humidity high water low after repotting to promote roots?

[Roberta]

The recommendations from AOS, like any other recommendations, are based on somebody's experience some place. The "somebodys" tend to be excellent long-term growers. But they don't necessarily grow under the same conditions as those that exist at your house. For instance, I find that there tends to be a south Florida bias. There are significant differences in coastal California or in Arizona, and people have to do some things a little differently to accomplish good results. So... read what good growers do, try to understand the reasons, but most importantly, seek our your local orchid society. There, you can find out what works for people who have an environment similar to yours. Real, on-the-ground experience will help you enormously and you'll make some wonderful friends in the process.

[Ray]

Thank you, Steve. Please don't put too much faith in my "knowledge." As Roberta so succinctly put it, each of us espouses expertise based upon our own experience, and that there are MANY ways to "skin that cat."

I may go down as "The Semi-Hydroponics Guy," but I think my greatest contribution is that I look at the details behind the differing experiences, in hope of discerning the "why" that will help us all understand how to grow better, then share what I think I've learned.

[nogreenthumbs]

Thanks folks.

I grow exclusively indoors for now. I don't really have any outdoor space. How valid do you think the local area growing conditions are when talking about growing indoors?

I assume that the local weather would affect indoor growing some. If the weather is hot and humid, then the AC is probably running often, so the indoors is probably fairly dry, but probably not as dry as someplace like AZ where it's hot and dry. Then the North vs the South would clearly get varying amounts of light through the windows.

When undertaking something new, I prefer to know not just why you need to do X, Y & Z, but why you need to do X, Y & Z. If I understand the why, I understand what I'm learning better and I'm better able to learn and do the new thing that I'm beginning.

I have considered growing in a window box outside of the north facing windows part of the year, but I have no plans to put that in practice at this time.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by nogreenthumbs

Thanks folks.

I grow exclusively indoors for now. I don't really have any outdoor space. How valid do you think the local area growing conditions are when talking about growing indoors?

I assume that the local weather would affect indoor growing some. If the weather is hot and humid, then the AC is probably running often, so the indoors is probably fairly dry, but probably not as dry as someplace like AZ where it's hot and dry. Then the North vs the South would clearly get varying amounts of light through the windows.

When undertaking something new, I prefer to know not just why you need to do X, Y & Z, but why you need to do X, Y & Z. If I understand the why, I understand what I'm learning better and I'm better able to learn and do the new thing that I'm beginning.

I have considered growing in a window box outside of the north facing windows part of the year, but I have no plans to put that in practice at this time.

Even if you're growing indoors, you deal indirectly with the climate - temperature, light, humidity, etc. And I think you'll find many local people who grow under conditions similar to yours. When you interact with people who have been doing it for awhile, you benefit from what they have learned from their own mistakes and successes, Orchid people love to talk orchids. If you establish a relationship with orchid friends, you can get advice over time... and get an excellent chance to put the "what to do" together with the "why" .

[estación seca]

Most of the time indoor air conditioned air has fairly low humidity. There is not much variation with outdoor weather. As the air cools the water condenses out of it. That is why there is a drain pipe from your air blower to the outside, or why window A/C units drip water on humid days.

[nogreenthumbs]

Originally Posted by Roberta

Even if you're growing indoors, you deal indirectly with the climate - temperature, light, humidity, etc. And I think you'll find many local people who grow under conditions similar to yours. When you interact with people who have been doing it for awhile, you benefit from what they have learned from their own mistakes and successes, Orchid people love to talk orchids. If you establish a relationship with orchid friends, you can get advice over time... and get an excellent chance to put the "what to do" together with the "why" .

Excellent point. Thanks.

Originally Posted by estación seca

Most of the time indoor air conditioned air has fairly low humidity. There is not much variation with outdoor weather. As the air cools the water condenses out of it. That is why there is a drain pipe from your air blower to the outside, or why window A/C units drip water on humid days.

Yes, sir. That's why I have humidity trays under my plants. And I don't mind when the missus occasionally wants to open the windows in the evenings because it gives a bump to the humidity inside which I'm sure takes a while to drop back down to the low level that the AC creates. I suspect it's extremely difficult in AZ where it's so dry outside.

[estación seca]

Domestic animals in the house (dogs, cats, children, spouses) exhale water-laden vapor constantly. With a few of them around the humidity is surprisingly higher than one might expect. I recommend people pick up a few of these.

My house has old, leaky, wooden French doors to the exterior from most rooms. Yet the humidity inside is usually 30%-40%.

[nogreenthumbs]

Good to know, the missus is home all day and we have 2 dogs.

[nogreenthumbs]

I've got the Catt in a bag and out of the window. When I came home today I checked it out and I had a tiny dew drop on the tip of one of the 1" growths. I assume that's a good thing.

But what's an even better thing is that the plant already had plans of it's own when I started it's sauna therapy. I have at least 4 new roots on the way.

In the picture below, there are 3 bumps that I assume are planning to be roots on the far left facing the camera mostly lined up one on top of the other. And then the far right, just above a bark chip (actually, I think it's charcoal) is another bump. Hopefully, more form soon or they are already there and I don't see them.

Thanks for the help. It was educational.

[Roberta]

Those are the start of new roots, and you'll probably have a new growth starting soon that little green bump next to the roots is an "eye", the potential start of a growth. Looking good! Since it is starting to root, time to get it established in a basket or pot with large bark. You need to stabilize the plant with a stake (wobbling would tend to damage new root tips and so it must be held in place firmly) , but the time to get it into its new home is when the roots are just starting - be as careful as you can not to touch or bump them, but if you do it just as it is rooting, if any get damaged it will make more. This clearly is the time that it wants to grow.