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- Cattleya Alliance (http://www.orchidboard.com/community/cattleya-alliance/)

- - Watering (http://www.orchidboard.com/community/cattleya-alliance/17065-watering.html)

Thanks, Becky. I had thought about watering so I could reuse the water that drained from the plant but since I'm new at this didn't know if that would be a good idea. Thanks. I don't want to be wasteful either -especially since water is so precious. Thanks.

Des, this is SUCH a Great idea!! I gotta try this for my Catts!!!! Thanks for such a cool trick!! :bowing

Quote:

Originally Posted by Des (Post 160699)

I think that catts can be strange plants as their roots actively look for water, I place up turned up bottle caps in the baskets at different levels in the bark chunks when repotting . it is something to see how the Catts roots will grow into the bottle cap and go round and round inside the cap taking up the water!!

Becky, I gotta ask about the kitchen water though? I thought we can't use "Softened water"? As that will kill? Is that true?

And IF your kitchen is softened water, which I think it is, How are your chids doing with softened water??

Quote:

Originally Posted by Becky15349 (Post 160711)

I grow mostly catts, and I also try not to waste so much water when I'm watering my orchids, so what I do is fill up my kitchen sink with warm water about 4 inches, a tiny bit of fertilizer and about 5 drops of super thrive. I then bring all my orchids to the sink and put them in the water, and I also pour water over them with a measuring cup. I grow in hydroton, so I like to try to get all the hydroton wet, and pouring water over it helps to do that as well as get water to the roots. Also, this way, I don't waste water, because I keep reusing what I have in the sink. I think when I used to water, I would waste gallons and gallons just pouring it through the plants, and I realized how terribly wasteful that was, so I now use this sink-filling method instead :D

I also fill up the sink, but I only water plants that sit together. You have to be careful not to spread anything when you reuse the water.

Thanks folks for your ideas on watering. I'm sure I'll be able to do the job correctly now. Your much needed help is greatly appreciated.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bellina9 (Post 160748)

I also fill up the sink, but I only water plants that sit together. You have to be careful not to spread anything when you reuse the water.

I agree with that. Short soaks in the sink works fine if you have only a few orchids that have been together for a some time. Do NOT include a brand new plant in your pool party until it has been through some kind of quarantine period and you are sure that it is disease/pest free. Otherwise you can spread all kinds of problems to your healthy orchids. It is easier to deal with problems with one plant rather than with your entire collection.

Hey all - sorry, I should have mentioned, I live in Chicago where we have unsoftened city water, so salts are not a problem for me generally. However, if you live in a suburb and have a septic system, I would recommend using water from the store, or getting a brita...something like that. And yes, if you have new plants, keep them apart from the rest of your chids until you are sure they are clean :)

Not everyone on a well needs to condition their water and there are conditioners that do not replace the Calcium with Sodium. Again, generalizations are dangerous.
Furthermore, the Brita-type filters are great for removing chlorine and chlorine compounds and bad tasting and smelling stuff but not calcium.
Nick

Quote:

Originally Posted by cirillonb (Post 162019)

Right on Nick! Britta is really a "notta" for orchids. Doesn't do anything useful for plants (in my opinion). Better off using an RO unit for water filtration.