Potting Solution for my orchids? Need an outter "shell" for DIY pots.

[Chiru]

Hey there. I recently purchased some plastic pots from amazon, and melted some breathing holes with a soldering iron for some air. The pot sizes are 5.8 inches diameter (lip included) and exactly 5 inches tall. Now, my Phals absolutely love this setup as they like the dry periods, but my other gals need to be watered almost every day to every other day because the air flow dries out the leca too quickly.

Here's a pic of what I use: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

I need any recommendations for some cheap plastic pot shells to drop my existing pots into. Basically a DIY self-watering pot. I've been looking around the internet but am having difficulty finding anything that doesn't have drainage holes! Hopefully someone has some leads on where I could get an outter "shell" that'll fit my pots? I suppose the shell would have to be about 5.5in in diamter, and at least 5.5-6" tall.

Thanks!

[Dollythehun]

If you have a florist supply near you, they would carry thin plastic pot jackets. You'd probably have to buy a sleeve though. Perhaps someone else will have an idea. Or cruise through the dollar store.

[MrHappyRotter]

Have you heard of the semi-hydroponic growing technique? I'm asking because your current potting situation is about 95% the same as semi-hydro, but with all those holes in the pots, you're missing out on the benefits. If you haven't heard of it, you may want to read up and consider switching over. Then the watering won't be a problem.

That aside, I don't know that this will work for you, but my cheap go-to cache pots are standard clay pots. I buy the kind with only a single drainage hole in the bottom, and then if I need a pot without drainage, I use bonding putty (the kind that's used to seal pipes) to seal the hole. Bonding putty sets in minutes and works really well for this purpose. Plus, in a clay pot, any excess moisture that spills out gets wicked up by the clay, providing extra humidity in the root zone.

You might also be able to use take out food soup containers. I don't know the dimensions, but they're food grade clear plastic containers. Many people use them for semi-hydro (by adding a couple holes about an inch from the bottom). If you don't like clear, you may be able to find opaque containers or you could paint them. I'm pretty sure you can buy that kind of thing in bulk online and I've seen them at some of the membership stores like Costco.

[Ray]

Phals will grow better if kept constantly moist, but the medium should still be open and airy.

[emmajs243]

MRHAPPYROTTER!!!!! Oh my goodness! It literally just hit me...I have seen my 32 oz deli containers at COSTCO'!!!! Life changing! No longer do I have to order my s/h containers on Amazon! Thank YOU for helping me make that connection!

On that note, I just measured my 32 oz deli container and it is barely over 4 1/2 inches. Idk if they are all the exact same size but I'm pretty sure they are close. So the "soup" containers are most likely not going to be wide enough.

Now maybe I am misunderstanding your goal BUT....what if you used the exact same container, and instead of trying to find a shell so you have a reservoir of water in the bottom, you just find an insert that your orchid pots can sit on top of and solder holes into the insert so the water can be reached? Just like a Flower self watering pot you would find at lowes. I know your still left trying to figure out what you could insert in there that would lift your plant up but it might be easier then finding an exact size pot? Unless you specifically WANT the ventilation holes on the sides covered up?

Like....maybe you could take some sort of 2 Liter soda bottle OR maybe the exact same type of pot your plants are in, cut off the very bottom to the depth you want, turn it upside down, and solder holes into the bottom of the soda bottle/container then insert it, upside down, into the bottom of another pot of the same or similar size so the upside down bottom of the soda bottle/container elevates the plant for you to fill the bottom with water?? Plus, you could customize so certain plants had different reservoir sizes!

Don't the pots you bought from Amazon nest within each other already? If you had an insert to just keep a larger reservoir at the bottom you would be golden! And if they nest within each other you should be able to just use the bottom 1/3 or 1/4 of the pots you got from Amazon as an insert so you would have the plant in one pot, the bottom piece of another pot, then a third pot that has the bottom piece sitting upside down in the bottom with holes soldered through and the orchid on top!

OR maybe some sort of large soda/water/Gatorade bottle Ian the size you need and you just cut off the top so the plants pot inserts inside the widest part and once again, you can customize the depth of the reservoir in the bottom.

FYI, I have seen people using strips of microfiber clothes as a wick for DIY self watering pots if that's needed! You can get them anywhere for a buck or two! Even the dollar store! Just look in the auto cleaning section! And, if you wash them, don't use softener/dryer sheets with them!

Oh AND! Beautiful plants!!

---------- Post added at 06:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:54 PM ----------

Dolly! What are these "plastic pot jackets" your speaking of!?!!? Now I am curious! I live in a pretty small town so it can be hard to find supplies or items and I'm wondering what they are since they sound like something I could actually find!

[Dollythehun]

If you have ever bought a poinsettia or an Easter lily, they come in a thin plastic pot cover, which is hiding the nursery pot. In the trade they're often called "jackets." If Amazon doesn't' have them, search under floral supplies.

https://www.kennicott.com/search-res...=pot%20jackets

[emmajs243]

HAH! I TOTALLY was looking for something like this! Are they just cheaper and plastic compared to the "decor" type of floral pots that they sell orchids inside at the grocery store or are they the same thing and just have different types?

[Dollythehun]

Generally thinner but, there are different thicknesses.