New Orchid - Orchid Board

Cballen87 · #1 11-13-2017, 02:35 PM

Hi everyone, it's been awhile since I've posted on here. I ended up losing my two phals but I currently have a Rlc. Prada Green Deluxe and my newest one, Wils. Firecat Harmony. I repotted the wils. because it was in sphagnum moss and now it's currently in lava rock. Eventually I may change over to bark because I've read it likes a lot of water. Hopefully I'm still successful with my two newest orchids. I still have my bletillas outside that did well this year and I brought in my spathoglottis.

No-Pro-mwa · #2 11-14-2017, 11:53 AM

Hello and good luck with your new orchids. I guess you will have to see how it does but I would think it is going to be hard to keep it watered in the lava rock. I will have to go with your rethinking on that one.

Cballen87 · #3 11-14-2017, 11:58 AM

Thank you. I'll probably get some fine orchid bark so I can keep it watered properly. I want to be successful with these orchids. I noticed after running some water through the lava rock, the Wils. pseudobulbs are still shriveled.

estación seca · #4 11-15-2017, 02:02 AM

They do need a lot of water. LECA from a hydroponics store is also a decent material and wicks water better than lava rock. Look up the Semi-Hydroponics forum.

Cballen87 · #5 11-15-2017, 08:04 AM

Thanks estacion seca. I wish there was hydroponics store locally where I could get LECA.

flowerpower · #6 11-18-2017, 05:13 PM

They sell LECA in IKEA - it’s not very hard to find

greenpassion · #7 11-18-2017, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerpower

They sell LECA in IKEA - it’s not very hard to find

You can also get it online. It's very easy to find.

Cballen87 · #8 11-18-2017, 09:30 PM

I didn't know IKEA sold LECA. There's one in the neighboring town that I could check out and I'll also search online to see if I can find some for a reasonable price.

Cballen87 · #9 11-20-2017, 02:12 PM

Hi again everyone. I got two new orchids today, these will probably be the last ones I get for a long time until I get more comfortable with certain varieties. I got a Brassavola nodosa hybrid and I'm trying another Doritaenopsis. I'll have to get a new pot for the Dtps. since the one it's in doesn't have holes along the sides and it's flimsy. I took it out of the sphagnum moss and into coarse orchid bark with a few lava rocks mixed in. I put the Brassavola in front of a south facing window and I gave both some water since the medium was bone dry. I'm contemplating what type of pot I should put the Brassavola in eventually, would net pots work?

greenpassion · #10 11-20-2017, 04:01 PM

Good for you on your two new acquisitions! I could be wrong here but I've always been told that it's too much of a transition to put a plant from Moss into straight bark. At least with phalaenopsis orchids that's what they say. I have made the transition myself from Moss into bark, but I did it slowly with a mix of bark and Moss to start, and then months later went to straight bark with no stress for them.