they bloomed last October), but indoors the newbies were reaching for the light so moved them outunder the translucent patio cover. Don't want to burn them due to too much sun.
I think I'm in zone 8 in Eureka, Calif. what do you think?

OK so old post but, I am thinking if you are going to keep them in spagh you are going to have to let the spagh get crispy before you water it. I love Little Toshee. And yes you are right Milorganite is human waist. I think next time you re-pot use a bark mix.

[bil]

Everyone's environment is different, so you can't generalise, but there is one thing where I think you can. Since it is ridiculous to reapot for each season as it comes round, I think it is accurate to say that you need to pot for the most dangerous season.

For me winter is the most dangerous, without a doubt, and I worry about overwatering then. So, I don't use sphag much. I might use a bit in some pots where they are exposed to the hottest areas, so I will put a ball or two of moss in, so as to act as a reservoir. Also if an orchid is a newcomer with poor roots, I will put a ball or two in there.

Phals get large bark in a wide shallow container I make myself. They have to be watered every day in summer, but winter, twice a day is fine. There is no danger of root rot, because the medium gets wet, but the air movement is unhindered. The latest trial sizes of 30 cm diam and 8 deep aren't really wide enough, as the latest one is thrusting roots out thru the drain holes like a mad thing. I'm going to start looking at 35 cm which is about 14 inches diam and about 4 inches deep.

All this means a lot of watering in the summer. However it enables me to inspect each pot and keep an eye on things.

[dreamerfb2]

Thanks guys for the information! I DO appreciate! Now, three other things on the tag that I'm not familiar with: I assume "H&R" is the developer of "Little Toshee", but what about the notation "AM/NOS"?
Thanks BIL & Shannon.

[Optimist]

You are in Louisiana. Hot/warm and humid most of the time? You probably would not even have mush trouble with bare root or mounted orchids. Well, where I am, it is the desert, and the spagham moss remains wet maybe 1 day if I am lucky. So it is relative to where you live.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Optimist

So it is relative to where you live.

and therein lies the nub.

You need to experiment. Don't blindly follow what people say, because no matter how good their advice is, it can only be guaranteed to work for them there.

So, try various things, and experiment.

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by dreamerfb2

Thanks guys for the information! I DO appreciate! Now, three other things on the tag that I'm not familiar with: I assume "H&R" is the developer of "Little Toshee", but what about the notation "AM/NOS"?
Thanks BIL & Shannon.

H&R would be the nursery it came from. I don't know who first hybridized it. I use to have one before I killed it I really liked it. I'm getting one that's is suppose to be here today that is Little Toshee crossed with another orchids yay.

I think it is AM/AOS I typed this earlier today and I guess I haven't found out if I'm wrong but I think AM is Award of Merit AOS is American Orchid Society. It means the orchid Little Toshee has been given these awards.

Hay Bil I think you mean in summer you water them once a day in winter twice a week? Is that right?

[bil]

Originally Posted by No-Pro-mwa

Hay Bil I think you mean in summer you water them once a day in winter twice a week? Is that right?

Oh yes. If the catts in the trays look a bit dry, I'll give them a second spray.

They also get misted 16 times a day. I'm pushing the 40C barrier here.

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by bil

and therein lies the nub.

You need to experiment. Don't blindly follow what people say, because no matter how good their advice is, it can only be guaranteed to work for them there.

So, try various things, and experiment.

I am trying live sphag moss in a couple of my plants, an experiment.

[lotis146]

I was told when I first came here/started over a year ago - all with good intention no doubt - that I'll want to pot my orchids in a bark mix. But now I have learned that I am a chronic under-waterer (I think I need therapy for it, lol) therefore moss is not my worst enemy. HOWEVER a lot of times you'll find when you first get a new plant that it's not just in moss it's PACKED DENSE in moss and this can be problematic b/c dense, dense moss can hold water for weeks as you've experienced (and so many others have as well, myself included). With such dense moss I've had orchids survive 6 weeks without watering!

If bark is working for you and you don't mind watering more often then by all means stick with it. I do believe Phals like to dry out a little between waterings while Catts like to dry out even more. Oncidiums on the other hand I don't think like to dry out between waterings, but this is all generalizing.

Today I started a MAJOR experiment (yes I know I'm taking a huge risk) and did mass repots with a pro-mix like mix, basically it's peat moss potting mixture with some perlite and I added a little bit more perlite, bark, clay pebbles. I've done this b/c I underwater so bad and I've bought plants that were already in Promix that are still doing well.

To each his own as they say... now beware the rain... that's my latest lesson... bad lesson...

AND WELCOME!