Phal watering - Orchid Board

labyrinth1959 · #1 04-12-2016, 06:36 PM

Anybody have any opinions on watering with distilled water?

rbarata · #2 04-12-2016, 06:42 PM

I

---------- Post added at 10:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 PM ----------

Opsss...

I believe, in case of phals, the media's purpose is just to give support to the plant. So, watering with destilied water might not be enough to give nutrients to it.

estación seca · #3 04-13-2016, 01:25 AM

Did you mean distilled water as opposed to tap or well water? Or did you mean distilled water only, with no fertilizer ever?

Rain water is distilled water, sometimes with added dust. But, plants in nature get nutrients from their surroundings, as well as nitrogen in the rain when there is lightning. So a steady diet of only distilled, rain or reverse osmosis water would not be good for the great majority of orchids.

If your tap water contains a lot of dissolved minerals, it would be better to use reverse osmosis, rain or distilled water for your plants, and add nutrients in the form of fertilizer. If your tap water leaves noticeable white deposits when it dries on glass, it probably has too many minerals for most orchids.

labyrinth1959 · #4 04-13-2016, 09:37 AM

I didn't mean to imply using distilled water only. What I had in mind was to flush the pot thoroughly say once a month with distilled water sort of like a good rain storm. I currently fertilize every other week with a weak Schlultz's mix and every alternating week with a Kelp mix.

Subrosa · #5 04-13-2016, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by labyrinth1959

I didn't mean to imply using distilled water only. What I had in mind was to flush the pot thoroughly say once a month with distilled water sort of like a good rain storm. I currently fertilize every other week with a weak Schlultz's mix and every alternating week with a Kelp mix.

A monthly flush for a plant that stays indoors is a good idea. Putting the plant out so it sees the real thing once in a while is a better idea, temps and other conditions permitting.

mexicowpants · #6 04-13-2016, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Subrosa

A monthly flush for a plant that stays indoors is a good idea. Putting the plant out so it sees the real thing once in a while is a better idea, temps and other conditions permitting.

Yeah, agreed. During rainy season here there's nothing my plants like better than a bi-weekly trip into the garden during a thunderstorm :-)

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labyrinth1959 · #7 04-13-2016, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mexicowpants

Yeah, agreed. During rainy season here there's nothing my plants like better than a bi-weekly trip into the garden during a thunderstorm :-)

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This brings up another question I have about Phals. These plants always come with warning to keep them out of direct sunlight. I observe this religiously, but I wonder if it is really necessary or even desirable. I have to believe they get some sun in their natural environment.

bil · #8 04-13-2016, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by labyrinth1959

This brings up another question I have about Phals. These plants always come with warning to keep them out of direct sunlight. I observe this religiously, but I wonder if it is really necessary or even desirable. I have to believe they get some sun in their natural environment.

If you do put them in full sun, you will see why you mustn't very quickly. They get badly sunburnt.

estación seca · #9 04-13-2016, 02:39 PM

They're understory plants that grow in deep shade. I've burned Phals that got less than an hour of late October, very early morning sun through a window.

---------- Post added at 10:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:36 AM ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by labyrinth1959

I didn't mean to imply using distilled water only. What I had in mind was to flush the pot thoroughly say once a month with distilled water sort of like a good rain storm. I currently fertilize every other week with a weak Schlultz's mix and every alternating week with a Kelp mix.

It comes back to the quality of your tap water. Your water utility posts a water quality report online. You can find the dissolved mineral level and pH there. Our alkaline, highly-mineral-laden water in Phoenix is great for desert plants and human bone formation, very poor for orchids.

katrina · #10 04-14-2016, 08:02 AM

Labyrinth, I don't know where you live (how far north or south) but I live in Ohio...not as strong as zones further south, naturally....but I do grow most of my phals w/direct morning sun.

They usually see that sun from the time the sun comes up until around 10 or shortly after 10. In the summer they all sit on an east facing porch w/no protection from the sun rising and in the winter some are in the window w/no protection. They are growing very well. I wouldn't give them direct sun too much after that 10-10:30 time frame in my area but they do fine here. And, if they've been growing in darker than ideal conditions...be sure to acclimate them to that morning sun or you will burn them up. Once acclimated though...morning sun is perfectly fine. How late you can take that morning sun will depend entirely on how far south you are and how intense the sun is in your area.

Side note - I have a P pulcherrima that needs light as bright as my catts and while this is not the norm for most phals...some do need a bit more in order to bloom well. P pulcherrima has been seen growing in full sun on exposed rocks in it's native habitat.

Just throwing that out there.