unspoken truths...

[u bada]

Originally Posted by Dollythehun

"Worth noting bucket water is from dirty aquarium water changes."

What!!! You don't sterilize that bucket first!!!???😨😷😆

Nope, and been using fish water for years.

I rarely have plants that have bugs or other infections, but of course when i see just a little bit of issue, those plants are set aside and watered separately.

[dounoharm]

Originally Posted by bil

Naaah, two sniffs of the barmaid's apron and I'm done.

Stuck in a greenhouse with limited temp control, they are bound to get a little bit outside their comfort zones at times, and too much of that will risk degrading health and or blooming. I know it's a small point, but where I can stay tightly to the script, I'm happiest.

Plus, with any number of orchids, it would make watering more complicated than I like, and at heart I'm lazy...

The whole point of a greenhouse IS TO CONTROL EVERYTHING! temp, water, light, humidity, insects, fert...you name it CONTROL IS THE NAME OF THE GAME!....and that IS the game for me, to create the optimum comfort zone for my plants....and, I am quite good at it....if I do say so myself!

I have been working on them and in them for most of 50 years....lol....NEXT!

[estación seca]

I have to point out I have read Martin Motes' writing, and heard Bob Fuchs say, not to water Vandas before watering with fertilizer solution.

[bil]

Originally Posted by dounoharm

The whole point of a greenhouse IS TO CONTROL EVERYTHING! temp, water, light, humidity, insects, fert...you name it CONTROL IS THE NAME OF THE GAME!....and that IS the game for me, to create the optimum comfort zone for my plants....and, I am quite good at it....if I do say so myself!

I have been working on them and in them for most of 50 years....lol....NEXT!

On the funds I have, I simply can't do that. I have to get clever and try and achieve some control with other tricks.

I heat in the winter, but this year it's been cold and the power bill is WAYY up over last winter.
Last summer the base temp outside hit 43C and was 46 in the greenhouse, but the Cattleyas, Catasetum, and den phals coped. All the rest were in summer camp, where they get more shade than the Cattleyas do.

I simply can't afford to keep anything that can't cope with the conditions here.

[WalkingHorse]

Originally Posted by estación seca

I have to point out I have read Martin Motes' writing, and heard Bob Fuchs say, not to water Vandas before watering with fertilizer solution.

Yup. Watering before fertilizing is old school. Gone the way of the dodo bird for many. But as I always say...ask three orchid growers a question about "proper" culture habits and you'll get four answers.

[u bada]

Originally Posted by bil

On the funds I have, I simply can't do that. I have to get clever and try and achieve some control with other tricks.

I heat in the winter, but this year it's been cold and the power bill is WAYY up over last winter.
Last summer the base temp outside hit 43C and was 46 in the greenhouse, but the Cattleyas, Catasetum, and den phals coped. All the rest were in summer camp, where they get more shade than the Cattleyas do.

I simply can't afford to keep anything that can't cope with the conditions here.

I'm with bil here (except I don't have a greenhouse but...) too many variables in my climate here, indoors and out, my growing cases (e.g. aquariums/terrariums) are where i have my most control, and even still too many variables... especially considering time and funds!

goes with having any sort of garden... you can go crazy trying to control everything that can happen (weather, animals, pets, clumsy self, no time), better working with the plants that work with what effort you can offer and with the climate you have and conditions you can provide.

---------- Post added at 05:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:53 PM ----------

Originally Posted by WalkingHorse

Yup. Watering before fertilizing is old school. Gone the way of the dodo bird for many. But as I always say...ask three orchid growers a question about "proper" culture habits and you'll get four answers.

Four or ten really...

and watering before fertilizing is basically watering twice each time... oh man, that's a lot of time!... when I hit upon the weakly, weekly idea it was like I had a whole 3 hours to my day!

(I should note I don't bother with vandas really, and the ascos/et. al. get what they get)

[Fernando]

Originally Posted by WalkingHorse

But as I always say...ask three orchid growers a question about "proper" culture habits and you'll get four answers.

That depends mostly on the question ... if you want an accurate answer you must try a precise question.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Fernando

That depends mostly on the question ... if you want an accurate answer you must try a precise question.

Ah, but then in order to ask the precise, correct question, you need to know the answer.

---------- Post added at 07:31 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:28 AM ----------

Originally Posted by u bada

I'm with bil here (except I don't have a greenhouse but...) too many variables in my climate here, indoors and out, my growing cases (e.g. aquariums/terrariums) are where i have my most control, and even still too many variables... especially considering time and funds!

goes with having any sort of garden... you can go crazy trying to control everything that can happen (weather, animals, pets, clumsy self, no time), better working with the plants that work with what effort you can offer and with the climate you have and conditions you can provide.

Four or ten really...

and watering before fertilizing is basically watering twice each time... oh man, that's a lot of time!... when I hit upon the weakly, weekly idea it was like I had a whole 3 hours to my day!

(I should note I don't bother with vandas really, and the ascos/et. al. get what they get)

Yeah. The more you work against the natural conditions, the more expensive it gets, and when something fails, as fail it will, then it will do some damage.

Yeah, watering twice? My mounts are an hour a day in summer, before I start on the pots...

I think not.

[Fernando]

It ain't necessarily so, Bil.
You are right, that the more you know, the easier it is -sometimes! - to ask a precise question.

It is more or less safe to say that more orchids have been lost through over-watering than under-watering, but it is impossible (as I see it) to give one advice on watering for all type of orchids.

So, for multiple reasons, it is far better to fertilize (any kind of plant) after wetting/rainfall/dull weather etc., but this of course does not apply to every orchid/plant in every case.

To give a precise advice, we need precise previous information.

[bil]

Originally Posted by Fernando

It ain't necessarily so, Bil.
You are right, that the more you know, the easier it is -sometimes! - to ask a precise question.

It is more or less safe to say that more orchids have been lost through over-watering than under-watering, but it is impossible (as I see it) to give one advice on watering for all type of orchids.

So, for multiple reasons, it is far better to fertilize (any kind of plant) after wetting/rainfall/dull weather etc., but this of course does not apply to every orchid/plant in every case.

To give a precise advice, we need precise previous information.

More or less? I think you are hedging your bets a bit there. I would think that it is the single greatest cause of deaths in orchids.

I still think that the idea of very weak fertilising at every watering is better. I am more than happy to listen to explanations as to why not, but as yet i haven't heard anything that convinces me to move from my current viewpoint.

Agree totally about giving advice based on precise information input, but usually the problems we see are from people that possibly lack the knowledge to give such precise info.