Unbelievable!! How NOT to water a precious orchid!!

[Yanquister]

Well, I'm no expert myself, and I'm sure many people have many different takes on how to properly "quarantine" their orchids, but I will tell you my personal way (which has been 100 percent successful for me with many different types of plants).

When I bring home the new plant, I start the repotting process, which gives me an opportunity to look at the roots and leaves to check for any pests or fungus, etc. If you have to cut the roots, be sure your tools are sterile (wash them or hold a lighter to the cutter, etc) before cutting and sterilize it after as well to avoid contaminating other plants when you reuse it. After I have checked the plant and potted it, I put it in a different room in my house away from the other orchids and plants for a couple of weeks just to monitor it - plants that I have brought home in the past that DID have issues seemed to appear within the first week so I always thought a couple of weeks seemed adequate...

As far as the sink goes: I always clean my sink between each watering regardless JUST to be on the safe side. I had a stapelia gigantea that developed black spot and anything it came into contact with had to be cleaned, cut or destroyed. So better safe than sorry!

Once you find that your orchid is happy and pest/disease free, you're good to go! I keep all my orchids in humidity trays and fairly close together to help keep humidity levels higher, but again each person has their own way. My motto is if you have to question it, do it! (Ie: cleaning tools, washing sink, keeping plant quarantined a little longer, etc) Never hurts to be cautious and take all these extra little steps to make sure all your other plants stay healthy and happy, too.

And I'm sure it's not a question of IF you get another one, but when! Lol I started with one and now have 37. It's addictive!

[book_diva]

Thanks for the reply. I think Phals are pretty hardy, but then it just takes one bad experience to make you nervous!

I want to get my habits down before I bring in anything truly finicky.

[aaronsaxton]

Beware of your mercy.

Nothing gets disease and infestations into your collection faster than "saving orchids" that bring with them their problems.

I am not saying do not do it, but what I am saying is think of orchids you do have. I can count so many people I know (myself included) that "saved and orchid" to only later realize what little monsters lay hidden (insects, mites, rot, disease) that then spread to my other orchids.

Some of those problems have never left my growing environment. It only needs to be a bad disease once, and to spread just once, and the regret months later will be severe.

I avoid these sections around lowes, other places that sell them because I may see one that needs saving, and I find it difficult to not save if I see it.

Now I am heartless about it. LOL.

[shushu45]

Oh my!! That is what the one I bought today, and the others there, looked like. I spent 20 min. dumping out the excess water on all of them. I wish I had the money to save them all.

[jesscorine]

the ones at my walmart looked great, but they weren't marked down so i didnt buy. the lady said a new plant shipment would be out tonight so maybe they'll be marked down tomorrow since they're mother's day plants. they were quite large and at least one had a 1" new spike coming out!!!

[shushu45]

I hope mine does too.

[Skayc1]

I'm a beginner as well, only here I think they mean keep away from the other plants till you know it has no pest or viruses..In a separate room even...

[flexdc]

The other how not to water your orchid is JUST ADD ICE! A company in Ohio actually promotes this! I mean, if you don't care is one thing, to lie to those who don't know better? It's a scam!

[RosieC]

Originally Posted by flexdc

The other how not to water your orchid is JUST ADD ICE! A company in Ohio actually promotes this! I mean, if you don't care is one thing, to lie to those who don't know better? It's a scam!

There are those this has worked for. We've had this discussion a few times on OB I wouldn't do it personally but some people argue that it does work and should not be dismissed so easily. I don't think it's a scam so much as someone finding something that worked for them and marketing it as a gimiky idea that will not work for everyone.

[Rowangreen]

Of the two watering method described here, adding ice is probably the better one? LOL