Being a Paph owner for a week - Page 3 - Orchid Board

glengary54 · #21 04-04-2012, 09:50 AM

Mutant - Just a heads up, you don't want your Paph to totally dry out between waterings and condensation on the inside of the pot is not a good indicator of when to water.

The Mutant · #22 04-04-2012, 11:51 AM

I know I shouldn't "disagree" with you, Glen, me being a newbie and all. But I use the "check for condensation on the inside of the pot"-method with my Phals as one of the indicators as to judge whether I should water or not. I've noticed that the condensation level decrease over time as the medium dries up, and I also know approximately how much moisture there is left in the medium after accidentally knocking one of my Phals over when there was a certain level of condensation on the inside of the pot.

This in combination with checking the roots and the weight of the pot+plant is what I'm using to try to figure out when to water.

The Paph got thoroughly watered when I potted it and I did the same again today - I prefer under watering to over watering, since the latter is harder for the plant to recover from, if I've understood things correctly.

Whether or not this is a good method, only time will tell. So far it seems I'm doing good, but things can change rapidly and if it does, then I know that upping the watering frequency can be a way to fix the problem (if it's related to dehydration that is).

But thanks for the heads up anyway, and the Paph wasn't totally dry when I watered it (the Phal owner in me screamed at this).

camille1585 · #23 04-04-2012, 12:06 PM

Exactly, the condensation method is for Phals. Phals need to be a bit dry before watering again, and root color /condensation are good indicators. As for erring on the side of watering, that’s not good either since Paphs like to stay a bit moist. A hint; if you start to notice a very faint pitting in the leaves, then you are underwatering. Personally I think the skewer method gives a better indicating for watering anything that’s not a Phal.

And see, the picky Phal person in you DID venture into another genus! So never say never.

The Mutant · #24 04-04-2012, 12:16 PM

Yup, but I've read on Slippertalk that it's still better to err on the dry side even with Paphs. And the condensation thingy should work with my Paph too, since it's potted in the same medium as the Phals, or am I completely wrong? Isn't it still an indicator of how much moisture there's left in the medium? I thought I had started to figure something out anyway, but maybe I haven't...

No pitting in the leves, but then I've no idea what that looks like... The leaves look the same as they've done since it came to me, as far as I can tell anyway.

The Mutant · #25 04-04-2012, 04:58 PM

I think you added a little something after editing your post...

Yes, I've ventured into a new genera! The excitement! But I think I mentioned somewhere that I planned to get myself a Paph or two, and, also, that my next genus will probably be Cymbidium? Or did I forget about that?

There are still no more genera than these three that I want to have, and I'm definitely nor ready for any Cyms yet, and Phals will always be number one.

Discus · #26 04-04-2012, 05:05 PM

I don't have a lot of paphs, but I find they like to stay quite a lot wetter than phals; my paphs probably get a light sprinkling of water through the pot every day or two, whereas the phals are much less than that (although daily aerial root misting). The phrags really like water.

I think on the whole a lot of us err on the dry side out of fear of rots etc. once we've lost one or two plants to too much water!

The Mutant · #27 04-04-2012, 05:14 PM

Yup! Root rot is scary...

I've no idea what this guy likes but hopefully I'll soon find out (preferably before I do any lasting damage). I don't think I would get away with watering mine as often as you do yours though, since there's a bit of temperature difference between South Africa and Sweden after all.