My way of carefully watering the little guys

[greenpassion]

Thank you Patty wack. I need to chime in here to say that I'm also very careful with all of my phalaenopsis orchids. When I pour from the gallon jugs I am very careful obviously unnecessarily so, just soak the medium and The Roots but not get water in the Crux of the leaves or the crowns. Having learned that that's not necessary really doesn't matter. I have 28 phalaenopsis orchid and they are all in perfect health. I've never had Crown rot and many of these are rescues that were in horrible shape when I got them. So silly or not what I do works. For me anyway.

---------- Post added at 06:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:16 PM ----------

Patty wack, did you see the pics that I sent with the small condiment squirt bottles? You had said something about ketchup bottles which is much larger but that would work as well for larger plants, but the condiment bottles that I got have small pointed nozzles and I can get under the leaves and to the roots and the bark without getting water in the Crux of the leaves and in the crowns.

---------- Post added at 06:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 PM ----------

For those who have chimed in about how I necessary it is I know it must be exasperated to read that I'm still supporting this method. Sorry about that. To each his own right? And again if it works, don't fix it!

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

Poor air movement, COLD water in the crown, and those two combined with a sudden temperature drop. Remember, nobody goes around through jungles making sure the wild orchids don't have water in their crowns.

True, but those wild Phals don't tend to grow upright... they lean, or even grow hanging downward and drain. The other factor... where they live, it's warm. I suspect that they rarely see as low as 70 deg. F at any time. Certainly when it rains, it's warm. And... if any are positioned such that they get full of water and it turns cold, they don't survive and are removed from the gene pool. Which would also favor the ones that are positioned so that gravity keeps them from a potentially bad situation.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

I wasn't actually writing in because I wanted help with this, I just wanted to share my method of watering my miniature phalaenopsis. And whether I guess it is really useful or even possibly ridiculous, I like the exactness of using these pointed tip plastic bottles.

And THAT is all that matters!

[greenpassion]

Originally Posted by Roberta

True, but those wild Phals don't tend to grow upright... they lean, or even grow hanging downward and drain. The other factor... where they live, it's warm. I suspect that they rarely see as low as 70 deg. F at any time. Certainly when it rains, it's warm. And... if any are positioned such that they get full of water and it turns cold, they don't survive and are removed from the gene pool. Which would also favor the ones that are positioned so that gravity keeps them from a potentially bad situation.

I totally second that Roberta! That has been my instinctive feeling all along.

---------- Post added at 06:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:21 PM ----------

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

And THAT is all that matters!

Well it isn't all that matters, but I get the sarcasm. I feel that however Growers are comfortable and striving for success is okay. Without judgement.

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

Thank you Patty wack. I need to chime in here to say that I'm also very careful with all of my phalaenopsis orchids. When I pour from the gallon jugs I am very careful obviously unnecessarily so, just soak the medium and The Roots but not get water in the Crux of the leaves or the crowns. Having learned that that's not necessary really doesn't matter. I have 28 phalaenopsis orchid and they are all in perfect health. I've never had Crown rot and many of these are rescues that were in horrible shape when I got them. So silly or not what I do works. For me anyway.

---------- Post added at 06:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:16 PM ----------

Patty wack, did you see the pics that I sent with the small condiment squirt bottles? You had said something about ketchup bottles which is much larger but that would work as well for larger plants, but the condiment bottles that I got have small pointed nozzles and I can get under the leaves and to the roots and the bark without getting water in the Crux of the leaves and in the crowns.

---------- Post added at 06:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:17 PM ----------

For those who have chimed in about how I necessary it is I know it must be exasperated to read that I'm still supporting this method. Sorry about that. To each his own right? And again if it works, don't fix it!

As I said, if your method works for you and you're comfortable with it, then use it!

---------- Post added at 06:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Roberta

True, but those wild Phals don't tend to grow upright... they lean, or even grow hanging downward and drain. The other factor... where they live, it's warm. I suspect that they rarely see as low as 70 deg. F at any time. Certainly when it rains, it's warm. And... if any are positioned such that they get full of water and it turns cold, they don't survive and are removed from the gene pool. Which would also favor the ones that are positioned so that gravity keeps them from a potentially bad situation.

You're oversimplifying and using false logic here, unfortunately. Many Phals in the wild are upright. For a problem to develop with a Phal in your home the temperature would have to reach a low enough point that you'd be pretty uncomfortable yourself. And plants naturally grow toward light, so if it's overhead the plant will grow upright whether on a tree branch in Indonesia or in a pot in your living room.

