Watering logistics?

[ccrow]

I'm wondering how those of you with a lot of orchids are managing your watering. I've been growing mine on windowsills in my kitchen so they are easy to put in the sink for a good flushing and/or soaking. I just bought a set of wire shelves that I am going to set up on the second floor, directly over my kitchen; so it will be the same exposure(south) but not handy to a sink. Do I bite the bullet and do a lot of orchid transport up & down? Or might I be better off keeping the orchids where they are and put other plants on the shelves, like all my Christmas cactuses, who won't care so much if they get dry for awhile...
I'm really interested to hear how everyone manages this

[ula]

Watering can be a real...burden sometimes. I'm an indoor grower myself, so winter weekends are sometimes very busy with "watering schedule". Thankfully a lot of what I have gets a winter rest, plus my collection is not expansive (yet), so watering is manageable. As soon as it gets warm enough outside, I chuck all my orchids out on the deck. This year I bought these plastic, over-the-rail planters, that are super easy to take off an carry near my garden hose, and I insert my orchids (in their pots) into that.

[MrHappyRotter]

After nearly 2 hours of watering tonight, I certainly understand the need to make the process of watering more efficient.

In all fairness, though, I decided to take advantage of all the rain I've collected this week and flush all the pots to reduce mineral/salt buildup. It's a process that takes awhile because I have to manually pull each plant off the shelf, hold it over a bucket, and pour water through it.

I don't like to put my plants outside anymore, primarily because I hate bringing insects and other creatures inside with them in the winter. And that happens unless I spray and treat with lots of pesticides, which I prefer to avoid. But, critters aside, another issue I find with outdoor growing (in the Southern USA) is that I have to water more frequently due to the heat drying things out, even if it's raining fairly frequently as it usually does in non-drought years.

[ccrow]

I'm too absent-minded to put them outside; I'll forget to water them. Plus the bugs... I put my amaryllis(amarylli?) and my potted rosemary outside, but not much else. I am very lucky with my windows, though- lots of them, and nice wide sills on most.
Ula, I know the type of planter you mean- what a good idea to use them that way.

[Paphluvr]

Originally Posted by ccrow

I'm wondering how those of you with a lot of orchids are managing your watering. I've been growing mine on windowsills in my kitchen so they are easy to put in the sink for a good flushing and/or soaking. I just bought a set of wire shelves that I am going to set up on the second floor, directly over my kitchen; so it will be the same exposure(south) but not handy to a sink. Do I bite the bullet and do a lot of orchid transport up & down? Or might I be better off keeping the orchids where they are and put other plants on the shelves, like all my Christmas cactuses, who won't care so much if they get dry for awhile...
I'm really interested to hear how everyone manages this

Do you have a bathroom on the second floor? Put them in the bathtub and water them with a 2-3gal compression sprayer (the type used to spray insecticide). Will save many trips up and down the steps.

[katrina]

When I had to carry plants to the sink it would take me between 6 and 8hrs to do all of my watering. 6, if I was quick and just did a fast watering and 8 if I gave them a good watering and fert.

Then we arranged my indoor watering system. Trays w/drain and mount stations...I have a indoor watering hose sprayer...water in place and the excess drains into buckets via hoses attached to the drains on the trays. I even have drain basins I set up for the mount areas.







These are the mount stations...this pic was taken before we replaced the floors but the overall set up is the same. The legs come off so I can store these away between uses and they set up in only a few minutes.

This pic also shows how I have the bucket set up for the one shelf as well as the mount station. This also taken when I was still using the acrylic trays...they didn't hold up as well as I had hoped and I've since moved to the boot trays in the first pics.



I think this is as close as one can get to being able to 'grab a hose and go' while still growing inside a house.

[ccrow]

That's quite a setup!! And I like the pic with your 'helper'
The compression sprayer is a good idea, too. (Dons thinking cap)

[bil]

Originally Posted by katrina

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I think this is as close as one can get to being able to 'grab a hose and go' while still growing inside a house.

OK, now that I like. That system of collecting the runoff with the sheets of plastic is simply genius. Well done!

Me, I have all mine outdoors in a greenhouse or shady areas. I use a pressure spray to water them all with a dose of fertiliser (all the time) so weak that salt buildup isn't likely to be a problem It takes an hour and a half even so, and at this time of year it's an every day job.

I sit them all in a saucer with a smaller saucer upside down inside it, and I water till the water starts to run out the bottom. The twin saucer trick means the plants never sit in the runoff water, but it adds a little humidity to the surrounds.

[Ray]

That's GREAT, Kat!!!

[Raqsharqi]

I water my orchids individually, by hand. Yes, it takes time, but it also gives me the chance to check for critters up close and personal! I've had occasion to miss a day or two of watering and found that mealy bugs flourished in my absence!