My way of carefully watering the little guys

[greenpassion]

Just wanted to share something that I thought of quite a while back. 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. So I went and got those ketchup mustard squirt bottles with the fine tips on them, and I pour whatever I have mixed in The Jugs into these little bottles and I can cleanly and carefully water all these little guys without getting any water where I don't want it. I keep four of them filled on a warming mat so that they are always room temperature. It works really well.

[jkofferdahl]

Water in the crowns and crevases is harmless. In the decades I'm grown Phals, and mini Phals, I've always just sprayed away, and never seen an issue.

[greenpassion]

I thought leaving water in the Crown's led to Crown rot?

[Arizona Jeanie]

The humidity in my house is rarely over 30%, and that's with a small humidifier next to the plants and a pan of water on the stove in the winter. I have trouble with static electricity and have unwittingly shorted out radios, electric blankets, the digital thermostat, a clock etc, plus zapping myself and the dogs from time to time. (We're all getting a little jumpy.) What I've never had is crown rot in the phals. They're doing well and seem to like their weekly spray and soak, plus frequent misting, and water left in the saucer when it's hot and dry. However--if your system is working well for you, go for it!

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[greenpassion]

So I'm going to sound really stupid here. How does one get Crown rot?

[rbarata]

Originally Posted by greenpassion

So I'm going to sound really stupid here. How does one get Crown rot?

Leaving water sitting in the crown when it's cool.
, for ex.
You can do whatever you want as long as the plant is dry by the evening (if the temp drops too much).

[greenpassion]

Okay. I grow indoors and I keep my temps through the winter between 67 and 69 maybe 70 pretty consistently. And I water usually late morning.

[Arizona Jeanie]

Good question, and I'm curious to hear what other OB members have to say about it. I think some of the factors might be lack of air movement and poor overall plant health. Also, my phals all insist on leaning over sideways in their pots, which helps most of the water run off of them quickly.

[greenpassion]

Originally Posted by Arizona Jeanie

Good question, and I'm curious to hear what other OB members have to say about it. I think some of the factors might be lack of air movement and poor overall plant health. Also, my phals all insist on leaning over sideways in their pots, which helps most of the water run off of them quickly.

AJ, my phals also lean a bit. I think I have one that is upright. I have three small fans moving the air in this double room, and I do believe every one of them is quite healthy. When I water using these little squirt bottles I water the air routes as well till they turn green. I've just always been very careful to keep water off the leaves and out of the crown. I suppose whether it's really necessary I'm going to continue to do this.

[Leafmite]

It really depends on your growing conditions whether you are safe to water orchids from the top or not. I wish people would specify their growing conditions before they recommended this and note how fast water dried on their plants. If you have a fan running, if you have warm temperatures, if you have bright light, and your water has plenty of Calcium, you probably will never have any issues with crown rot. If one of these is missing, it is possible that you will. During wintertime, I would continue to do what you are doing.

Some years ago, I had a very beloved Angraecum magdalenae that I always carefully watered from the bottom. I raised it from a very tiny seedling to blooming size which took many years. Then I got busy one year. I had read many posts where people kept saying how silly it was to be careful, that they got water in the crown all the time without issue, etc. and so I was not as careful. Within weeks of watering from above, I lost the Angraecum as it got a little water in the crown and, well, being an Angraecum, once it got rot, it went very quickly It had two new growths and those were consumed, too. Now I water my Phals and Angraecums carefully in the winter. Why take the chance?