[Dollythehun]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

I wasn't actually writing in because I wanted help with this, I just wanted to share my method of watering my miniature phalaenopsis. And whether I guess it is really useful or even possibly ridiculous, I like the exactness of using these pointed tip plastic bottles.

I was referring to crown rot. Sorry I wasn't clear. It's always good to share ideas.

[Pattywack]

I did see your pictures and by ketchup bottle, I meant exactly what you have pictured. Guess I wasn’t very clear. These are great for filling with condiments to take on camping trips as well.

I’m going to try them, definitely.

[Leafmite]

I might get one for my plants. So far, I have been carefully using a small bottle to get under the leaves of my new Angraecum mag. and Phals but that would make it easier.

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 PM ----------

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

As I said, if your method works for you and you're comfortable with it, then use it!

---------- Post added at 06:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:32 PM ----------



You're oversimplifying and using false logic here, unfortunately. Many Phals in the wild are upright. For a problem to develop with a Phal in your home the temperature would have to reach a low enough point that you'd be pretty uncomfortable yourself. And plants naturally grow toward light, so if it's overhead the plant will grow upright whether on a tree branch in Indonesia or in a pot in your living room.

For many people who do not have the financial resources but really love plants, the perfect conditions cannot be given. My theory with growing plants is that if one can prevent as many stress-factors as possible and can determine and satisfy the most essential conditions, the plant will live and, most likely, thrive. To do this, though, one needs to carefully evaluate one's home environment and compare it to the one from which the plant comes. It is also wise to research all the places where the plant is grown outside of the native environment and see what alternative conditions the plant will tolerate. After determining the critical necessities, one then makes adaptations in the growing of the plant.

In the cooler home, if the plants are being grown right in the main living spaces, running a large, powerful fan every day during the winter can be rather impractical because many plants often do not like cool drafts (I have no idea if Phals are among this category).
Without the fan, if the humidity is good but the air is cool, things just do not dry quickly. Not all homes are well insulated so turning the heat higher does not always help matters. With global warming, we can toss in the unexpectedly weird and variable weather to add more plant stress and, yes, the tropical plant hobby gets even more fun. It can be a real challenge growing tropical plants in colder climates but not everyone has the option to live where it is warmer or can have the perfect home so tweaking the little things is sometimes our only option. Keeping water out of the crown is a nice little option to avoid inviting a fungus attack when the plants are already dealing with other factors that they would rather avoid.

[bil]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

I have been finding it tricky to water my small phalaenopsis orchids just buy the jug or faucet, without getting water in the crowns and crevices.

Dude, I keep saying this. I water all my Phals, potted or mounted with a spray. Out of spite, I wash them all down and fill the crowns, every time. I have been doing this for the last 4 years, ever since I realised that the wet crown claims were just an urban myth.
To anyone that doubts me, where pray in the wild does the tissue paper fairy live? You know, the one who drys all the phal crowns after rain or mist?

[jkofferdahl]

Originally Posted by Leafmite

I might get one for my plants. So far, I have been carefully using a small bottle to get under the leaves of my new Angraecum mag. and Phals but that would make it easier.

---------- Post added at 12:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:06 PM ----------



For many people who do not have the financial resources but really love plants, the perfect conditions cannot be given. My theory with growing plants is that if one can prevent as many stress-factors as possible and can determine and satisfy the most essential conditions, the plant will live and, most likely, thrive. To do this, though, one needs to carefully evaluate one's home environment and compare it to the one from which the plant comes. It is also wise to research all the places where the plant is grown outside of the native environment and see what alternative conditions the plant will tolerate. After determining the critical necessities, one then makes adaptations in the growing of the plant.

In the cooler home, if the plants are being grown right in the main living spaces, running a large, powerful fan every day during the winter can be rather impractical because many plants often do not like cool drafts (I have no idea if Phals are among this category).
Without the fan, if the humidity is good but the air is cool, things just do not dry quickly. Not all homes are well insulated so turning the heat higher does not always help matters. With global warming, we can toss in the unexpectedly weird and variable weather to add more plant stress and, yes, the tropical plant hobby gets even more fun. It can be a real challenge growing tropical plants in colder climates but not everyone has the option to live where it is warmer or can have the perfect home so tweaking the little things is sometimes our only option. Keeping water out of the crown is a nice little option to avoid inviting a fungus attack when the plants are already dealing with other factors that they would rather avoid.

Oh my, and sigh. The conditions do NOT have to be perfect. Phals are extremely tenacious. Mine are flourishing with highs at about 65, lows into the 50s, humidity at about 35-40%. I wish that whomever started this absurd urban myth about water and crown rot would vanish forever from this earth.